New AI Startup Bioptimus Secures $35 Million To Revolutionize Biology

Biology could soon be transformed thanks to a fresh AI startup securing sizable funding. Bioptimus, based in Paris, has raised a $35 million seed round to develop an AI model solely focused on advancing biological understanding.

Accessing the immense volumes of data required to train advanced AI systems poses unique hurdles within biology. While other companies gather web-based information, Bioptimus must handle sensitive clinical data unavailable publicly. It aims to leverage datasets gathered through medical partnerships to educate its foundational model.

Led by Sofinnova Partners, the round included participation from Bpifrance, Cathay Innovation, Hummingbird and more. This capital will power costly model training via GPUs and hiring top talent. At the helm is Jean-Philippe Vert, also Chief R&D Officer at biotech unicorn Owkin. Other founders previously worked at DeepMind and Google, lending expertise in AI.

Owkin’s real-world patient insights garnered globally will fuel the model’s learning. As a “pure player”, Bioptimus is uniquely positioned long-term to realize biology’s full potential with AI. It marks an ambitious move taking foundational modeling from Owkin’s research into its own specialized entity.

Partnering with Amazon Web Services, the startup’s model will be educated within their infrastructure. With funding secured, Bioptimus can now work to develop and apply its innovative approach – improving disease diagnosis, precision treatments and biomolecule discovery. If successful, this focused foray into biology AI could revolutionize the field.