Living channels.
Programmable flow.
The first self-assembling, optogenetically controlled microfluidic platform. No cleanroom required.
Microfluidics is stuck in the cleanroom.
Every experiment starts with a photomask and weeks of fabrication. Biology moved on — microfluidics hasn't.
2–4 weeks per chip, $5k–$20k per mask
PDMS fabrication requires a cleanroom. Each design change means a new photomask — slow iteration, high cost, high barrier to entry.
Passive channels — no programmability
Active valves require complex external pneumatic systems. No built-in actuation. No design reusability across projects.
Single-use waste — clogging kills the chip
Channel fouling is terminal. Each clog means discarding the device and restarting fabrication from scratch.
Market Opportunity
$25B
Microfluidics market by 2028 — growth limited by fabrication bottlenecks and passive chip designs.
The Core Bottleneck
Every experiment starts with a cleanroom. Biology moved on — microfluidics hasn't.
One fungus. One week. Zero cleanroom.
Sivoro replaces photolithography with engineered fungi that self-assemble into precision microfluidic channels.
| Feature | Sivoro Living Chip | Conventional PDMS |
|---|---|---|
| Fabrication | Fungus grows channels | Photolithography (cleanroom) |
| Valves | Light-controlled (450 nm, built-in) | Pneumatic pumps (external) |
| Iteration | Days (transform strain) | Weeks (redesign mask) |
| Channel fouling | Self-clearing (hyphal turnover) | Terminal (chip disposal) |
| Per-device cost | <$1 (after strain) | $50–$500 |
Three layers of proprietary IP
From metabolic chassis to optogenetic valve to physical scaffold — each layer independently defensible.
Layer 1 — Chassis
Metabolically Orthogonal N. crassa
Engineered to eat xylose only — cannot metabolize glucose, amino acids, or organic acids present in lab reagents. Six-gene knockout validated in silico from 10,440 combinations screened.
Layer 2 — Valve
Optogenetic Septal Pore Valve
Blue light (450 nm) triggers pore closure. 100× dynamic range between dark and lit states. LOV2-Jα-HEX1 fusion protein + SPA1-ePDZ pore-rim anchor.
Layer 3 — Scaffold
H-Tree Scaffold & Integration
Parametric design (10×10 mm, 16 ports). Compatible with SU-8/PDMS or direct printing. Channel dimensions engineered for 2–8 hyphae (13–20 µm width, 15 µm depth).
65% complete —
all computational phases done
"We are one wet-lab milestone away from a functional prototype."
View Full Milestone Plan →The only living, self-assembling microfluidic platform
Sivoro occupies a unique position: simple fabrication, active biological control. No competitor is in this quadrant.
| Competitor | Sivoro Advantage |
|---|---|
| Emulate, Inc. | No living channels; $200k+ instruments |
| CN Bio Innovations | Lower cost, faster iteration |
| Micronit | No cleanroom required |
| Fluidigm / Standard BioTools | 10× lower price; biological actuation |
X axis: Active control · Y axis: Fabrication simplicity
Computational validation complete
0
Knockout pairs screened in silico
0
Validated optogenetic constructs
0
pLDDT — LOV2 domain (ColabFold)
0
pLDDT — HEX1 domain (ColabFold)
0
Patent families ready to file
0+
Lines of Python modeling code
IP Status
Provisional draft complete · 5 claim families · ready to file within 30 days of legal engagement
$1.5M
18 months runway to prototype + first sale
Seed
Round
$6M
Pre-money
$7.5M
Post-money
18 mo
Runway
"We are one wet-lab milestone away from a functional prototype — exactly what this seed round funds."