Croatian-founded GlycanAge raises €7.4M to accelerate glycan testing

GlycanAge, a UK-based longevity startup with Croatian roots, has raised €7.4 millionin new funding to fast-track the clinical development of its technology and broaden the availability of glycan testing for healthcare providers globally. The round was led by Fifth Quarter Ventures, with participation from Guinness Ventures, BrightCap Ventures, South Central Ventures, Impetus Capital, Vesna Deep Tech VC, and Lightfield Equit, EU-startups reports.

About GlycanAge 

• GlycanAge was founded in 2020 with the aim to commercialize the 20-year glycobiology experience of its co-founder Nikolina Lauc. The startup offers a cutting-edge biological age test that utilizes glycan biomarkers to enable early health risks prevention strategies for both consumers and healthcare professionals.

• The startup is based on the Human Glycome research project, which studies the critical role of glycans in the body’s biological functions, which may undergo changes in over 70 diseases. In some cases, studying these biomarkers can reveal vulnerability to certain diseases a decade prior to symptoms and diagnosis.

In 2024, the company raised €3.9 million seed funding round, led by LAUNCHub Ventures and UK-based deep-tech fund Kadmos Capital.

Investment details

• The round was led by Fifth Quarter Ventures, with participation from Guinness Ventures, BrightCap Ventures, South Central Ventures, Impetus Capital, Vesna Deep Tech VC, and Lightfield Equity. 

• The round was also joined on a pro rata basis by existing backers, including LaunchHub Ventures and Kadmos Capital, among others.

GlycanAge will use the new capital to advance the development of its clinical applications, focusing on stress and resilience, cardiometabolic health, weight management, and hormones. 

The company plans to create indication-specific products for practitioners and expand glycan testing adoption in hospital settings, with plans to deploy its technology in over 10 hospitals across Europe and the Middle East. 

Additionally, the funds will support the establishment of GlycanAge’s first laboratory in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

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