Bioptimus Secures $41 Million for AI Revolution in Biology
A nascent French artificial intelligence startup has secured a formidable $41 million in funding to pioneer the development of a foundational AI model specifically tailored for biological applications.
Bioptimus is expertly adapting the concept that underpins generative AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT, a tool famed for its capability in human-like text interactions. The company aims to harness this AI sophistication not for text, but for transforming biological data into meaningful simulations that span everything from molecules to whole organisms. Such simulations offer the promise of predicting disease outcomes and innovating enhanced therapeutic methods.
"Essentially, it's like the GPT of biology—but instead of generating text, we're simulating biology," explains Jean-Philippe Vert, co-founder and CEO of Bioptimus.
France: An AI Innovation Hub
France has gained recognition as a powerhouse for AI startups, a trend highlighted by major funding achievements in the field. This includes Mistral AI's impressive $640 million infusion, alongside substantial rounds raised by other French AI ventures such as H and Hugging Face in recent months.
Bioptimus, launched last year, achieved a $35 million seed round immediately after its inception. The company has now amassed $76 million, underscoring both the prevailing AI enthusiasm and the commendable expertise of its founding team. Notably, Rodolphe Jenatton, Bioptimus's Chief Technology Officer, previously held esteemed roles at Amazon and Google. Meanwhile, Vert's dual position as Bioptimus's CEO and Chief R&D Officer at Owkin highlights a deep-rooted connection between the two companies.
Owkin, a French unicorn applying AI in drug discovery, provided the multimodal patient data essential for Bioptimus's model training exercises. This setup, integral to the company's success, stems from Owkin's comprehensive partnerships with renowned biopharmaceutical entities.
"Building biology [foundational models] is not a part of Owkin's roadmap, but Owkin supports and is keen to partner with a company like Bioptimus," Vert stated in an earlier interview, reflecting on the decision to focus Bioptimus as a separate entity dedicated to foundational models.
In recent milestones, Bioptimus introduced H-Optimus-0, an open-source foundational model for pathology, enhancing research and diagnosis opportunities, particularly for conditions like cancer. The recent capital injection aims to expand Bioptimus's AI capabilities with diverse data sources and to forge new collaborations within the pharma and biotech industries.
Looking forward, the company plans to unveil a multi-modal foundation model later this year, aimed at encompassing the entire biological spectrum. This model aims to drive pioneering advancements in domains such as medical and cosmetic sectors.
"Beyond pharmaceuticals, this model will unlock limitless possibilities across many other industries, driving biological discoveries in ways we are only beginning to imagine," Vert proclaims.
This round of funding, led by Cathay Innovation, included contributions from Sofinnova Partners, Bpifrance, Andera Partners, Hitachi Ventures, and others, illustrating the broad interest and excitement surrounding Bioptimus's potential.