Bioptimus, a Paris-based AI startup, has secured $41 million in a recent funding round to advance its development of a universal AI foundation model for biology.
Company Background:
- Founding: Established less than a year ago by a team of scientists formerly associated with Google DeepMind and Owkin.
- Leadership: Led by CEO Dr. Jean-Philippe Vert, previously a research lead at Google Brain and Chief R&D Officer at Owkin. Pharmaphorum
Funding Details:
- Total Raised: This latest investment brings Bioptimus’s total funding to $76 million.
- Investors: The round was led by Cathay Innovation, with participation from Sofinnova Partners, Bpifrance through its Large Venture Fund, Andera Partners, Hitachi Ventures, Boom Capital Ventures, Pomifer Capital, Sunrise, and angel investors Emmanuel Cassimatis and Thomas Wolf.
Technological Advancements:
- Foundation Model: Bioptimus is developing a multi-scale, multi-modal AI foundation model capable of simulating biological processes across various scales—from molecules to entire organisms.
- Pathology Model: In July, the company released H-Optimus-0, the world’s largest AI foundation model for pathology, which has outperformed other models in predicting gene expression from morphology and subtyping ovarian cancer.
Applications and Impact:
- Pharmaceutical Research: The model aims to empower researchers to simulate complex biology, predict disease outcomes, and design therapies with unprecedented precision.
- Broader Industries: Beyond pharmaceuticals, the technology has potential applications in biotech, cosmetics, and other industries, driving biological discoveries and innovations. Bioptimus
This significant investment underscores the growing interest in applying AI to biological research, with Bioptimus positioning itself at the forefront of this transformative field.
