PILL.AR, a startup focused on developing equipment to 3D print medications, has received $250,000 from a national investment fund, which is also evaluating three other biotech startups from UNC’s portfolio.
PILL.AR is a startup developing equipment that will enable decentralized, automated, and personalized production of medications through 3D printing technology. The goal is for pharmacies to offer medications tailored to each patient’s needs, similar to how it was done decades ago, but in a more efficient and precise way.
This project is led by Juan Pablo Real, a PhD in Chemical Sciences and researcher at UNC and Conicet; Daniel Real, PhD in Chemical Sciences; communications specialist Enzo Moriconi; and Santiago Palma, a scientist with extensive experience at Conicet and UNC.
After an intensive training and selection process, the SF500 accelerator decided to invest $250,000 in this startup, which develops equipment that prints tablets capable of combining more than two active ingredients. This equipment will allow the production of advanced medications faster and with higher quality, through a simple process involving inserting a cartridge into the printer and pressing a button.
Juan Pablo Real, one of the founders, highlights that receiving this investment validates all the research work they have been doing for a long time. “On the other hand, it is the key that opens the door to the next step, which is technology transfer, allowing it to reach the public.”
“This investment will essentially allow us to scale the technology, transforming the current prototype, which can produce 3D prints on a lab scale, into a more robust platform capable of producing high-quality personalized medications in any pharmacy, with consistent quality regardless of who operates it,” adds Real.
The founder estimates that with this investment, they will be able to validate the technology within 18 months to ensure it can produce high-quality, safe medications for the public. “After this period, the technology will be available for mass commercialization,” Real notes.
A science-based company
Scientists who venture into the world of entrepreneurship face various challenges. Unlike entrepreneurs in information and communication technologies (ICT), who must validate their projects within six months, scientist-entrepreneurs navigate much longer cycles.
Initially, they immerse themselves in a phase focused on knowledge building, followed by subsequent technological development. Andrés Colombo, UNC’s Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, explains this process: “Turning pure scientific knowledge into a technological product requires research, feasibility assessments, and scaling activities, which take a long time. UNC, through the Office of Innovation and Technology Transfer, supports entrepreneurs with intellectual property advice, financing management, and networking and communication resources.”
The next stage involves securing the necessary funding to cover the initial costs of these initiatives. To this end, the Office promotes partnerships with accelerators (or company builders) that monitor university-based startups.
The National University of Córdoba already has one company funded by a company builder. PILL.AR would be the second company financed by an investment fund, with expectations for SF500 to fund three more.
What is SF500 and what does it do?
SF500 is a company builder based in Rosario, Santa Fe, created through an alliance between the company Bioceres and the Santa Fe provincial government. It was established to strengthen connections between the scientific community and the productive sector through new public-private partnerships.
Its mission is to foster co-creation between researchers and entrepreneurs of globally impactful and innovative products and services. Its focus is on biotech startups, employing an open innovation model that connects universities, businesses, and the government.
SF500 aims to increase the number of biotech companies in Latin America. It has a fund of $300 million, with $7 million already invested in 19 biotech startups.
For more information, visit https://sf500.com.ar.
