RESEARCH INNOVATION ENTREPRENEURSHIP
FREDERICK K. JOHNSON.
Digital Therapeutix · Founder Story

Big problems.
Bold science.
Real momentum.

We’re using AI to discover viruses that kill harmful bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

EXPLORE OUR JOURNEY ↓Explore Digital Therapeutix
Dr. Frederick K. Johnson pitching Digital Therapeutix on stage
Where it began

It started with a conviction: discovery should move faster.

Digital Therapeutix began at Berkeley with a goal: make bacteriophage (Phages) discovery faster and more accessible. Phages (FAY-jiz) are viruses that target and kill specific bacteria. Our four AI platforms help researchers identify promising known phages and explore new candidates when no match exists. Independent scientific evaluation is our next step. Founded by Frederick K. Johnson, PhD, MBA; Cynthia Cheng, PhD, MBA; and Van Hovenga, the venture brings together expertise in science, AI, and industry.

1stBerkeley StEP Showcase · Fall 2024 winner
150+Stakeholder discovery interviews
4AI platforms in development
1University research collaboration
The original 2024 announcementSee our news archive
The people behind the momentum

gBETA opened the door and the teams ran through.

Digital Therapeutix was proud to join the inaugural gBETA Inland Empire cohort in 2026, powered by gener8tor. Alongside four innovative startups spanning advanced materials, clean technology, automotive intelligence, and artificial intelligence, we sharpened our pitch, expanded our investor network, and built relationships that helped move our venture forward.

gBETA Inland Empire founders and accelerator community
INAUGURAL COHORT:
Super Foam, BluCore Minerals, Engevity, SheetXAI and Digital Therapeutix.
Nate DomenighiniAssociate VP · gener8tor / gBETA

Nate contributed to accelerator connections and the broader gener8tor founder network. About gBETA

Abdi SherifManaging Director · gener8tor / gBETA

Abdi helped connect Digital Therapeutix with mentors, investors, and the Inland Empire startup community.

Stephanie MaciasBusiness & Workforce Development Division Manager · City of Moreno Valley

Leads business and workforce development initiatives. About Moreno Valley BERC

Recognition & momentum

From Berkeley beginnings to national visibility.

First place at Berkeley StEP

Won the Fall StEP Showcase and received the Trione Student Seed Fund award.

Big Ideas Top 15

Advanced to the top 15 of 150 teams; joined NSF I-Corps, NVIDIA Inception, and Berkeley SkyDeck Pad-13.

Regional Fast Pitch winner

Took first place in the Southwest Region competition during Riverside County Innovation Month.

gBETA & founder programs

Advanced through gBETA Inland Empire, Harvard Foundry Startup Bootcamp, and gener8tor Summer Accelerators Lightning Rounds.

National stage

Selected for SBIR/STTR Con Innovation Showcase and as an HLTH USA Startup Pitch finalist, scheduled for November 18.

Research & next validation

Signed a University of Arkansas research collaboration; reached Heal.LA finalist stage; submitted Westly Prize application. Independent evaluation is next.

From the journey

Progress you can see.

Founder with regional competition award

First-place pitch win

Riverside County Innovation Month, Southwest Region.

HLTH USA 2026 finalist announcement

HLTH USA finalist

Selected for the startup pitch stage in Las Vegas.

University of Arkansas research partnership announcement

Independent validation

Signed a research agreement with collaborators at the University of Arkansas.

Heal.LA accelerator finalist announcement

Heal.LA finalist

Advanced to the accelerator's final interview stage.

SBIR STTR Con 2026 Innovation Showcase selection

Innovation Showcase

Selected for the 2026 SBIR/STTR Con Innovation Showcase.

gBETA Inland Empire sign

gBETA Inland Empire

Mentorship, founder community, and investor introductions.

One system. Multiple paths to discovery.

The platform

We are building a connected platform for phage-host matching, candidate generation, scientific intelligence, and structured research data. It is a development platform, not a claim of clinical efficacy.

QUINTKnown-phage matching
QUINTxGenerative phage candidates
PhageIQScientific intelligence
Atlas.AIKnowledge and research data
Diagram of Digital Therapeutix's four AI platform components