Sightera Biosciences, an Antwerp-based healthtech startup, has closed a €3 million ($3.2 million) pre-seed funding round to scale its artificial intelligence-powered drug discovery platform. The round was led by Entourage, with participation from Anacura and QBIC.
The Belgian company has developed an AI-native platform that leverages patient-derived samples to accelerate drug discovery in oncology and fibrosis indications. The fresh capital will enable Sightera to expand its technological infrastructure, strengthen its scientific teams, and advance its commercial partnerships within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.
Scaling Operations and Advancing Pipeline
The funding will be deployed across multiple strategic priorities. The company plans to expand its core AI-powered drug discovery platform while simultaneously accelerating its preclinical development pipeline. A significant portion of resources will be directed toward advancing the company’s lead molecular-glue oncology programme, a therapeutic approach designed to degrade disease-causing proteins.
Beyond internal capabilities, Sightera intends to use the capital to grow its research, artificial intelligence, and data-science teams. These hires will strengthen the company’s capacity to process and analyze patient-derived biological data at scale, a core component of its competitive advantage.
Patient-Derived Approach
Sightera’s platform distinguishes itself by incorporating patient-derived samples into its discovery workflow. This approach aims to improve the relevance of preclinical findings to real-world patient populations, potentially reducing the risk of late-stage failures in drug development. By combining this biological foundation with advanced machine learning techniques, the company targets more efficient identification of drug candidates with higher success probabilities.
The startup is actively pursuing partnerships with established pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, positioning itself as a technology provider and discovery collaborator for larger industry players. The pre-seed funding reflects investor confidence in this partnership-driven business model.
European Biotech Momentum
Sightera’s funding round reflects sustained investor appetite for early-stage biotech companies in Belgium and across Northern Europe. The participation of Entourage, which focuses on deep-tech and biotech investments, alongside specialist life-sciences investors Anacura and QBIC, demonstrates multi-stakeholder confidence in AI-driven drug discovery approaches.
The funding round comes at a time when European biotech hubs continue to attract capital for artificial intelligence applications in pharmaceutical development. Belgium has established itself as a competitive location for life-sciences innovation, with growing clusters of biotech firms and research institutions driving advancement in computational drug discovery and precision medicine.
Sightera’s pre-seed milestone represents a stepping stone toward potential Series A funding and expanded operations. The company’s focus on combining patient-derived biology with machine learning aligns with broader industry trends toward more predictive and efficient drug development methodologies.