Bengaluru-based deep science startup Iom Bioworks has secured Rs 4 crore in seed funding led by Gurugram-based angel investment firm Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), marking a significant milestone for personalized gut microbiome healthcare in India. The funding will enable the company to accelerate its mission of revolutionizing healthcare through targeted gut bacteria modulation and AI-powered personalization.
Pioneering Personalized Microbiome Science
Founded in 2022 by Bipin Pradeep Kumar, Dr. Samik Ghosh, and Dr. Hiroaki Kitano, Iom Bioworks has developed a patented platform that combines artificial intelligence with advanced modeling techniques to deliver precise, personalized health recommendations. The company's approach centers on identifying key bacteria in the gut microbiome and modulating them in a targeted manner to enhance overall health and well-being.
The startup's technology leverages large-scale knowledge graphs mined through AI to understand the complex relationships between gut bacterial composition and various health outcomes, including digestion, immunity, metabolism, and mood regulation.
Strong Early Market Performance
Despite being founded just two years ago, Iom Bioworks has demonstrated impressive market traction. The company has reached more than 500 customers in its first year of operations and has established a robust intellectual property portfolio with two patents already granted and two additional patents in advanced stages of approval.
The startup has also achieved scientific credibility through key publications in leading scientific journals and has built pan-India logistics capabilities with digital access for personalized microbiome services, enabling remote healthcare delivery across the country.
Strategic Funding Allocation
The Rs 4 crore seed funding will be strategically deployed across multiple growth areas. The capital will be used to strengthen core infrastructure, scale both scientific and commercial teams, expand marketing initiatives, and secure intellectual property claims globally. This comprehensive approach reflects the company's commitment to building a sustainable, science-based healthcare platform.
"Iom Bioworks envisions a world where a healthy mind and body are achievable through informed choices that nurture the microbiome. By empowering our inner ecosystem through prebiotics and a food and lifestyle centred around the bacteria, we aim to energize daily life while preserving the joy of living," said Bipin Pradeep Kumar, co-founder of Iom Bioworks.
Addressing Rising Lifestyle Disease Burden
The investment comes at a time when lifestyle diseases are increasingly prevalent due to factors including poor diet, stress, and inadequate sleep patterns. Vinay Bansal, Founder of IPV, emphasized the connection between these health challenges and gut microbiome composition.
"Lifestyle diseases have been on the rise due to multiple reasons like poor diet, stress, lack of sleep and are intimately linked to poor gut health and microbial composition. The gut microbiome plays a huge role in your digestion, immunity, metabolism, and even mood. Understanding it can help prevent a myriad of these diseases and also provide a better quality of life," Bansal explained.
Market Positioning and Future Outlook
Iom Bioworks positions itself as a first-mover in India's emerging gut microbiome healthcare market, combining deep scientific expertise with practical consumer applications. The company's multidisciplinary approach, backed by a team of scientists and entrepreneurs, aims to create a paradigm shift in preventive healthcare through personalized microbiome interventions.
The partnership with IPV has been described as transformative by the company's leadership, with Kumar noting that "their supportive and diligent approach has set us firmly on the path toward this vision" of making personalized gut health accessible to a broader population.
The funding round represents a significant step in Iom Bioworks' evolution from a research-focused startup to a commercially viable healthcare platform, positioning the company to capitalize on growing consumer interest in preventive health, AI-driven diagnostics, and personalized medicine solutions.
