Kebotix, a Boston startup that uses AI and robotics to automate lab experiments, announced Thursday it raised $11.4 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Novo Holdings, an international life science investor, and will remain open for another 30 days for additional participation.
As reported by VentureBeat, Kebotix works out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s The Engine and partners with both the public and private sector to hasten the discovery and development of advanced materials and chemicals more affordably.
The company’s technology, which was developed by researcher Alán Aspuru-Guzik, combines robotics and artificial intelligence. The robotic arms do automated tasks like dipping pipettes into dishes or testing the properties of liquids, while the AI models analyze the results from those tests and form hypotheses from them. The results of these experiments are then fed back into the system so it continuously learns and improves. Kebotix also maintains a library of thousands of material candidates for future use and generates probabilistic models to make predictions.
“In a short period, Kebotix has managed to successfully develop a world-class engine for materials discovery, secured substantial partnerships and collaborations, and demonstrated a scalable business model,” Novo Holdings principal Kartik Dharmadhikari said in a statement. “Finding the cure for deadly diseases or the next game-changer for zero emissions comes down to discovering the right combination of molecules, and Kebotix stands out to us as leading the charge.”
The company says it will use this most recent funding for product development and to scale its team.
“Successfully raising $11.4 million as the global economy deals with the coronavirus pandemic is a testament to Kebotix’s early accomplishments and promising future,” Dr. Jill S. Becker, the company’s CEO, said in a statement. “At Kebotix we are deeply committed to filling the void in a market hungry for a platform that increases innovation rates at reduced costs by using our 21st century methods.”
