Lebanon, NH – Celdara Medical, a leader in preclinical biotech development, is excited to announce it has been awarded funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) program. This prestigious award will further expand Celdara’s DRIVEN program, designed to support entrepreneurs and early-stage companies in the biotech and life sciences sectors.
Since its inception in 2018, DRIVEN has propelled numerous companies in the region, helping them raise more than $100 million in follow-on funding. DRIVEN has also played a key role in advancing several biotech products from academic discovery into clinical development and commercialization. This new award will extend DRIVEN’s impact across New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Delaware, and Rhode Island, providing valuable support to even more companies working at the cutting edge of medical innovation.
“We are honored to be the newest addition to the SBA’s Regional Innovation Cluster network. This will further expand DRIVEN’s impact regionally, while also integrating with other RICs across the country. Biotech is in its golden age, with innovators nationwide leveraging powerful biological insights to build the next generation of biopharma businesses. The pace continues to accelerate, and we’re keen to help drive the frontier forward.” said Dr. Jake Reder, Celdara Cofounder and CEO, and DRIVEN Co-Lead.
The SBA’s Regional Innovation Cluster program, first launched in 2010, is a hallmark initiative aimed at fostering the growth of interconnected businesses in specific industries. It serves as a hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs, convening resources to help them navigate funding, procurement, and technological challenges, and matching breakthrough innovations to industry needs.
Dr. Julie Coleman, Executive Director and DRIVEN Co-Lead remarked, “We are deeply grateful that DRIVEN has been recognized as a Regional Innovation Cluster by the SBA. This designation underscores the vital role of American entrepreneurship and will enable us to broaden DRIVEN’s offerings, fostering the wealth of innovation in our region and beyond. We are eager to roll up our sleeves and support medical advancements, guiding discoveries from academic inception to partnership, clinical development, and ultimately, to patients in need.”
This award marks a new chapter for DRIVEN, recognizing its valuable role as a key player in the regional and national biotech innovation ecosystem. DRIVEN is one more way that Celdara Medical meets its mission to bridge the gap between academic discovery and clinical application, ensuring that life-saving medical innovations are advanced for the benefit of patients worldwide.
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About Celdara Medical
Celdara Medical TM was founded by Drs. Jake Reder and Michael Fanger in 2008 and is headquartered at the Dartmouth Regional Technology Center (DRTC) in Lebanon, NH. Celdara Medical builds academic and early-stage innovations into high-potential medical companies, identifying discoveries of exceptional value at the earliest stages and moving them toward the market. Celdara Medical partners with inventors and their institutions, providing the developmental, financial, and business acumen required to bridge discovery and profitability. With robust funding options, a diverse and high impact Programmatic pipeline, and partnerships with world-class academic institutions and industry leaders, Celdara Medical navigates all aspects of a complex industry, accelerating science to improve human health. Further information about Celdara Medical is available at celdaramedical.com.