The end is nigh Inno readers. We have reached the finals of this very long and very exciting competition. Through a series of upsets, come-from-behind victories and last-minute turnarounds we have arrived at the final two.
Two excellent startups Respira Labs and Chameleon Biosciences out to make the world a better place, and make a ton of money in the process.
The competition asks voters "which company they would invest in," drawing queries from around the region and sorting out the early exits from the "to the moon" future unicorns. Its goal is to highlight some of the most promising and innovative pre-Series A startups in the bay, and is by no means a comprehensive list of all the companies the area has to offer.
The bracket was assembled based on reader nominations, as well as editorial input from the Bay Area Inno team. We split the bracket into two regions: Those in Silicon Valley and the South Bay, and those in the San Francisco and East Bay areas. Beyond that, the seeding was random.
This round will last two weeks, ending Friday, April 29 at 11:59 p.m. and the winner will be announced May 3. You can read the contest rules here.
Meet the Players:
SAN FRANCISCO REGION
Chameleon Biosciences Berkeley
Treatments for genetic disorders hold a lot of promise but won't be effective if they trigger an immune response from the very patient it's meant to help. Chameleon Biosciences' founder has an extensive career in biotech, and the company is developing a way to deliver gene therapies while preventing an immune response.
SILICON VALLEY REGION
Respira Labs Mountain View
The startup created an AI-enabled device to measure the acoustics of patients' lungs. The small, portable device provides a way to detect worsening symptoms in patients suffering from COPD, asthma or Covid-19.
