A brand-new Paris-based generative AI startup has emerged. Bioptimus, however, is intriguing because it intends to use all of the knowledge about AI models we have gained as a community over the last few years, but with a limited, biologically specific focus.
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It makes sense to launch a firm with a sole emphasis on biology because training data access is more difficult in this area. Bioptimus will have to deal with sensitive clinical data that isn’t available to the public, presenting distinct data difficulties from OpenAI’s gradual shift from web crawling to licensing agreements with content creators.
Bioptimus would require a significant investment since, like other AI businesses, it will employ skilled researchers and train its models on pricey GPUs. For this reason, Sofinnova Partners is leading a $35 million seed round that the business is raising. Bpifrance’s Large Venture fund, First, Cathay Innovation, Headline, Hummingbird, NJF Capital, Owkin, Top Harvest Capital, and Xavier Niel participated in this fundraising round.
Bioptimus is not an overnight sensation. Jean-Philippe Vert will lead the business as executive chairman and co-founder, serving in a non-operational capacity. His day job is Chief R&D Officer at Owkin, the unicorn biotech company based in France that uses AI to find new medications and enhance diagnostics.
Since he was a senior research scientist at Google, Bioptimus’ CTO, Rodolphe Jenatton, has more excellent knowledge of AI. A number of the co-founders were formerly Google DeepMind researchers.
Working with premier academic hospitals worldwide, Owkin has partnered to gather multimodal patient data as part of his work for top biopharma. Bioptimus will use this unique collection of data to train its core model.
Bioptimus may be classified as an Owkin moonshot project or a type of spin-off business. Why didn’t Owkin choose to work on the basic model internally? It made more sense to create a distinct organization because developing new AI models is such a difficult task.
Although Owkin has yet to make plans to build basic models for biology, it is eager to work with and support organizations such as Bioptimus. According to Jean-Philippe Vert, TechCrunch, “training huge scale [foundational models] requires important resources in data volume, computing power, and breadth of data modalities that are easier to unlock as a specific entity.” “Bioptimus is better suited to do this as a ‘pure player’ in foundational models.”
Additionally, the firm and Amazon Web Services have partnered. Amazon’s data centers will be used to train the company’s model. With sufficient funding, Bioptimus can now focus on refining its AI model and exploring the potential applications it may provide to the biotech research community.
According to Vert, “the AI we develop will eventually help create new biomolecules for medical or environmental use, as well as improve precision medicine and disease diagnosis.”
In summary, Bioptimus has secured an impressive $35 million seed funding, marking a significant milestone in its pursuit of developing an advanced AI foundational model explicitly focused on biology. This substantial financial support underscores the industry’s acknowledgment of the potential impact and significance of integrating artificial intelligence into the field of biology. With this considerable seed round, Bioptimus is strategically positioned to foster innovation, expand the horizons of AI applications in biology, and contribute to revolutionary advancements in understanding and manipulating biological systems. The backing from investors validates Bioptimus’s vision and underscores the increasing interest in utilizing AI for transformative solutions within the life sciences. The company is now well-prepared to take substantial steps in advancing its foundational model, setting the stage for groundbreaking discoveries and advancements at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biology.
(Information Source: Techcrunch.com)
