BioGeometry raises $100 million to scale AI models that develop drugs from scratch
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BioGeometry raises $100 million to scale AI models that develop drugs from scratch

Beijing-based company BioGeometry has raised $100 million in a Series A+ extension round, increasing the total Series A funding by over $100 million. The startup develops artificial intelligence models capable of finding new promising drug compounds in weeks rather than years, which could potentially change the economics of drug discovery.

China Life Capital led the latest round. BioGeometry, which has been operating for about four years, uses its AI models to search for novel molecular compounds. Existing shareholders, including Shanghai Biomedical Industry Fund, which participated in the first round, also contributed additional funds. Participants in the round included China Development Venture Capital, Reliance Investment, and Guofang Venture Capital, as well as several biomedical industry players; Dacheng Wealth Capital also increased its stake. Index Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor.

China Life Capital called BioGeometry 'a benchmark company in China's AI-based biotechnology industry,' noting that this represents progress compared to 2024, when the company closed a pre-A round led by Jiangmen Ventures with participation from Zhipu AI and Gaorong Capital.

BioGeometry's work is based on two AI engines, each functioning at a different scale. The GeoFlow model works with molecules; it is an atomic model that predicts biomolecular structures and creates new ones from scratch. The first version of GeoFlow, launched in June 2024, demonstrated alignment with AlphaFold 3 in predicting protein complexes. Its capabilities then grew: version V2 appeared in April 2025 and became the first Chinese AI model capable of performing de novo antibody design.

Version V3 was introduced in October 2025 and added a generation, evaluation, and optimization cycle. When working with over twenty targets, it achieved an average hit rate of 20% and found promising compounds within three weeks. A larger version, V4, is under development. The other engine, GeoCell, focuses on the cellular level. This is a virtual cell model that predicts how cells react to genes, drugs, or combinations, helping teams select targets, diseases, and suitable patients.

These two models are integrated using an AI agent that connects them to an automated laboratory, ensuring that every experiment provides new knowledge to the system.

The new capital will be used to upgrade GeoFlow and GeoCell, as well as to expand high-throughput automated laboratories and advance proprietary drug programs to market. Numerous projects in drug discovery and synthetic biology are already planned. Several bispecific antibody programs are expected to enter IND submission in 2027. Synthetic biology may generate revenue sooner.

One project stands out—natural borneol, a compound used in traditional medicine. BioGeometry claims to be the first to be able to biosynthesize it with approximately 80% lower costs compared to plant extraction. Significant revenue from this project is expected in 2027.

Despite the slow and expensive process of drug discovery, most candidates fail. AI promises to improve chances by developing more advanced molecules from the outset. BioGeometry is betting on realizing this potential while simultaneously generating revenue through synthetic biology. For investors, this is a rare combination of ambitious goals and short-term income. Furthermore, the AI biotechnology scene in China is rapidly developing, even amid tightening US regulations on deals in this area. Global pharmaceuticals will closely watch who can compete with tools at the AlphaFold level.

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Foundry Robotics raises $100 million to build America's first AI-powered assembly factory
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Foundry Robotics raises $100 million to build America's first AI-powered assembly factory

Foundry Robotics, based in Emeryville, California, announced on Wednesday that it has raised a Series A round of $100 million. These funds are intended for the construction of what the company calls America's first autonomous assembly factory. Additionally, the capital will be directed towards expanding its robotics, engineering, and operations teams, as well as implementing additional artificial intelligence models.

Founded only this year, Foundry is demonstrating a rapid pace of development. Founder and CEO Adarsh Kulkarni has experience with robotics; previously, he was a fourth employee at Ghost Robotics, working on bipedal robots for the US armed forces, and later became the first head of the robotics department at Scale AI.

Co-founder Emmanuel Lamakkiya possesses deep knowledge of manufacturing, having led the Model Y program at Tesla, overseeing the production of approximately 1.5 million vehicles annually. Anup Karmakar, a former software lead at Tesla, also joined the team. The team also includes veterans from the military who have experience working at Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, highlighting their ability to scale production.

Unlike most robotics startups that sell the robots or software themselves, Foundry owns and operates factories independently, offering a manufacturing-as-a-service model. The company installs AI-supported robotic cells at its sites. The FoundryOS system connects these robots, the factory, and cloud services. Each production cycle feeds data back into the models, allowing the system to continuously improve.

For clients, this means faster and more consistent production. Foundry claims it can take a product from design to release in a matter of weeks, eliminating the need to create a new production line or costly equipment retooling. For defense contractors awaiting components, this could shorten program timelines by months.

The company's main specialization is complex electromechanical assemblies such as drones, satellites, wire harnesses, and underwater vehicles. The list also includes components for autonomous vehicles, ground robots, and data center equipment. The new 130,000 square foot facility in Emeryville increases the company's production capacity twentyfold.

In addition to Marlinspike, early investors in the round returned, including Khosla Ventures and Red Glass Ventures. New participants include SE Ventures, Wing VC, and Axiom Ventures. Existing investors Hanabi and Zero Shot Fund maintained their positions. This funding round ranks among the top 3% of registered Series A rounds in US deep tech, a rare achievement for such a young company. Earlier reports indicated initial funding of about $14 million, making the current round a significant leap.

Marlinspike's Managing Director, Mislav Tolusik, noted that manufacturers urgently need in-house production capacity. He also believes that Foundry quickly secures contracts with clients. Duane Fortingham, President of HII Unmanned Systems, stated directly that 'production capacity is a national bottleneck for deploying unmanned systems.' This is where Foundry fits in.

Kulkarni insists that factories capable of reviving American manufacturing must be designed from scratch, not merely repaired. The company's mission is to revitalize US industry. Foundry is not alone in this endeavor; Arda Industries launched this month with $232 million in funding. Maven Robotics also raised $100 million in a Series A round in September. Investors clearly see a shift, but big claims require proof. An 'autonomous factory' is only valid if it delivers reproducible results at scale, and Foundry now has the funds to demonstrate this.

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