Boston gets a new biotech accelerator with the launch of Petri

As biotechnology becomes more central to new innovations in healthcare, material science and manufacturing, one of the nation's research hubs is getting a new accelerator called Petri to launch companies focused on the commercialization of new technologies. Backed by the Boston-based venture capital firm Pillar, Petri has a three-year $15 million commitment to back companies developing new biotech applications in food, healthcare, industrial chemicals and new materials -- along with the enabling technologies to bring these products to market. "We’re at the inflection point where these technologies will impact and continue to impact health but will also impact food, agriculture, chemicals and materials," says Petri co-founder, Tony Kulesa.