Eagle Genomics takes latest funding past $25m and unveils new CEO and Chair

Eagle Genomics in Cambridge, a global specialist in microbiome-related research, has raised an extra $4 million+ to take its funding past the $25m mark inside the last 12 months.

The company has also appointed ex-Microsoft executive Dr Victoria Kimonides as CEO and recruited a new chair of the board. Previous CEO Anthony Finbow has become what the company describes as Eagle’s chief evangelist.

He will “support the company in reaching its full potential and promote the importance of the exploration of the Microbiome and innovative breakthroughs in the field.”

The funding has been topped up with continued participation from existing backers Environmental Technologies Fund, abrdn plc and a consortium of investors headed by Granpool Innovative Investments.

The money will be used to further deploy Eagle’s pioneering software platform. This enables corporate customers to explore and monetise on microbiome-related research. 

Prior to joining Eagle, new CEO Dr Victoria Kimonides spent almost 14 years in leadership positions at Microsoft, where she spearheaded co-selling with partners and oversaw channel sales across Central and Eastern Europe. Before that she led Enterprise Technology Strategy and Customer & Partner Experience for the region. 

She has a BSc in in Biochemistry and Microbiology from King's College London and a PhD from the University of Cambridge where she studied neuroscience and is a leading expert in this scientific domain. She is also a Fellow of the Cambridge Judge Business School.

Dr Kimonides said: “Eagle is a company with tremendous potential as we can help large companies curate, analyse and make impactful the billions of dollars being invested into microbiome research.

“Our goal is to help those companies commercialise that research and develop new, sustainable solutions that are good for both the people and the planet.”

Eagle has also appointed a new chair – John Schoellerman – currently SVP, Corporate & Business Development at Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc, where he was instrumental in private financing, the public listing, and development of long-term strategy.

Previously he was a Managing Director and Head of the Medical Technology practice at Lazard, a leading global investment bank.