French AI startup expects to launch first multi-scale, multi-modal foundation model for biology in 2025.
Less than a year after it emerged from stealth with $35 million in funding, Paris-based AI startup Bioptimus has announced a fresh cash injection of $41 million to accelerate its development of AI foundation models for biology. The company is on a mission to develop the first “universal AI foundation model” for biology as it seeks to enhance biological research and innovation across multiple industries.
Bioptimus seeks to address a core limitation in biological research: the fragmented study of individual components such as DNA, proteins, cells or tissues. By creating a universal AI foundation model, the company aims to synthesize data across multiple scales and modalities, offering an integrated perspective of biology as it exists in nature.
In July, Bioptimus released what it claims is the world’s largest foundation model for pathology, H-Optimus-0. The company said its model set new benchmarks in independent evaluations, outperforming other models in tasks such as predicting gene expression from morphology and accurately subtyping ovarian cancer, and validated by institutions including Harvard Medical School and the University of Leeds.
Bioptimus says it plans to launch its first “multi-scale, multi-modal foundation model for biology” in 2025. The model is expected to simulate biology at an unprecedented scale, empowering researchers and industries to tackle complex challenges, from understanding disease mechanisms to designing precision therapies.
Under the leadership of Professor Jean-Philippe Vert, Bioptimus has assembled a team including experts from Google DeepMind and French TechBio company Owkin. Prof Vert likened the company’s innovation to a “GPT of biology” that will unlock transformative possibilities for research and industry.
“What we are building is not just a technological breakthrough; it’s a transformative tool for understanding biology in its full complexity,” he said. “By learning how biology works directly from raw data across scales, from molecules to whole organisms, our model will empower researchers in the pharmaceutical industry to simulate complex biology, predict disease outcomes and response to treatment, and design therapies with unprecedented precision.”
The new funding round, which brings the total raised by Bioptimus to $76 million, was led by Cathay Innovation, and joined by other investors including Sofinnova Partners, Bpifrance, Andera Partners, Hitachi Ventures and Boom Capital Ventures, alongside angel investors and entrepreneurs Emmanuel Cassimatis and Thomas Wolf. The funds will accelerate the refinement and validation of the company models, enabling integration of more diverse datasets, and the establishment of strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
“Bioptimus is at the forefront of transforming biological research, leveraging cutting-edge AI to break down silos and unlock the full complexity of biology,” said Cathay Innovation’s Jacky Abitbol. “By integrating data across multiple scales and modalities, Bioptimus is paving the way for groundbreaking innovations across industries, from pharmaceuticals to biotechnology and beyond.”
