Ontera

About Ontera

Ontera, formerly known as Two Pore Guys, Inc., is a life sciences company focused on developing diagnostic solutions based on silicon nanopore technology. Founded in 2011 by William Dunbar, Dan Heller, and Trevor Morin, the company originated from technology invented by Dunbar at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dunbar, a former engineering professor with numerous patents, co-founded Ontera to license and commercialize intellectual property for applications like genome mapping and structural variation detection.

The company's core technology revolves around a handheld, single-molecule sensing platform that functions similarly to a glucose monitor. It utilizes disposable test strips and solid-state nanopores for the digital detection of various molecules with high sensitivity. This platform is designed to transmit data wirelessly to authorized cloud infrastructures, enabling applications in telemedicine, clinical drug trials, and the global tracking of pathogens. Ontera's business model involves collaborating with other companies to develop specific tests for the platform, much like app development for smartphones.

Initially, the company targeted a wide range of uses, including human and animal diagnostics, agriculture, food safety, and environmental monitoring. A significant milestone was the closing of a $24.5 million Series A funding round in April 2017, led by Khosla Ventures, to scale up manufacturing and expand its team. In May 2019, the company rebranded from Two Pore Guys to Ontera, signaling a shift in focus toward sustainable agriculture, a market valued at $5 trillion. This strategic change was accompanied by the appointment of Murielle Thinard-McLane as CEO, a seasoned executive with experience at companies like GE Healthcare Ventures and McKesson. The platform aims to provide in-field analysis of crop traits, pathogens, and resistance in under 20 minutes, allowing for more precise and sustainable farming practices.

Ontera has also explored applications in human health, such as sepsis detection. In August 2020, to maintain focus on its respective technologies, Ontera spun out Nooma Bio, Inc. Nooma Bio, also led by Thinard-McLane and Dunbar, concentrates on developing the patented dual-nanopore technology for genomic and epigenetic mapping, while Ontera continues to focus on its single-pore technology for point-of-need diagnostics.