Content

Gene Therapy for Neurofibromatosis - the Path to a Cure

Despite being among the most common genetic disorders worldwide (1 in ~2500 births collectively) the NF field has sadly been overlooked for decades. Yet it is difficult to understand why, given the huge unmet need and extremely limited treatment options – none of which offer curative potential for patients. Gene therapy offers the path towards a cure. In this article, we outline the nature of the challenge, why now is the right time to solve it, and explore the unanswered questions we'd like to address through venture creation. 

From Erosion to Regeneration: Our Vision for Saving Agricultural Soils

Soil degradation from intensive farming practices creates an urgent need for regeneration but current erosion prevention solutions have limitations. In this article, we outline a promising alternative, using biodegradable polymers derived from natural sources, which can integrate into the soil while avoiding environmental risks.

Enhancing Plant Resilience for a Changing Climate

The detrimental effects of rising temperatures on crops are felt worldwide, as climate change expedites withering and drives premature ripening of agricultural produce. The repercussions extend beyond the affected crops, wreaking havoc on surrounding plant life and posing severe challenges for agricultural sustainability and profitability. In this article, we outline potential approaches to support farmers in meeting human needs, supporting livelihoods, biodiversity, and the natural processes that sustain life on Earth.

Creating the Future of Clean Steel

Ancient and remarkably versatile, steel is produced in volumes second only to concrete and aggregate globally, making up critical parts of the modern economy including infrastructure, transport and appliances, and resulting in emissions of 3.5bn tonnes of CO2 annually. With steel production forecast to continue to grow, in this article we explore potential approaches to decarbonising this vital industry.

Leading Cancer Biologists and Entrepreneurs Join Enedra Therapeutics as Co-Founders

Enedra Therapeutics, a therapeutics company within the Deep Science Ventures portfolio, announces that it is adding a number of seasoned industry executives as co-founders, bringing extensive expertise in cancer biology, drug discovery and corporate strategy to the team.

Why are there no cures for inflammatory disease – and can tolerance solve it?

Despite tremendous unmet need, there are still no cures for inflammatory disease. Existing therapies fail for known reasons – yet nobody has thus far created therapeutics that fulfil all the necessary requirements. We need to find ways to turn off the causal upstream sources of inflammation rather than simply mopping up downstream inflammatory signals.

Our planet needs water solutions

As current projections stand, over 4 billion people will face some form of water scarcity by 2050 - the majority of which will reside in urban centres. Even if ambitious climate and population growth targets are adopted, only about 20% of water scarcity can be mitigated. In this article, we explore methods for how me might overcome this water scarcity.

We need to make atoms-based entrepreneurship cool again

There's a talent shortage in deep tech. In a world where personalised medicine and abundant clean energy is no longer restricted to the realm of scientific fiction, unless we can inspire more people to acquire a scientific foundation, and move from science into impact, we risk failing to realise that future. In this article, we outline how creating it will require scientists and engineers to take control of their own stories, to encourage others to join them in working on these hard problems.

Immunotherapies should work more broadly - why don’t they?

Solid tumours are the leading cause of cancer deaths globally, with limited options for treatment once the tumours reach a metastatic stage. While immunotherapy has been a promising treatment for many solid cancers, its success rate varies greatly, leaving many patients without treatment options. In this article, we explore why, and how a new therapeutic approach we're developing, could finally enable immunotherapies in solid tumours.

Creating circular bioeconomies through next-generation crops

There is an increasing need for sustainable and efficient ways to produce vital resources, from food and fibre to advanced materials like biofuels and bioplastics. In this article, we outline why we're interested in expanding the range of products produced from crops, and how we can create new venture-able opportunities, while supporting the growth of local, regional, and national bioeconomies.

Creating a next generation Direct Air Capture venture

The first generation of direct air capture companies (DAC) suffered from intensive energy requirements and high costs. In this article, we cover how the next generation of DAC companies are overcoming this challenge, what constraints still exist, and how a new venture that we're creating circumvents them.

Creating Gene Therapies for Cystic Fibrosis

In this article, we outline how far gene therapies have come since they were first utilised in the early 1990s, how we're planning on using a promising approach to develop a curative therapy for Cystic Fibrosis, and how you can join us to make it a reality.

Optimizing for Outcomes: how fresh perspectives can solve complex diseases

Using our methodology of venture creation, we're able to uncover novel therapeutics approaches in a disease area, that often haven't previously been considered. In this article, we explain how this works in practice, and how we've worked with two partners, the Children's Tumor Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, to uncover approaches within Neurofibromatosis and Cystic Fibrosis respectively.

Our Partnership with AbbVie

We've partnered with AbbVie, a global pharmaceutical company, to create ventures targeting immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. This content post contains the press release detailing the partnership.

Why we need high-impact agricultural transplantation

Global food production is responsible for 80% of deforestation, 70% of freshwater use and, in drier regions, also leads to desertification. In this article, we outline approaches to reversing this trend, to increase the agricultural productivity of arid desert regions.

How bioinformatics can transform cell-based therapeutics

Major hurdles still need to be overcome before cell therapies become pillars of modern medicine. In this article, we outline the opportunity for analytical systems that can optimise differentiation methods of pluripotent stem cells and how this will allow us to generate numerous therapeutic products at scale.

Why we need to reinvent the PhD

If science is the engine of human progress, research is the fuel. To solve some of the biggest challenges and existential threats facing humanity, we need to ensure that our research and talent pipeline is adequately aligned with the outcomes required to solve these problems.

Accelerating venture creation using our Outcomes Graph

At the centre of our venture creation efforts sit a shared ontology and knowledge graph, a tool we call the Outcomes Graph. In this article, we outline how it works and how it empowers our team and founders to identify the constraints and solutions within an area, to create more effective ventures.

Carbon capture and sequestration in mining pit lakes

Ocean alkalinity enhancement has the potential to draw down carbon dioxide at the gigatonne scale but faces challenges with measurement and verification. We set out the case for an alternative approach, which solves these constraints.

Fixing the broken Cyber Insurance market

Companies are being left vulnerable to cyber security threats, while cyber insurance providers are simultaneously suffering losses. We outline an approach to fix this, to restructure cyber insurance provision and realign incentives.

Developing next generation construction materials

As the environmental costs of traditional construction materials have become more widely recognised, the demand for sustainable alternatives has risen. We discuss potential solutions, from fast-growing wood sources to new market applications.

Enabling circular bioeconomies with biomass processing

Biomass is an incredible renewable source of carbon, to reduce fossil fuel dependence and enable a circular bioeconomy. We outline our approaches to developing novel agricultural waste processing technologies, to produce high-value compounds.

Developing 21st Century Crops for the circular economy

Plant breeding has historically focused on yield, resistance to pressures, and nutritional qualities. We explain how we're expanding that scope, to include material requirements, compound production and greenhouse gas emission goals.

Adapting tropical agriculture to climate change

Climate change is driving deforestation and habitat loss in frontier areas where agriculture borders areas of high biodiversity. With an initial focus on coffee in the tropics, we investigate potential interventions to prevent this.

Expanding our partnership with Cancer Research UK

We've expanded our partnership with Cancer Research UK, to develop curative therapies for cancer patients.

Unlocking a post-Moore's Law approach to computing

We launched XONAI Computing as a next-generation data platform, to overcome the economic burden that cloud computing has become. We discuss their approach, their recent impressive results and our next area of focus.

Creating a Thriving Future

What we’ve learnt from 5 years of building deep science companies, and how we’re re-engineering scientific venture creation.

Why agriculture venture-building should focus on bioregions

To achieve restorative cultivation outcomes, we need to focus our agriculture venture creation efforts on bioregions: Local programs that can be scaled globally.

How this founder is building a business and a family at the same time

Having launched Parallel Carbon, a direct-air-capture company, in 2021, a year after she joined DSV. Aranza is also building a family: her daughter was born in the same month as her business! She tells us her story.

Why is Regenerative Agriculture so Crucial?

We outline why regenerative agriculture is so crucial to solving the triple planetary crisis of nature and biodiversity loss, climate change and runaway pollution and waste accumulation.

Why fixing insurance can save the planet

The insurance industry is struggling with climate change. Portfolio company Malachite is using socio-urban data to incentivise risk-reducing behaviour, in an approach that might allow insurance to save the planet.

We're trying to cure Cystic Fibrosis - will you join us?

There is an unfounded belief often suggested by commentators that recent advancements have rendered cystic fibrosis (CF) manageable for all patients. We explain why we cannot make the assumption that ‘we are done with CF’.

How these founders are building a science company remotely

From home laboratories to electrochemical-testing-devices-in-a-suitcase, Ryan, cofounder of Parallel Carbon tells us how they're building their direct-air-capture company fully remotely.

Adaptando fincas tropicales al cambio climático