A Barcelona-based diagnostics company targeting hard-to-detect women's health conditions closed a €4.2 million seed round, betting it can simplify the invasive, often painful process of diagnosing endometrial cancer and endometriosis.
MiMARK Diagnostics announced the funding in late 2023, marking one of the larger European seed investments in women's health diagnostics that year. The capital arrived in two stages: Clave Capital, Nara Capital, Namarel Ventures, and WA4STEAM contributed €1 million in May, followed by a second tranche in November from CDTI Innvierte, Inveready, and Canterbury Scientific.
The company declined to share its valuation. CDTI Innvierte, a Spanish government co-investment vehicle, put in €270,000, according to a public notice from October of that year. MiMARK had already secured €4 million in non-dilutive funding before the seed round — €1.5 million from EIT Health's Wild Card program in 2020 and €2.5 million from the European Innovation Council Accelerator in June 2023.
Marina Rigau, the CEO and co-founder, described the milestone as validation for the company's approach to gynecological diagnostics. "Thanks to this funding we will advance on bringing our first product to the market; an In Vitro Diagnostic for Endometrial Cancer," she said at the time.
What MiMARK Is Building
The startup's lead product, GyLDEC, analyzes proteins found in uterine fluid collected through a minimally invasive pipelle device. Its target users are post-menopausal women experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding, a group typically referred for diagnostic biopsies. The test aims to spare some patients from more invasive procedures.
MiMARK validated GyLDEC through a national multi-center study registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as "WomEC SEGO" (NCT06192017), first posted in December 2023. The company holds four patent families covering its protein-based immunoassay technology.
For endometriosis, MiMARK is working on GyLDEndo, which uses a cervical cytology swab and promises results within 48 hours. The test completed proof-of-concept testing on 200 cervical swabs, though the company has not disclosed peer-reviewed validation data.
The endometriosis diagnostic faces a crowded field. Regulatory authorities in the UK began endorsing non-invasive tests in 2026 after decades in which the condition required laparoscopic surgery to confirm. Diagnosis times in the UK have historically averaged eight to ten years, a delay that advocacy groups have long criticized.
Origins and Team
MiMARK spun out of the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research in 2021. Rigau leads alongside co-founders Eva Colás, the chief scientific officer, and Antonio Gil, the chief medical officer. The company reports between 11 and 50 employees on LinkedIn, though it did not confirm a precise headcount.
Its board includes Clive Seymour, CEO of Canterbury Scientific, the New Zealand IVD controls company that joined the seed round. Nara Health Capital partner Daniel Oliver and Clave Capital analyst Ignacio Prieto also serve as directors. Michele Pedrocchi, formerly with Roche, sits as an independent board member.
Clinical Context
The endometrial cancer diagnostic addresses a well-defined clinical gap. Post-menopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding require triage for potential cancer, typically through invasive biopsy. Global corpus uteri cancer incidence data suggests hundreds of thousands of new cases annually, though precise figures vary by reporting period.
For endometriosis, regulatory momentum around non-invasive tests has accelerated in recent years. The U.S. National Institutes of Health has promoted diagnostic innovation through programs like its RADx Tech challenges.
Next Steps
MiMARK indicated it was raising an €8 million round to scale its endometrial cancer diagnostic and expand into endometriosis, according to Rigau's public comments. The company did not disclose the status of that fundraise or its target close date.
The startup was selected for the InnoBuyer Open Call for EIC Solvers, though funding terms were not disclosed. MiMARK has presented its endometrial cancer test at industry conferences, including the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology Congress and the ADLM conference.
Whether the company can navigate the regulatory pathway for its tests — and distinguish itself in an increasingly competitive women's health diagnostics market — remains to be seen.
