BioBots rebrands as Allevi in a push for the software space

Don’t call it BioBots anymore: Allevi is the new name of the Pennovation-based startup, makers of a 3D printer for live tissue, that is now making a play for the software space in addition to its hardware offering.

The company, which moved its team of 10 to Pennovation in February, parted ways with cofounder Danny Cabrera, who left the startup in August and is working on a San Francisco-based project around genetic engineering.

Cofounder Ricky Solorzano is now the CEO of the company under its new banner. The Penn grad is leading the startup as it raises another round of capital, a follow-up to the $1.25 million the company took on in 2015 from DreamIt Ventures, 500 Startups and Ben Franklin Technology Partners.

While the 3D printers have been the focus of the startup’s offering thus far, Solorzano said under the Allevi name it would focus on selling a joint offer of software and materials, without ceasing production of the hardware.

“So far, the challenge has been that people don’t actually know why bioprinters are useful,” the CEO said. “We’ve gathered a user base that’s now excited about the ability to experiment with the platform. All of a sudden it has created more ideas for bioprinting that weren’t available before.”

Now, for clarity’s sake: BioBots did provide accompanying software with its printers before. Solorzano said the newly-released offering is more complete and will let users remove the complexity while optimizing scientist’s workflow. Here’s a jargon-laden walkthrough of the software platform:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atwfSxEbqmc

“The workflow allows you to setup 12 experiments at once and that’s a big timesaver,” Solorzano said.

The company says its new workflow setup lets scientists complete in three to four days what normally might take a month.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have a single direction, being laser-focused and knowing what our strengths are,” said Solorzano. “Having everyone on board this ship for that is so exciting.”