The Bay Area Lyme Foundation has announced the launch of Bay Area Lyme Ventures, a new impact fund designed to fast-track promising diagnostics and therapeutics for tick-borne diseases.

Lyme Ventures aims to bridge the gap between academic breakthroughs and real-world solutions by investing in companies developing tools for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Its first investments include Aces Diagnostics, developer of the LymeSeek blood test, and LymeAlert, a startup creating an at-home tick test for humans and pets.

“This new chapter expands Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s commitment to accelerating innovative diagnostics and therapeutic breakthroughs, as there is an extreme scarcity of support for entrepreneurs and companies developing accurate solutions for patients and clinicians in tick-borne disease,” said Linda Giampa, founder and managing director of Bay Area Lyme Ventures.

Translating research into real-world relief

Giampa previously led Bay Area Lyme Foundation for 12 years, overseeing more than $30 million in research grants. Lyme Ventures plans to invest $5 million by 2027, with proceeds supporting further research through the Foundation.

“After more than a decade of funding cutting-edge academic research through Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s efforts, Lyme Ventures is opening a door for us to now translate those breakthroughs into real world solutions—offering answers, hope, and healing to patients who have suffered for years from Lyme disease and its co-infections,” said Emily Fairbairn, a longtime supporter and one of the first funders of Lyme Ventures.

Among the fund’s first investments, Aces Diagnostics’ LymeSeek test has shown 90% accuracy in verification studies for both early and disseminated Lyme disease. The company’s leadership includes CEO Tammy Crawford, Chief Scientific Officer Holly Ahern, and Chief Research Officer Monica Embers—all of whom have longstanding ties to Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s research initiatives.

“The epidemic of Lyme continues to be under-recognized outside of the Lyme community, making it particularly challenging to raise funds for innovative solutions such as our diagnostic kit, LymeSeek,” said Crawford. “With this partnership, we’re working to bring accurate, research-driven solutions to Lyme and other tick-borne disease patients who have long gone without answers.”

Empowering early detection

LymeAlert, founded by MIT Sloan Fellow MBA graduates Erin Dawicki and Michelle Ewy, is developing a user-friendly tick test designed for both humans and pets.

“We are honored to receive support from Bay Area Lyme Ventures, whose commitment to accelerating innovation in Lyme disease research aligns perfectly with our mission at LymeAlert. Their investment aims to help us bring the world’s first at-home tick test to more communities, empowering people to detect Lyme disease at the moment of exposure—when intervention can make the greatest difference,” said Dawicki.

With these initial investments, Bay Area Lyme Ventures is poised to reshape the future of Lyme disease care—bringing urgently needed tools to patients and clinicians navigating the challenges of tick-borne illness.

SOURCE: Bay Area Lyme Foundation