Bioptimus: Pioneering AI for Biological Insights
In an exciting development from the burgeoning world of artificial intelligence, a young French startup named Bioptimus has successfully raised $41 million. Their mission? To craft a foundational AI model aimed specifically at biological science. This endeavor mirrors the innovative strides made by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, but with a twist: instead of generating text, Bioptimus is using AI to simulate complex biological processes.
Revolutionizing Biological Research
Bioptimus is on a quest to revolutionize how we understand biology, from the molecular level to whole organisms. CEO Jean-Philippe Vert envisions a future where their technology simulates biological systems to predict disease outcomes and enhance treatment efficacy. This approach, he notes, is akin to ChatGPT but tailored for biology.
“Essentially, it’s like the GPT of biology — but instead of generating text, we’re simulating biology.”
Jean-Philippe Vert, CEO of Bioptimus
The Rise of French AI Startups
France has quickly become a fertile ground for AI innovation, with numerous startups garnering substantial investment. Recent major funding rounds include Mistral AI’s impressive $640 million and Hugging Face’s $235 million. Bioptimus, founded just last year, is riding this wave with a total of $76 million raised so far.
The Brains Behind Bioptimus
This rapid success is partly due to the impressive credentials of its six co-founders. Notably, CTO Rodolphe Jenatton comes from a background with giants like Amazon and Google. Jean-Philippe Vert also holds a pivotal role at Owkin, another French AI-driven biotech firm.
A Strategic Birth
Owkin’s extensive collection of multimodal patient data plays a vital role in training Bioptimus’s foundational model. Rather than embedding this project within Owkin, creating an independent entity was deemed more strategic.
“Building biology [foundational models] is not part of Owkin’s roadmap, but Owkin supports and is keen to partner with a company like Bioptimus.”
Jean-Philippe Vert to TechCrunch
Breaking New Ground
Bioptimus has already made its mark with H-Optimus-0, an open-source model designed to aid in disease research and diagnosis. With new funding in place, the company aims to expand its AI platform across diverse therapeutic areas and foster partnerships in the pharmaceutical sector.
A Glimpse into the Future
The upcoming multi-modal foundational model promises to transform industries beyond pharmaceuticals, unlocking unprecedented potential in fields such as medical research and even cosmetics.
“Beyond pharmaceuticals, this model will unlock limitless possibilities across many other industries.”
Jean-Philippe Vert
The Investment Behind the Innovation
- Cathay Innovation led the latest funding round.
- Sofinnova Partners and Bpifrance were key contributors.
- Additional support came from Hitachi Ventures and other investors.
