Oncology
6 Early-Stage Oncology Startups to Watch in 2026
DealBio tracks early-stage oncology startups across Europe and North America. These 6 are approaching cancer through different layers of biology, from patient selection and tumor-associated bacteria to immune signaling and personalized antigens.
- Biotech
- Immuno-Oncology
- Precision Medicine
- Therapeutics
- AI Health
Oncology is increasingly shaped by the ability to identify which biological signal matters for a particular tumor and then act on it more selectively. That creates room for new approaches both before treatment, when patients are selected, and during treatment, when therapies need to overcome tumor heterogeneity and immune suppression.
The startups below span computational biology, vaccines, small molecules, engineered immune particles, viral immunotherapy and neoantigen targeting. Their common thread is a more specific view of the tumor and the immune response around it.
At a Glance
- Blank BioUnited States2025RNA foundation models for trial patient selection
- BactheravaxNetherlands2025Vaccines against tumor-associated bacteria
- Eris BiotechUnited States2023Small molecules targeting tumor immune evasion
- Granza BioUnited States2024Engineered immune-killing particles
- Kopra BioUnited States2024Viral immunotherapy for brain tumors
- Nema HealthSpain2024Personalized neoantigen immunotherapy for melanoma
Training RNA foundation models to guide oncology trial patient selection.
- Country
United States- Founded
- 2025
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
Why Blank Bio stands out
Blank Bio raised a \$7.2 million oversubscribed seed round in May 2026 backed by Define Ventures, Leonis Capital, Nova Threshold, Ripple Ventures, SignalFire and Y Combinator. The startup has also entered a strategic collaboration with PacBio to generate long-read RNA-sequencing data from patient tumor samples across multiple cancer indications.
The founding team combines machine-learning and biotech experience, including work at Valence Discovery, Deep Genomics and academic research in biological foundation models.
What Blank Bio is building
Blank Bio trains RNA foundation models to characterize the molecular state of a patient’s tumor. Its current applications focus on predicting disease trajectory and patient response, with the aim of helping biopharma teams identify which patients are most likely to benefit from a therapy in clinical trials.
The platform treats transcriptomic data as a source of patient-level biological context rather than relying only on broad clinical labels or individual biomarkers.
Developing vaccines against tumor-associated bacteria to improve cancer treatment.
- Country
Netherlands- Founded
- 2025
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
- Founders
Why Bactheravax stands out
Bactheravax secured €350,000 from UNIIQ in 2026 to advance its first vaccine program. Co-founder Dinja Oosterhoff previously led a vaccine into Phase 1 at Intravacc, while CEO Ivo Ploemen has negotiated licensing transactions with aggregate deal values above \$100 million.
The startup also works with Leiden University Medical Center and Amsterdam UMC, bringing together vaccine development, microbiology and oncology expertise.
What Bactheravax is building
Bactheravax is developing therapeutic vaccines against bacteria associated with tumors. Its lead program targets Fusobacterium nucleatum in colorectal cancer, where the bacterium can contribute to an immune-suppressive tumor environment.
The approach aims to remove a biological factor that helps the tumor resist immune attack, potentially improving the response to existing cancer treatments.
Developing small-molecule drugs that stop tumors hiding from the immune system.
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 2023
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
- Founders
Why Eris Biotech stands out
Eris Biotech joined Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 batch and was selected for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s 2025 Therapeutics Accelerator. The company has produced an inhibitor against a tumor immune-evasion pathway, while both founders bring peer-reviewed cancer-immunology research.
The combination gives Eris Biotech a focused preclinical program supported by specialist oncology infrastructure and founder-level scientific depth.
What Eris Biotech is building
Eris Biotech is developing oral small molecules designed to block the release of immune-suppressing extracellular vesicles from tumors. These vesicles can carry signals that weaken immune activity and help cancer evade detection.
Its first program is focused on mesothelioma, with the broader platform aimed at restoring immune pressure on tumors by interfering with a mechanism of immune escape.
Reprogramming immunity to create target-specific medicines.
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 2024
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
Why Granza Bio stands out
Granza Bio raised an oversubscribed \$7.14 million seed round led by Felicis and Refactor Capital after joining Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 batch. Co-founder Ashwin Jainarayanan was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe and selected as a Schmidt Science Fellow, while the underlying research has been published in PNAS.
The startup is also linked to Oxford’s BioEscalator and the AstraZeneca Exchange, adding translational and industry connections around its immune-engineering platform.
What Granza Bio is building
Granza Bio is engineering protein shells inspired by the particles immune cells use to kill diseased cells. These particles carry perforin and granzymes, the molecular machinery used by cytotoxic immune cells, and can be redirected toward selected targets.
Its lead work is focused on an off-the-shelf cancer therapy, with the platform designed to create target-specific medicines without requiring a patient-specific cell manufacturing process.
Engineering viruses that teach the immune system to kill brain tumors.
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 2024
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
- Founders
Why Kopra Bio stands out
Kopra Bio raised a \$9.1 million seed round in June 2026. CEO Andrew Bartynski previously co-founded ANA Therapeutics, which was acquired by Nasdaq-listed NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals, giving the team prior experience building and exiting a clinical-stage biotech.
Peer-reviewed preclinical work published in Nature Communications reported more than 90% long-term survival in treated mice and protection when surviving animals were later rechallenged with tumor cells.
What Kopra Bio is building
Kopra Bio is developing viral immunotherapies for brain tumors, including glioblastoma. The approach uses engineered viruses to attack tumor tissue while stimulating an immune response that can recognize cancer cells beyond the initial site of infection.
The aim is to turn a localized viral treatment into a broader antitumor immune response that can address residual and recurring disease.
Developing a personalized neoantigen immunotherapy for advanced melanoma.
- Country
Spain- Founded
- 2024
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
Why Nema Health stands out
Nema Health has secured €730,000 in equity financing alongside €335,000 from Spain’s NEOTEC program. Its DIF peptide intellectual property has patent protection across major markets including Europe, the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada and South Korea.
CEO Olga Rué Clarós previously led Archivel Farma for more than a decade, adding experience in biotech development and financing to a preclinical oncology program.
What Nema Health is building
Nema Health is developing OncoNeoVac, a personalized immunotherapy that combines patient-specific tumor neoantigens with peripherin-derived DIF peptides. The program is initially focused on stage III and IV melanoma that is resistant to checkpoint inhibitors.
The startup’s model uses the individual tumor’s antigen profile to create a tailored immune stimulus, with an out-licensing strategy planned as the program advances.
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Investment perspective
The six startups reflect a broader shift toward specificity in oncology. Some are identifying the right patient more precisely, while others are changing what the immune system sees, blocking how tumors suppress immunity or engineering new ways to deliver a killing signal.
For investors, that creates distinct development paths but a common diligence question: how directly does the startup’s evidence support the biological assumption its product depends on? The most useful early signals are those that connect mechanism, validation and a defined clinical use case.
Methodology
DealBio selected these startups from its database of early-stage health and longevity startups, focusing on early-stage oncology businesses with clearly differentiated approaches to patient selection, immune activation or tumor targeting. The selection spans computational biology and multiple therapeutic modalities across Europe and North America.
DealBio builds its Startup Briefs using publicly available company materials, ecosystem sources, market references and professional profiles.