Nuclera

Nuclera, founded in 2013 by PhD students at the University of Cambridge, focuses on protein production, synthesis, and optimization within the Biotechnology Research industry.

We offer the eProtein Discovery™ system, an end-to-end multiplex protein screening solution. This system integrates cell-free expression systems, digital microfluidics, and screening data. This lets researchers perform in-house protein design, screening, characterization, and small-scale expression within days, even for challenging membrane proteins.

The eProtein Discovery™ workflow includes multiplex screening that identifies promising proteins in 24 hours. It evaluates constructs, solubility tags, and expression conditions simultaneously. It provides decision-grade data using on-cartridge fluorescence assays to quantify full-length, soluble protein. It delivers assay-ready proteins in 48 hours and can scale optimized expression and purification conditions to μg–mg output.

Our 30,000 sq ft global headquarters in Cambridge, UK (opened 2023), is a hub for protein science R&D, product innovation, and logistics. Our US facility in Billerica, MA (renovated 2021), focuses on R&D in protein screening and cartridge manufacturing, with over 1,000 sq ft of manufacturing space. We employ over 100 people across our US and UK sites. We have secured $145 million in funding to date, including a $75 million Series C in 2024.

Our mission is to remove uncertainty from protein science and make protein access routine for every lab. We aim to accelerate breakthroughs in human health and empower scientists to focus more on discovery and less on delays, allowing them to move from idea to assay-ready proteins in days, not months.

We operate based on four core values:

• Accessibility: We empower employees with access to tools, information, and opportunities, removing barriers so they can work to their full potential.
• Innovation: We develop new ideas, challenge the status quo, and solve complex problems to deliver game-changing products.
• Accountability: We encourage clarity of responsibility and ownership of decisions to ensure reliability.
• Collaboration: We bring together unique skills as one cohesive unit, embracing a diverse workforce from all cultures and backgrounds to achieve common goals.

Our team comprises scientists, engineers, and product builders working across our locations in the UK and USA. We have over 100 employees. Our team includes applications scientists who advance workflows, engineers who refine the digital microfluidics cartridge, and software developers who deliver analytics and cloud experiences.

We foster an interdisciplinary environment that encourages collaboration and direct impact on human health by streamlining drug discovery. Our culture is welcoming, focused, and driven. We value intelligence, grit, and passion.

Employees describe our management team as transparent, scientifically driven, and approachable. We have a low-ego culture that prioritizes getting things done and celebrating achievements, while minimizing bureaucracy and politics. We pride ourselves on a diverse workforce and believe in empowering our employees and providing opportunities for skill development.

We provide our employees with a comprehensive benefits package. This includes private health insurance and generous vacation policies, with 25 days of annual leave per year in addition to local holidays for employees in both the UK and the USA.

Permanent employees receive generous stock options. We also offer group life insurance, providing coverage up to four times an employee’s salary, and retirement benefits such as a UK pension or a 401(k) in the USA. Additionally, employees have access to refreshments in the office, including fresh fruit, tea, coffee, and snacks.