TissueLabs: The Venture Leader Biotech fabricating lab-grown tissues for research and therapeutic applications

17.05.2024 10:30, Rita Longobardi

Meet Gabriel Liguori, CEO of TissueLabs. The Biotech startup provides biomaterials, equipment, and services to support tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Last week, Gabriel joined nine other Biotech innovators on a business development and investor roadshow in Boston.

Name: Gabriel Liguori
Location: Lugano
Nationality: Italian
Education: MD, PhD
Job title: CEO
Number of employees: 7
Money raised: USD 2M (USD 1M from investments and USD 1M from grants)
First touchpoint with Venturelab: Venture Leaders Biotech 
 

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Can you tell us who your product or solution helps and how? Our products and solutions support global tissue engineering and regenerative medicine research. TissueLabs' platform facilitates advanced 3D model biofabrication crucial for biomedical research and drug discovery. Our biomaterials and 3D bioprinters recreate in vivo-like conditions, advancing our understanding of biology. This accelerates drug discovery by biofabricating more relevant models, with the ultimate goal of eliminating organ transplant waiting lists.

What market are you addressing, and what is the potential of your startup in that market? We target the growing cell and tissue culture market, expected to hit USD 51.3 billion by 2028, and the broader regenerative medicine and bioengineered organ transplantation field, worth over USD 230 billion. TissueLabs leads with innovative biofabrication technologies, set to transform biomedical research, drug discovery, personalized medicine, and organ transplantation.

How did you come up with the idea for your startup? TissueLabs stems from my childhood battle with congenital heart disease and a passion for healthcare innovation. Recognizing the gap between regenerative therapy potential and practical application, I founded TissueLabs to bridge this divide. By merging science and technology, we aim to accelerate innovation in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, empowering researchers worldwide. TissueLabs reflects my dedication to advancing healthcare through biofabrication to tackle organ transplantation challenges. 

How do you think the Venture Leaders roadshow will help you achieve your vision? Venture Leaders roadshow offers TissueLabs a chance to spotlight our work to investors, leaders, and partners worldwide. Being part of this esteemed event boosts our visibility, helps us make key connections, and could secure crucial funding and collaborations to speed up our progress. It's a prime opportunity to share our innovative solutions and advance our goal of creating the world's first transplantable bioartificial heart.

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What are your team’s key achievements to date? Our team's key achievements include the development and commercialization of our biofabrication platform, which researchers have adopted in hundreds of institutions across over 25 countries. We've introduced pioneering products such as MatriXpec™ tissue-specific biomaterials and our TissueStart™ and TissueRay™ 3D bioprinters, establishing TissueLabs as a leader in the field. Additionally, we've been recognized for our innovation with awards and honors, including Forbes Under 30, MIT Innovator Under 35, and PMI Future 50, and we've secured initial funding from investors (USD ~1M) and government grants (USD ~1M).

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company? Our mission is to revolutionize biofabrication with innovation, grit, passion, protagonism, ambition, and teamwork. These values drive our pioneering technologies: Innovation pushes boundaries, grit ensures resilience, passion fuels impact, protagonism empowers individuals, ambition sets lofty goals, and teamwork binds us. This fusion shapes our culture, influencing our strategies, technologies, and relationships in and beyond the scientific community. 

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder? The importance of resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges and uncertainties. Building a startup, especially in the complex field of biotechnology, is fraught with obstacles and setbacks. Embracing these as opportunities for learning and growth has been crucial to our advancement and success. Staying focused on our vision while being flexible in our approach has allowed us to navigate the ups and downs of startup life.

Tell us something people don't know about you.
Since childhood, my passion for geography and travel has been profound. I adored atlases and globes, eagerly memorizing capitals, flags, and distant places. Growing up in Brazil to a family of immigrants from Italy, Portugal, and Spain, I immersed myself in immigrant festivals, sparking my interest in diverse cultures. Today, aside from family time, I indulge in exploring cultures through reading, documentaries, and travel whenever possible.

Any podcasts or books you want to share with us? 
"Ferruccio Lamborghini. The Official Story" is a must-read for me. It is about the story of Ferruccio Lamborghini, who defied the odds to create the iconic Lamborghini brand after being snubbed by Enzo Ferrari. This underdog story embodies determination and passion, turning scepticism into greatness. Lamborghini's unique blend of design, power, and technology makes it my top choice in sports cars. I'm definitely a fan.