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Visby Medical, Inc.

Category: AI in Healthcare

The world's first instrument-free, single-use, palm-sized PCR platform for rapid detection of infectious diseases. Visby Medical, Inc. was founded in 2012. The company is led by Adam de la Zerda, PhD. Based in San Jose, California, USA. Team size: 201-500. Total funding raised: Approximately $470 million over multiple rounds.. Latest round: Raised approximately $55 million, with the potential to reach $65 million in June 2025, led by Catalio Capital Management to accelerate the launch of its at-home STI test.. Key investors include Catalio Capital Management, Ping An Voyager Partners, John Doerr, ND Capital, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Pitango Venture Capital, Artiman Ventures, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP).

Founded
2012
Headquarters
San Jose, California, USA
Team size
201-500
Total funding
Approximately $470 million over multiple rounds.

Value proposition

Delivers lab-accurate PCR diagnostic results in under 30 minutes at the point of care or at home, enabling a single-visit 'test-and-treat' model without the need for centralized lab equipment.

Products and solutions

Sexual Health Test for Women (detects Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Trichomonas), COVID-19 Test, Respiratory Health Test (in development for Flu A/B and COVID-19)

Unique value

Visby Medical has miniaturized complex, lab-based PCR technology into a simple, all-in-one, disposable device that requires no external instruments, making gold-standard molecular testing accessible and portable for anyone, anywhere.

Target customer

Healthcare providers in clinics, urgent care centers, emergency departments, and public health organizations. The company is also expanding into the at-home testing market for consumers.

Industries served

Healthcare Diagnostics, Point-of-Care Testing, Telemedicine, Public Health, At-Home Diagnostics

Technology advantage

The core advantage is the instrument-free, single-use design that provides PCR accuracy with the speed and convenience of an antigen test. This significantly reduces turnaround time from days to minutes, eliminates the need for expensive capital equipment, and simplifies the diagnostic workflow.

How they differentiate

Visby differentiates itself by offering the first truly instrument-free, portable PCR test. While competitors like Cepheid and Abbott have strong lab-based or larger point-of-care systems, Visby's product is designed for maximum portability and ease of use, including at-home settings, without sacrificing the accuracy of PCR technology. Unlike mail-in kits from some competitors, Visby provides immediate results.

Main competitors

Cepheid (Danaher), Abbott Laboratories, Cue Health, Binx Health

Key partnerships

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (BARDA) for the development of a Flu-COVID at-home test., National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the RADx program to increase COVID-19 testing capacity., CARB-X to develop rapid diagnostic tools for detecting antibiotic resistance., Partnerships with telehealth companies and public health clinics to expand access to testing.

Notable customers

U.S. Government (through BARDA and NIH contracts), Various public health departments, community clinics, and healthcare systems across the U.S.

Major milestones

2020: Received first FDA Emergency Use Authorization for its COVID-19 test. 2022: Raised over $100 million in a Series E funding round, achieving unicorn status. 2024: Received FDA De Novo authorization for the first over-the-counter (OTC), at-home PCR sexual health test for women. 2024: Secured up to $65 million in a new financing round to support the commercial launch of its at-home STI test.

Growth metrics

Reached a valuation of over $1 billion following its Series E financing round in 2022. Secured significant government funding and partnerships to scale production and develop new tests.

Market positioning

Visby is positioned as a disrupter in the diagnostics market, bridging the gap between rapid but less accurate antigen tests and highly accurate but slow and complex lab-based PCR tests. It is a leader in the emerging field of single-use, point-of-care molecular diagnostics.

Geographic focus

Primarily focused on the United States market, with multiple FDA clearances and authorizations. The company also has global patent coverage, indicating plans for future international expansion.

Patents and IP

The company holds a robust intellectual property portfolio with over 80 patent filings globally.

About Adam de la Zerda, PhD

Adam de la Zerda is the Founder and CEO of Visby Medical, a company he established in 2012 to create user-friendly diagnostic tests. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University. After completing postdoctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, he joined Stanford's faculty in 2012, becoming its youngest tenure-track faculty member at the medical school that year. He is currently an associate professor in the Departments of Structural Biology and Electrical Engineering at Stanford School of Medicine, focusing on molecular imaging with applications in cancer and ophthalmic diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. His professional expertise includes strong interdisciplinary skills in engineering, molecular imaging, and medical diagnostics. His career spans founding Visby Medical to innovate in point-of-care diagnostics along with academic research and teaching at a top-tier institution.

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