Cardea Bio

01 / WHAT IT BUILT

What the company did

Cardea Bio was a San Diego-based biotechnology company developing the CRISPR-Chip, a graphene-based biosensor that detects specific genetic mutations from a sample without amplification or sequencing. Founded in December 2013 by Brett Goldsmith — building on graphene research from UC Irvine and the University of Pennsylvania — it commercialized graphene biocompatible chips and its 'Biosignal Processing Unit' (BPU) platform through an innovation partnership program serving human health, molecular diagnostics, agriculture, environmental monitoring and animal health. It raised over $21.8 million from investors including Agilent, Serra Ventures and the Gates Foundation. In May 2023 it was acquired by Paragraf, a UK graphene-electronics manufacturer, and renamed Paragraf USA.

03 / EVENT HISTORY

Events in the structured record

1. 2013
   Founded

   Founded in December 2013 by Brett Goldsmith to develop graphene-based sensors, after the team could fabricate graphene chips but needed a biological 'killer application'.

2. 2021
   Merged with Nanosens

   Merged with Nanosens to commercialize the CRISPR-Chip, launching the Genome Sensor product in early access; the combined company operated as Cardea Bio under CEO Michael Heltzen.

3. 2023
   Acquired by Paragraf

   Acquired by Paragraf Ltd., a UK manufacturer that mass-produces graphene electronics, in May 2023 (terms undisclosed); the company was renamed Paragraf USA and CEO Michael Heltzen became EVP of Strategy.