The French startup Bioptimus has completed a $35 million seed funding round and officially launched with a focus on developing artificial intelligence that can revolutionize the field of biological research.
Led by former Google research scientist Jean-Philippe Vert, Bioptimus aims to create the first "universal artificial intelligence base model" in the field of biology. This model will integrate biological data at different levels, from molecules to cells to tissues, to reveal new insights.
The funding round was led by European venture capital firm Sofinnova Partners, with additional investments from Bpifrance Large Venture, Cathay Innovation, and other companies.
Bioptimus' mission is to accelerate biomedical innovation using the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly large-scale language models.
Vert believes that biology is the next frontier for this technology. "Applying base models and generative artificial intelligence to biology will have a profound impact on science," he said.
To achieve this vision, Bioptimus has assembled a team of scientists from leading artificial intelligence companies such as Google DeepMind and health tech company Owkin.
The company has also established partnerships with research hospitals and Owkin's data platform to access rich biological data resources. This combination of talent and data will drive the development of cutting-edge artificial intelligence.
Edward Kliphuis of Sofinnova stated that Bioptimus has the potential to transform personalized medicine by better understanding patients' uniqueness and discovering commonalities.
Artificial intelligence models can reveal the biological connections of diseases, make clinical trials more targeted, and even help design entirely new treatments based on individual genetics.
Laurent Higueret of Bpifrance believes that Bioptimus has the potential to analyze patient data "across multiple levels" in new ways, leading to breakthroughs.
This $35 million funding will propel the company's exponential growth. With its experienced founding team, data access, and advanced algorithms, Bioptimus is poised to make a mark in this high-potential field.
