Valor Scientific is a joint effort of co-founders, from left, Bethany Blake, Andrew Kodani, PhD, and Matthew Knuesel, PhD
Valor Scientific, Inc., is a new biotechnology company in Madison with a vision to impact human research and healthcare by serving the real-world needs of research labs. Neighborhood Concepts, Inc., and TARCOG are helping them get started.
Biotechnology is a field of science that involves using living organisms, cells, and biological processes to develop products and technologies for various applications, ranging from disease prevention, environmental sustainability, and solving critical global issues.
When the Valor team approached Neighborhood Concepts, Inc., for non-traditional financing to open its new biotechnology lab on Madison Boulevard, the proposal was a winner as a joint funding initiative between NCI and TARCOG.
Meet the Valor Scientific leaders
The small startup is a joint effort of co-founders, Andrew Kodani, PhD, Bethany Blake, and Matthew Knuesel, PhD.
- Kodani, Chief Executive Officer, as former faculty at Boston Children’s Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, has dedicated his career to helping patients with rare diseases, leading teams to develop research strategy and novel treatments.
- Blake, Chief Operations Officer, is a biotech startup and social enterprise veteran who specializes in data-driven project management and operational development.
- Knuesel, Chief Scientific Officer, is an innovator of bioactive growth factor development with 25 years of expertise in protein engineering & stem cell biology.
Kodani said Valor specializes in manufacturing high-quality human growth factors for research, medical, and commercial uses. They have a mission to innovate systems for scientific breakthroughs and make research more accessible to underserved groups.
The company is opening a new production facility in Madison with the help of a $350,000 loan through NCI and TARCOG.
About Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 146 (FGF2 146)
Valor’s first product to hit the market is called FGF2 146. Blake said the product fuels growth in every cell type and bodily organ, and it is a critical material of cell development in the body and in the lab. FGF2 146 claims to be fueling the next stage of cellular research with a science-proven and an innovative approach to change the way growth factors are manufactured and used.
In the simplest terms, Kodani said Valor offers a new standard for bioactive proteins that are reliable enough for stem cell research, potent enough for wound healing, and refined enough for cosmetic skincare use. This means things its product could impact concerns like bone density loss and fracture repair, post-surgical skin repair, eardrum repair, and even anti-aging skincare.
Giving back
Blake said Valor’s approach combines deep technical expertise with a commitment to positively impact research and patient well-being. Their goal is to create a company that not only pushes scientific breakthroughs, but to also leave a lasting legacy of compassion.
Kodani said kids with rare diseases are only represented by two percent of the National Institute of Health’s annual budget. As Valor Scientific grows, he said they are committed to working with nonprofit family foundations to provide affordable and accessible research solutions through our social enterprise research arm.
Valor’s first collaboration is with the Coffin-Lowry Syndrome Foundation— a Huntsville-based nonprofit dedicated to support and awareness for families affected by this rare genetic condition characterized by severe intellectual disability and developmental delay.
Through this collaboration, Valor Scientific is proud to support scientific discovery and advocacy that directly impacts members of Huntsville, the state of Alabama — and beyond.