Sometimes, a breakthrough isn’t software. It’s science.
When we first looked at intoDNA, it didn’t fit our usual pattern. It wasn’t a SaaS startup. It wasn’t purely software. And yet, it checked every box we care about: world-class founding team, global ambition, deep IP, and early commercial traction with real customers—including 8 of the top 10 global pharma companies.
intoDNA is changing the way we detect DNA damage in cancer cells—and by extension, how we treat cancer itself. Their patented STRIDE™ technology is 100x more sensitive than anything else on the market and could drastically reduce the time it takes to determine the right therapy for a patient—from months to days. Better decisions, fewer failed treatments, more lives saved.
This is precision oncology for the next decade—and we believe it will be standard-of-care.
A world-class team building beyond their field
The company is led by Magda Kordon, PhD in biophysics, who co-invented STRIDE™ and led intoDNA from an academic spinout to a profitable company with over 60 paying customers. She’s joined by Agata Wierzbicka, a rare operator who scaled one of Poland’s biggest startup exits (Base CRM → Zendesk), and a deep bench of scientists, engineers, and business leaders with global experience.
“This is one of the strongest, most complete founding teams we’ve seen—not just in biotech, but across all industries we invest in.”—says Borys Musielak, founding partner at SMOK Venures
From lab to hospital
intoDNA has already proven STRIDE™ in their own lab, selling DNA-damage detection services to pharma for R&D and clinical validation. Now, they’re going further: productizing the tech and moving it into hospitals, where it can be used directly by oncology teams to guide treatment decisions.
It’s a bold shift—from centralized services to decentralized, AI-powered diagnostics—but it’s exactly what’s needed to democratize access to personalized therapies.
A big bet on the future of healthcare—and SMOK
This is the third time we’ve backed a startup outside of software (after Proteine Resources and Pstryk), and it reflects a broader shift in how we think about the future. In a world where AI is eating software, we believe the edge moves to companies that:
- Work with real-world, regulated, or scientific data
- Build defensible tech rooted in IP or infrastructure
- Have a clear path to distribution and adoption—even in complex markets like biotech or energy
intoDNA is all of that. And it’s also another example of what’s possible when we combine SMOK’s core thesis—backing CEE technical founders early—with the reach of our growing angel network.
This was a co-investment with SMOK Angels, and we’re thrilled to have them along for the ride.
“Thanks to Smok Angels I was able to close a great angel from my home town Kraków in days rather than weeks.”-—says Magda Kordon—”For founders with ground-breaking technology, this is the perfect way to secure funding quickly and keep their focus where it matters most — pushing research forward and building the product.”
Are you building something ambitious in CEE?
If this kind of thinking resonates with you—or if you know a founder we should meet—check out our investment FAQ and send your deck to borys@smok.vc.
Let’s build something that outlasts the hype.