CASE STUDY: How a 100% Grant Success Rate Supported Reveal Biosciences to a Strategic Exit

We first engaged with Reveal Biosciences when they were at a pivotal point in their growth. Their team had developed an advanced AI-driven pathology platform designed to transform biomarker analysis across multiple therapeutic areas, but they faced the dual challenge of accelerating R&D while securing non-dilutive funding under very tight timelines. Their work was technically sophisticated, yet winning highly competitive federal awards demanded strategic guidance, precise proposal development, and rapid review cycles, all under short turnaround pressures.

RevealBio’s leadership needed more than just funding. They needed a partner who could help them translate their complex science into compelling narratives aligned with agency priorities, while ensuring that each submission demonstrated both feasibility and innovation. The stakes were high: these grants would enable foundational R&D, advance the imageDx™ platform, and materially influence the company’s strategic positioning.

We approached the engagement with a focus on Customer Success, designing a comprehensive, multi-submission strategy that aligned RevealBio’s milestones with the highest-impact funding opportunities. Our team managed the end-to-end process, from proposal strategy, development, and internal reviews, to submission and agency engagement. We translated highly technical AI pathology workflows into persuasive, mission-aligned narratives that clearly communicated the scientific, operational, and commercial value of the platform. Coordination with RevealBio’s internal team ensured that every proposal leveraged the strongest data while meeting tight deadlines, enabling the company to present itself as a competitive and innovative leader.

The results were remarkable. RevealBio secured three out of three awards, achieving a 100% win rate and receiving over $1.2 million in non-dilutive funding, all awarded in 2020:

• Topic #411 – PHASE I SBIR Contract – An ImageDx Based Platform For Comprehensive De-Identification Of Wsi Data: $370,804 (Project #75N91020C00026)
• SBIR Phase I Topic 402: Artificial Intelligence-Aided Imaging for Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis, and Monitoring $392,343  (Project #75N91020C00051)
• An ImageDx based multi-scale platform for tissue, cellular, molecular, and genomic visualization. $386,940 (Project #75N91020C00012)

These awards accelerated critical R&D, advanced AI training pipelines, enabled the expansion of automated digital assays, and supported multi-indication biomarker development across Oncology, NASH, Neuroscience, Fibrosis, and Inflammation. The funding directly strengthened RevealBio’s platform, each of these awards were setup for a follow-on Phase II renewals, and all of these awards were instrumental in building strategic value for the Company. The company had previously raised $4.5 million in a Series A round, led by Intel Capital. Having gained validation from a highly competitive SBIR contract, and secured this non-dilutive funding driven from Grant Engine’s efforts, the company successfully positioned itself for a sale and was purchased in May, 2021 by CellCarta, a global precision medicine CRO looking to expand its histological biomarker franchise. This acquisition validated the market value of the technology and the impact of strategically deployed grant funding.

Claire Weston, PhD, the CEO of RevealBio at the time, later selected Grant Engine again for her next venture, TactusAI, highlighting the trust and continuity we strive to build with our clients.

RevealBio’s journey demonstrates how thoughtfully executed grant strategies can accelerate scientific innovation, preserve equity, and strengthen the chances for liquidity. By combining deep scientific insight, strategic planning, and a results-driven approach, we helped RevealBio secure funding, advance technology, and achieve a successful exit – showing that non-dilutive funding is not just capital, but a strategic tool to deliver transformative results.

Your Funding. Delivered.