Base44 founder Maor Shlomo launches cancer research fund
What's the deal? Maor ShlomoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, who sold Base44Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to Wix in 2025 in a deal now worth close to $100 million, has launched a fund dedicated to cancer research and the development of new treatments. The 32-year-old entrepreneur said he lost his mother to cancer earlier in 2026, prompting him to commit part of his proceeds to the initiative.
The details: Shlomo has already invested in seven companies and plans to do more "as liquidity allows." He did not disclose how much capital he has committed, and the fund has yet to be named.
Why now? "I honestly believe cancer is humanity's worst enemy," Shlomo wrote, citing his mother's death. "This field needs a dramatic push."
What's the endgame? Shlomo argues AI is transforming drug discovery by rapidly increasing the number of potential candidates, shifting the industry's main bottleneck to lab validation and clinical testing. "AI is identifying new targets and designing molecules, drastically shortening timelines," he wrote, adding that faster synthesis and testing means "more chances of success."
The founder's day job: Shlomo sought to reassure Wix investors, for whom Base44's AI-powered coding platform has become a key growth story. He said he still spends most of his time on Base44, a plus for portfolio companies that can tap its tools, software, and AI agents.
The signal: A young founder redirecting startup exit money into applied biotech reflects a broader belief that AI's next frontier lies in accelerating drug development — even as manufacturing and testing remain the harder problems to solve.
Read more: Calcalist
Image credit: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
