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Seer
Farokhzad founded Seer in 2012, commercializing insights from his work at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the laboratory of Robert Langer at MIT.
Seer
Farokhzad founded Seer in 2012, commercializing insights from his work at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the laboratory of Robert Langer at MIT. The company developed its proprietary Proteograph platform — an automated, nanoparticle-based system that surveys the proteome without the throughput constraints of traditional mass spectrometry workflows. Seer went public via a traditional IPO in December 2020, trading on Nasdaq under the ticker SEER. The core technology uses engineered nanoparticles that bind distinct protein subsets, effectively partitioning the proteome into manageable slices for mass spectrometry analysis. This enables deep, unbiased proteomic profiling at a breadth previously unattainable in discovery research. Early adopters included academic centers such as Oregon Health & Science University and commercial partners like Discovery Life Sciences. Seer sells instruments, consumables, and software — a razor-and-blade model — targeting pharmaceutical R&D and translational research labs seeking novel biomarkers and drug targets. The company operates across multiple U.S. sites and maintains an R&D center in Ra'anana, Israel. Seer launched the Proteograph XT assay in 2023, expanding its product line to improve depth of coverage and sample throughput. As of 2024, the company employed a lean commercial organization focused on converting early-access collaborators into full product subscriptions. Revenue remains primarily instrument- and kit-driven, with a growing software analytics component. The firm has not disclosed a formal philanthropic vehicle, but Farokhzad has separately published extensively on nanomedicine and co-founded other biotech ventures including BIND Therapeutics and Selecta Biosciences. Seer occupies a rare position in life sciences tools: it does not compete with incumbents like Thermo Fisher or Bruker on mass spectrometry hardware. Instead, it layers a sample-prep front end onto existing MS infrastructure, making deep proteomics accessible to labs that lack dedicated proteomics cores. This modularity is its structural differentiator — customers integrate Seer into their current workflows rather than replacing them, reducing adoption friction in a conservative buyer segment.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2012
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Redwood City
Corporate office
Redwood City, CA, United States
Additional offices
Billerica, MA · New York, NY · Ra'anana, Israel
Principals
Omid Farokhzad
CEO & Founder
Milan Mrksich
Scientific Co-founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What does Seer's technology actually do that an off-the-shelf mass spectrometer cannot?
Seer's Proteograph platform uses a panel of proprietary engineered nanoparticles to partition the proteome into reproducible subsets before mass spectrometry analysis. This sample-preparation step dramatically increases the number of proteins detected in a plasma sample — often thousands more than standard workflows — without requiring labs to buy new mass spectrometers. The result is deeper, more quantitative proteomic data from existing MS infrastructure.
How does Seer generate revenue?
Seer operates a razor-and-blade model. Customers purchase the Proteograph instrument and then buy consumable assay kits and nanoparticles on a recurring basis. The company also sells software analytics for proteomic data interpretation. Revenue is almost entirely product-driven, with a small services component for assay customization.
Who founded Seer and what is their background?
Seer was founded by Dr. Omid Farokhzad, a nanomedicine researcher who served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and worked at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Milan Mrksich, a professor at Northwestern University and a leading bioengineer, is also a scientific co-founder. Farokhzad previously co-founded BIND Therapeutics and Selecta Biosciences, both clinical-stage biotech companies.
Is Seer a diagnostics company?
No. Seer is a life sciences tools company that sells instrumentation and consumables for proteomic discovery research. It has not commercialized any clinical diagnostic tests and does not hold FDA-cleared assays. Its customers are pharmaceutical companies and academic research labs that use the Proteograph to identify novel biomarkers and drug targets.
What stage of biopharma R&D does Seer support?
Seer serves the early discovery and translational research stages — before a drug candidate enters clinical trials. Its platform is used for unbiased biomarker discovery, patient stratification research, and target identification. The company does not participate in clinical trial services or regulated diagnostic development.
Does Seer compete directly with Thermo Fisher or Bruker?
Indirectly. Seer does not manufacture mass spectrometers. Instead, its Proteograph system prepares samples for any high-resolution mass spectrometer. This positions Seer upstream of MS hardware vendors — existing Thermo, Bruker, or SCIEX instruments can produce richer datasets when paired with Seer's sample-prep technology, making it more of an add-on than a direct competitor.
What is the significance of the Israeli R&D presence?
Seer maintains an R&D center in Ra'anana, Israel, a location with deep talent in analytical instrumentation and mass spectrometry software. This office is focused on engineering and assay development, complementing the commercial and scientific operations in Redwood City and Billerica.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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