Funding accelerates development efforts as the Company prepares for launch of the Avant Source™ platform
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Avant Genomics™, a pioneer in fully-automated liquid biopsy sample preparation for precision cancer detection, today announced the successful raise of more than $3 million to advance development of its automated platform for liquid biopsy sample preparation. TitletownTech, Halyard Ventures, Virginia Venture Partners, CAV Angels, Global Impact Fund, and additional angel investors and family offices participated in the round. The new capital will support continued R&D, accelerate manufacturing, and expand the team’s expertise with additional hires.
“We believe precision cancer care starts with preparation, and this support helps accelerate that shift,” said Rachelle Turiello, PhD, CEO of Avant Genomics. “Liquid biopsy is only as reliable as its sample preparation. We’re building a platform that standardizes the preparation workflow so results are consistent and scalable, unlocking broader use in clinical settings.”
Today, the liquid biopsy sample preparation process is largely manual, requiring dozens of steps that are time-intensive, costly, and highly variable across labs. Inconsistent sample preparation can reduce tumor-derived cell-free DNA (cfDNA) recovery and compromise the reliability of downstream results.
The Avant Source™ platform is designed to standardize and automate this step. The fully integrated system reduces manual handling from more than 50 steps to two, while improving DNA yield by as much as 70% compared to semi-automated tools and cutting processing time in half. By removing variability at the front end of the workflow, Avant aims to make liquid biopsy more reliable, scalable, and accessible for broader use.
“We invested in Avant because the future of diagnostics and personalized medicine depends on automation,” said Jill Enos, TitletownTech Managing Partner. “As technology advances, what labs are capable of is moving faster than the workflows supporting them. Avant is helping close that gap by bringing consistency and scalability to a step that has historically limited the field.”
“Avant Genomics is exactly the kind of company Virginia Venture Partners was designed to back,” said Alex Euler, Senior Investment Director, Virginia Venture Partners. “With a world-class technical team, deep roots in the Virginia research ecosystem, and a platform that addresses a real and urgent unmet need in liquid biopsy sample preparation, we’re proud to support the team and their journey.”
Avant Genomics was founded as a spin-out from the University of Virginia by CEO Rachelle Turiello, PhD, and COO Renna Nouwairi, PhD. The company builds on their work in microfluidics and nucleic acid detection, focused on improving how DNA is prepared for clinical and forensic applications. Turiello brings experience in forensic DNA analysis and bioanalytical method development, including federally supported research on automated sample preparation systems. Nouwairi has led development of microfluidic and diagnostic platforms designed for scalability and real-world lab use. The broader team and advisors combine deep expertise in laboratory tools with a track record of building and exiting companies to industry leaders such as Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, and Eli Lilly.
Avant has received early support through NSF SBIR Phase I funding and was named a 2025 Startup World Cup Regional Finalist. The company was also recognized as “Innovator of the Year” by the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council and was selected to present at investor-focused programs including TitletownTech’s Startup Draft and the Accelerate Investor Conference.
About Avant Genomics™
Avant Genomics is a female-founded company on a mission to improve how liquid biopsy samples are prepared for analyzed to improve cancer detection and care. Its platform, Avant Source™, is designed to automate the extraction of cfDNA from blood samples, improving consistency and speed. The company is based in Charlottesville, Virginia, and holds exclusive IP developed at the University of Virginia. For more information, visit www.avant-genomics.com.
About TitletownTech
TitletownTech is an investment and innovation firm formed out of a partnership between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft. Designed to bring world-class innovation and expertise to both startups and corporate partners, TitletownTech focuses on funding and supporting high-growth, early-stage companies while enabling existing businesses to explore innovation opportunities and transform operations through technology. With investments across digital health, manufacturing, supply chain, agriculture & energy, TitletownTech invests in the US and Canada, with a focus on the Midwest. For more information, please visit www.TitletownTech.com.
About Virginia Venture Partners
Virginia Venture Partners is an equity investment program of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp. (VIPC), which serves as Virginia’s designated statewide technology and innovation economic development authority. VIPC unleashes growth, opportunity, and impact across the Commonwealth by fueling collaborative innovation ecosystems that accelerate startup entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, and investment attraction through public-private partnerships. For more information, visit www.VIPC.org.
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