Bioptimus Secures $35M to Pioneer AI Foundation Model in Biology, Promising a New Era of Biomedical Breakthroughs
In a significant stride towards harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence in the realm of biology, Bioptimus, a French startup, has successfully secured $35 million in seed funding to develop a pioneering AI foundation model specifically for biological research.
This model aims to amalgamate various scales of biological understanding, from molecular to organismal, with the cutting-edge capabilities of generative AI, thereby promising to fuel unprecedented scientific discoveries and innovations in the field of biomedicine.
The investment round was spearheaded by Sofinnova Partners and saw substantial contributions from a roster of prestigious investors including Bpifrance Large Venture, Frst, and Cathay Innovation.
The funding initiative also attracted attention from a diverse group of stakeholders such as Hummingbird, Headline, Owkin, NJF Capital, Top Harvest Capital, and renowned tech entrepreneur Xavier Niel, all betting on Bioptimus’s revolutionary approach to biological research.
Bioptimus stands out by leveraging the expertise of its founders, who are former scientists from Google DeepMind and the French AI company Owkin. Based in Paris, Bioptimus plans to utilize Owkin’s adeptness in data generation and its access to a wide range of patient data from academic hospitals worldwide. Furthermore, the company will capitalize on the computing infrastructure provided by Amazon Web Services to propel its ambitious project.
Dr. Jean-Philippe Vert, co-founder and CEO of Bioptimus, who also serves as the chief research and development officer at Owkin and has a past tenure as a research lead at Google Brain, emphasized the transformative potential of applying foundation models and generative AI to biology.
He envisions that this integration will decode the complex laws of biology, which have so far eluded comprehensive understanding, thereby accelerating progress in both biomedical and environmental sciences.
The venture by Bioptimus into this domain is not an isolated case but part of a broader trend where GenAI is increasingly becoming integral to life sciences. Companies like Absci are pioneering in generative AI for antibody discovery, while giants like Boehringer Ingelheim and IBM, along with startups such as Genesis and Vivodyne, are exploring AI’s potential in drug discovery.
The AI-enabled drug discovery arena is also witnessing innovative initiatives like AION Labs in Israel, which has launched AI-driven startups like DenovAI and TenAces in collaboration with global pharma and tech entities.
Bioptimus’s launch, backed by substantial funding and a clear vision, is poised to make a profound impact on the scientific community, potentially redefining how research and innovation are conducted in the field of biology and beyond.
