Brazilian biotechnology company BioLinker, founded by scientists from the University of São Paulo, has raised R$8.4 million in a new funding round. The capital includes R$7.2 million from an Axcell fund focused on Amazon businesses and R$1.2 million from FAPESP's PIPE Phase 2 program. The investment will support an automated laboratory at the Amazon Biotechnology Center in Manaus for large scale data generation, artificial intelligence training, and DNA production expansion.
Funding Structure and Amazon Presence
The Axcell fund brings together resources from companies operating in the Manaus Free Trade Zone, where firms must invest in innovation through internal programs, tax incentives, or a dedicated fund under the Bioeconomy Priority Program. That program provides checks of up to R$10 million for biotechnology companies, a modality that founder and CEO Mona Oliveira considers rare in Brazil. The investment process includes conversations with the fund, due diligence, and approval by an investment committee.
Automated Lab for AI and Data
BioLinker will renovate a pre-laboratory area at the Amazon Biotechnology Center and import robots to operate high throughput screening. This method automates large numbers of tests and produces the high volume of data needed to train artificial intelligence models. Oliveira said the cost of obtaining data at the required speed would demand far more capital, and the company designed the round specifically for that purpose.
The company expects the Manaus structure to be the only laboratory in Brazil with this type of high scale screening technology. Alongside automation, BioLinker plans to expand national capacity for producing large blocks of DNA, a material that no Brazilian company currently manufactures commercially. Oliveira said the country depends entirely on imports, while academic initiatives generally serve only their own institutions.
Genetic Data and Synthetic Biology
BioLinker will work mainly with Brazilian genetic heritage, including genomes from bacteria and phages, viruses that infect bacteria without causing disease. The company aims to synthesize this information domestically and use it as a tool to produce proteins. It also plans to protect genetic data as artificial intelligence increases the ability to design molecules and regulators seek to prevent virus development.
Growth Plans and International Ambitions
Founded in 2018, BioLinker applies synthetic biology to challenges in research, diagnostics, and industrial production, with a focus on recombinant proteins. The company already has recurring revenue and finances commercial development through its own operations. With the new funding, BioLinker expects to double its team from 12 to 24 employees and estimates that the amount supports three years of operations.
The round remains open, and BioLinker is seeking at least one international investor, even with a smaller check, to accelerate the design, build, and test cycle for its AI efforts. This support would also help prepare a Series A abroad within two years. Oliveira noted that Brazilian deep tech investors remain scarce and concentrated in Pre-Seed, while international valuations can be five to ten times higher.
The investment strengthens BioLinker's physical presence in Manaus, where the company has opened a branch and is incubated at the Amazon Biotechnology Center. It also aligns with regional bioeconomy priorities and supports domestic data generation, DNA production, and automation capabilities. With prior backing from Google earlier in 2025, BioLinker is positioning itself for accelerated growth and a larger international funding round.
Source: Startups