Latent Labs Raises $50M to Advance AI-Powered Programmable Biology
Latent Labs, an AI-driven biotechnology company, has emerged from stealth mode with $50 million in total funding to accelerate its development and foster strategic partnerships. The company, founded by Dr. Simon Kohl, who previously co-led DeepMind’s protein design team and was a senior research scientist on AlphaFold2, aims to make biology programmable by leveraging generative AI technologies. This new funding is poised to further advance their innovative platform that allows researchers to computationally design new therapeutic molecules.
Latent Labs raised $40 million in a Series A round, co-led by Radical Ventures and Sofinnova Partners. Other investors include Flying Fish, Isomer, and existing supporters 8VC, Kindred Capital, and Pillar VC. The company also counts notable angel investors among its backers, including Jeff Dean, Google Chief Scientist; Aidan Gomez, inventor of the Transformer architecture and founder of Cohere; and Mati Staniszewski, founder of ElevenLabs.
The company’s platform builds on the success of DeepMind’s AlphaFold, which revolutionized the field of protein structure prediction by demonstrating how machine learning can be used to understand biology. However, Latent Labs is focused on advancing the application of generative AI to design proteins from scratch. By enabling researchers to design therapeutic molecules such as antibodies or enzymes, the company’s platform addresses some of the most challenging targets in drug discovery, while opening up new avenues for personalized medicine. Furthermore, researchers can use the platform to design proteins with improved characteristics, such as enhanced stability and increased affinity, which could help expedite drug development and increase the success rate of clinical trials.
“We believe every biotechnology and pharmaceutical company wants to be at the forefront of technology in finding the best therapeutic molecules, but not all of them are equipped to develop advanced AI models for the task,” said Dr. Simon Kohl, CEO and founder of Latent Labs. “That’s where we come in. We push the frontiers of generative biology, giving our partners access to cutting-edge tools that can accelerate their drug design programs.”
Latent Labs’ technology is not only geared toward improving drug discovery but also addressing one of the most pressing needs in the pharmaceutical industry: the ability to create molecules that can be tailored to address specific diseases. This capability allows the company to work closely with partners to develop more effective therapies that have a higher likelihood of success in clinical trials. The ability to design proteins with specific properties gives researchers greater flexibility, ultimately shortening the timeline from discovery to market.
Aaron Rosenberg, partner at Radical Ventures and former Head of Strategy & Operations at DeepMind, praised Latent Labs’ potential, saying, “We’ve partnered with Latent Labs because we’re confident in their ability to realize the therapeutic and commercial potential of de novo protein design. Such a capability has never been possible before, and it could profoundly benefit humanity by accelerating the development of more effective cures for diseases. Latent is at the forefront of innovation in computational biology, and we are excited to join them on this journey.”
Latent Labs has attracted a diverse group of talented individuals with experience from some of the world’s leading tech and biotech companies, including DeepMind, Microsoft, Google, Stability AI, Exscientia, Mammoth Bio, Altos Labs, and Zymergen. The company operates from offices in London and San Francisco, where it experimentally validates its AI platform in state-of-the-art lab facilities.
Edward Kliphuis, partner at Sofinnova Partners, also highlighted the transformative potential of Latent Labs’ work, stating, “Latent Labs is turning biology from an observational science into an engineering craft, providing precise control over the building blocks of life. This enables the creation of tailored molecules that can address challenges once thought insurmountable. With pharmaceutical companies increasingly seeking next-generation tools to accelerate discovery and improve patient outcomes, Latent Labs is well-positioned to lead in this rapidly growing market.”
By utilizing AI to design proteins and other molecules, Latent Labs is poised to reshape the future of drug discovery, offering solutions that enhance the speed and precision with which new therapies can be developed. This approach is critical as the demand for more effective, personalized treatments continues to grow in the pharmaceutical industry.
About Latent Labs
Latent Labs is an AI-driven biotechnology company that is innovating in the field of programmable biology. Using generative AI technologies, the company enables biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to design new molecules for a wide range of therapeutic, industrial, and environmental applications. Founded by Dr. Simon Kohl, a former DeepMind researcher and key contributor to the AlphaFold project, Latent Labs is backed by leading investors, including Radical Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, 8VC, Kindred Capital, Pillar VC, Isomer, and Flying Fish. With offices in London and San Francisco, Latent Labs is at the forefront of transforming biology and drug development.
