VTT-originated startup Proteins.1 launches to bring PCR-like amplification and simplicity to omics

ESPOO, Finland, April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New Finnish deep-tech company aims to make ultra-early disease detection possible through single-molecule protein amplification, enabling the identification of molecular warning signals long before disease becomes clinically visible. The technology has the potential to shift healthcare from reactive treatment to true prevention, extend healthy lifespans, and reduce the global burden of cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

Proteins.1, a new VTT-originated startup has been established to commercialise a technology enabling ultra-sensitive detection of proteins at the single-molecule level. The company aims to transform early disease diagnostics by making previously invisible biological signals measurable from minimal blood samples.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) transformed modern diagnostics by allowing tiny amounts of genetic material to be amplified into detectable signals, enabling early detection of infections and genetic conditions. However, no equivalent amplification method has existed for proteins, the molecules that often signal the earliest onset of cancer, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory conditions. Proteins.1's patented physics-based technology introduces cyclic signal amplification for proteins, potentially enabling detection levels up to 1,000 times more sensitive than current gold-standard platforms.

The company is built on research conducted at VTT and further validated through European Union breakthrough innovation funding. US and Finnish patents have been granted, with additional international applications pending.

"For decades, diagnostics has been limited not by biology, but by what our instruments can detect," says Prateek Singh, CEO and co-founder of Proteins.1 and inventor of the core technology. "The body produces early warning signals long before disease becomes visible. Our mission is to make those signals measurable and actionable, years earlier than today."

The core innovation was first discovered at VTT in 2018 and later independently replicated through EU-funded research collaborations. The platform replaces enzymatic signal amplification with a physics-based magnetic cycling mechanism that repeatedly reads a single captured protein molecule, accumulating signal clarity without increasing background noise.

Unlike conventional immunoassays that rely on enzymatic reactions prone to variability and noise, Proteins.1's approach is solid-state, enzyme-free, and compatible with semiconductor-based photonic detection. This allows ultra-high sensitivity combined with high multiplexing, potentially enabling the simultaneous measurement of hundreds of biomarkers from a few drops of blood.
Initially, the company will focus on research-use-only (RUO) applications in oncology, neurology, and immunology, before progressing toward regulated clinical diagnostics.

"Early detection dramatically improves survival rates in diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders," Singh continues. "If we can detect disease at the molecular stage rather than the symptomatic stage, we entirely change treatment possibilities."

Proteins.1 has secured €4.7 million in pre-seed funding, led by Lifeline Ventures and Cloudberry Ventures, with additional in-kind support from VTT and Business Finland.

"Proteins.1 represents the kind of deep scientific breakthrough that can redefine an entire industry," says Jyri Engeström at Lifeline Ventures. "The team combines world-class research with proven experience in building and scaling regulated medtech businesses."

Cloudberry Ventures highlighted the company's strong alignment with European strengths in photonics, microfabrication, and precision engineering.

"What sets Proteins.1 apart is a fundamentally new sensing approach," says Rene Kromhof from Cloudberry VC. "Rather than using enzymes that give you one chance to detect a protein, they use light and thin-film transistors to amplify the signal from a single protein until it rises above the noise. That dramatically improves sensitivity, and ultimately, how early disease can be caught."

The global diagnostics market exceeds €100 billion annually, with growing demand for early detection and multi-omic analysis. Proteins.1 aims to establish a new category of ultra-sensitive protein diagnostics, combining high multiplexing, scalable chip-based detection, and significantly lower capital costs compared to incumbent systems.

The founding team brings extensive experience in microfluidics, photonics, and regulated medical devices. CEO Prateek Singh has previously raised venture capital for microfluidics ventures and holds multiple patent families. COO and co-founder Harri Hallila previously built and exited a regulated medical device company. The broader team includes commercial leadership with experience in leading diagnostics platforms. Proteins.1 plans to expand its engineering and product development team in Finland during 2026-2027, positioning itself as a European hub for next-generation diagnostic technology.

For additional information:

Proteins.1
Prateek Singh, CEO & Co-founder
LinkedIn

VTT
Sanna Aikio, Research Team Leader
[email protected], tel. +358 405616046

About Proteins.1

Proteins.1 is a Finnish deep-tech diagnostics company built on technology transferred from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The company develops a patented, physics-based single-molecule protein amplification platform enabling ultra-sensitive and high-multiplex detection of biomarkers from minimal sample volumes. Its mission is to enable earlier disease detection and more precise biological insight across research and clinical diagnostics.

For more information, visit www.proteins1.com

Further information on VTT:
Paula Bergqvist, Communications Manager
+358 20 722 5161, [email protected]
www.vttresearch.com

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