
Making drug discovery more efficient
April 9, 2025
Accelerating Medicine Development Through Predictive Technology
At District 3, we're proud to showcase Molecular Forecaster, a pioneering pre-seed biopharma venture that's transforming how new medicines reach patients. Founded by Josh Pottel, Molecular Forecaster exemplifies innovation in the bio sector with technology that addresses critical bottlenecks in pharmaceutical development.
The Innovation
Molecular Forecaster delivers specialized software and expertise to both emerging biotech firms and established pharmaceutical companies through two business models:
- As a Contract Research Organization (CRO) providing direct services
- Through licensed software that empowers in-house research teams
Their groundbreaking tools target the most significant inefficiencies in drug discovery by dramatically accelerating preclinical stages—phases traditionally plagued by slow processes and high failure rates.
Technology with Accessibility at its Core
What sets Molecular Forecaster apart is their commitment to creating user-friendly predictive software that doesn't require programming expertise. Their intuitive platform enables chemists to:
- Simulate chemical reactions
- Predict drug-protein interactions
- Estimate drug metabolism pathways
This accessibility is transformational for medicinal and organic chemists, making drug discovery more efficient, reducing development costs, and ultimately expediting the delivery of new medicines to those who need them most.
The District 3 Connection
The journey of building a deep tech venture in the pharmaceutical space comes with unique challenges. District 3's ecosystem has provided vital support throughout Molecular Forecaster's development.
In Their Words
"District 3 was a source of support, in terms of mentoring and coaching, and people to just bounce ideas off of. We're still involved with MentorConnect, and I look forward to those meetings. The insights from the mentors span such a diverse set of experiences and different industries, but you see that the problems, or the challenges, are analogous."
— Josh Pottel, Founder, Molecular Forecaster
Continuing Impact
Molecular Forecaster represents the kind of transformative innovation that District 3 is committed to nurturing—ventures that combine deep scientific expertise with entrepreneurial vision to create solutions with far-reaching positive impacts. By making drug discovery more accessible and efficient, they're not just building a successful company—they're helping accelerate medical breakthroughs that can improve countless lives.