BIOPTIMUS
20.2.2024 09:01:26 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Today, French startup Bioptimus emerged from stealth following a seed funding round of $35M. Under the leadership of Professor Jean-Philippe Vert, PhD, Bioptimus unites a world-class team of scientists from Owkin and Google DeepMind alumni to transform biology with cutting-edge AI foundation model technologies that capture the various scales of biology. This funding round is led by Sofinnova Partners, with Bpifrance Large Venture, and additional support from global funds based in France, including Frst and multistage VC Cathay Innovation. Top global tech investors Headline, Hummingbird, NJF Capital, Owkin and Top Harvest Capital, as well as notable tech entrepreneur Xavier Niel, have joined the round to create a global leader in AI for biology in France.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220205004/en/
Professor Jean-Philippe Vert, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Bioptimus, Chief R&D Officer of Owkin and former Research Lead at Google Brain, said: “The application of foundation models and generative AI to biology is set to have a profound impact in science. By harnessing the power of foundation models and advanced algorithms trained on massive amounts of biological and multimodal data across scales, we aim to capture the laws of biology that have hitherto remained too complex to be properly understood. This holistic understanding of biology across scales will be critical to accelerate biomedical and environmental science.”
Edward Kliphuis, Partner at Sofinnova Partners, added: “Foundation models in biology are game-changers. They unlock unprecedented potential to personalize medicine, capturing the uniqueness of each individual while harnessing the collective knowledge of all. Bioptimus stands out by seamlessly blending unparalleled data resources and access, elite talent, and extensive computational power. Together with Sofinnova's deep expertise in life sciences and our expansive network, we're poised to redefine the future of the industry."
Laurent Higueret, Senior Investment Director at Bpifrance Large Venture, commented: “Founded on the ambition to make a quantum leap in our understanding of the complexity of human biology and bringing together a top team of accomplished experts in the fields of data science and generative AI, Bioptimus holds the promise to go even deeper in the analysis of patients’ data across multiple levels and help unveil biological connections hitherto unthought-of. We at Bpifrance are delighted to team-up with such an impressive team and group of investors and support the development of a category defining company that has the potential to disrupt many R&D activities.”
Bioptimus will benefit from Owkin’s data generation capabilities and federated global access to multimodal patient data sourced from leading academic hospitals worldwide, as well as a best-in-class, scalable and secure computing environment from Amazon Web Services, Inc (AWS). Fueled by an abundance of data from all scales and modalities, this gives the power to create computational representations that establish a strong differentiation against models trained solely on public datasets and a single data modality that are not able to capture the full diversity of biology.
About Bioptimus
Bioptimus is building the first universal AI foundation model in biology to drive advancements in scientific research and biotechnological innovation. Leveraging a team of world-class experts, employing state-of-the-art AI technologies and accessing unique proprietary data at scale, we aim to fuel breakthrough discoveries and accelerate innovations in biomedicine and beyond. For more information, please visit https://www.bioptimus.com.
About Owkin
Owkin is a TechBio company that combines the best of human and artificial intelligence to ensure every patient gets the right treatment. By understanding complex biology through AI, we identify new treatments, de-risk and accelerate clinical trials and develop AI diagnostics. Owkin uses privacy-enhancing federation to access up-to-date multimodal patient data that unlocks AI’s potential to power precision medicine. We merge wet lab experiments with advanced AI techniques to create a powerful feedback loop for accelerated discovery and innovation. Owkin founded MOSAIC, the world’s largest multi-omics atlas for cancer research. Owkin has raised over $300 million through investments from leading biopharma companies (Sanofi and BMS) and venture funds (Fidelity, GV and Bpifrance, among others).
About Sofinnova Partners
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners invests in companies from seed to late-stage, and actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop innovations that will positively impact our collective future.
Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners has backed over 500 companies and created market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2.5 billion under management. For more information, please visit: sofinnovapartners.com
About Bpifrance and its Large Venture fund
Bpifrance is the French Public Investment Bank and acts as one-stop-shop offering domestic companies a comprehensive range of financial products and services to support them at every stage of their development including equity, loans, guarantees and export insurances, as well as consultancy or training.
Large Venture - the late-stage VC arm of Bpifrance - is a €1.75 billion fund dedicated to fast-growing, highly innovative startups looking to accelerate organic or external growth. Large Venture was incepted in 2013 with the mission to bring the most promising French technologies from the lab to the market, and ultimately to profitability. Large Venture invests in private and public companies across three main sectors: healthtech and life sciences, digital and greentech. For more information, please visit us at: bpifrance.fr
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240220205004/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Barilla Hosts Surprise Formula 1® Family Reunion Dinner During Miami Race Weekend1.5.2026 18:08:00 CEST | Press release
Drivers and team members of Formula 1® were reunited with their loved ones during a night that also celebrated the new partnership between Barilla and the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula 1® Team. A special invitation, a table, and a plate of pasta shared by people who are often apart. That’s all it took for Barilla to bring the spirit of togetherness to Miami during the opening day of the FORMULA 1® CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260430832316/en/ Barilla hosts Arvid Lindblad, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Nico Rosberg with Chef Massimo Bottura at Torno Subito, where the Formula 1® community came together for a surprise dinner. Barilla, the Official Pasta Partner of Formula 1®, welcomed team members and their families to Torno Subito Miami, the restaurant by three-Michelin-starred Chef Massimo Bottura, with the kitchen led by Chef Bernardo Paladini, for an evening where engines wer
TIME Names Xenco Medical one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies in the World and the Winner of the 2026 TIME100 Impact Award in Health1.5.2026 12:07:00 CEST | Press release
Time Magazine has named pioneering medical technology company Xenco Medical as one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies in the World and the Winner of the 2026 TIME100 Impact Award in Health. Widely regarded as the most prestigious recognition in business and technology, being selected to the TIME100 List remains the most coveted accolade that a company can achieve globally. The TIME100 Impact Awards are given to only 5 recipients each year, making it the rarest of honors that a company can receive and a profound recognition of transformative, global impact. Xenco Medical was honored by Time as the sole recipient of the TIME100 Impact Award in Health in 2026, signifying its leading, global distinction in impact on healthcare. According to Time Magazine, the TIME100 Most Influential Companies list highlights “companies making an extraordinary impact around the world.” The honor bestowed by Time comes after Xenco Medical was named the 2025 Medical Device/ Diagnostics Company of the
Andersen Consulting styrker sine kompetencer inden for digital transformation med Weexa1.5.2026 10:07:00 CEST | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Consulting indgår en samarbejdsaftale med Weexa, en global leverandør af løsninger inden for digital transformation, B2B-integration og digitalisering af forsyningskæden. Med hovedsæde i Frankrig leverer Weexa end-to-end-tjenester, der hjælper organisationer med at optimere, sikre og skalere deres digitale økosystemer. Virksomheden specialiserer sig i styring af B2B-datastrømme og digitalisering, hvilket muliggør problemfri kommunikation mellem applikationer både internt og på tværs af organisationer gennem teknologier som EDI, API'er og e-fakturering. Weexa tilbyder også SAP-integration og supply chain-løsninger til styring af lager og transport, sideløbende med strategisk rådgivning, projektlevering og vedligeholdelse af tredjepartsapplikationer. Weexa betjener organisationer inden for fødevaresektoren, detailhandel, engros, logistik, transport, bilindustrien, sundheds- og mediesektoren og hjælper globale virksomheder med at optimere deres ydeevne samt at overholde de nyeste
Inspirit Capital Completes Acquisition of Kaplan Languages Group1.5.2026 01:17:00 CEST | Press release
Inspirit Capital, a specialist investor in corporate carve-outs, and Kaplan, the global education company, have announced the completion of Inspirit’s acquisition of Kaplan Languages Group (KLG) from Kaplan. Financial terms are not being disclosed. KLG, a leading global language education platform, comprises Kaplan International Languages, Alpadia Language Schools, Azurlingua, and ESL Education. Inspirit Capital will support KLG in delivering on its ambitious growth plans, whilst continuing its fundamental mission to transform lives through language education. The next phase of ownership will see the development and launch of a refreshed standalone brand identity for KLG, with further announcements to follow on this in due course. KLG will continue to use the Kaplan name under a transitional license from Kaplan, Inc. until a new brand is announced. About Kaplan Languages Group Since 2006, KLG has provided the highest quality language education and cultural immersion experiences. Kaplan
Grindr Nominates Three New Directors to Its Board of Directors30.4.2026 23:16:00 CEST | Press release
Grindr Inc. (NYSE: GRND), the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket™, today announced the nomination of Rob Solomon, Lisa Gersh, and Fadi Hanna to stand for election to its Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on June 2, 2026. Rob Solomon is a deeply seasoned technology CEO and operator in consumer internet and marketplaces. He has held CEO and COO roles at scaled platforms including GoFundMe, Groupon, and Kayak-predecessor SideStep, and is currently CEO of leading electric aviation company H55. Lisa Gersh is a CEO and long-tenured public company director with deep experience across consumer brands, media, and commerce. She has served on the Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) board since 2010 and has led businesses including Oxygen Media, GOOP, and Alexander Wang. Fadi Hanna is Chief Risk Officer at Bloomberg L.P., overseeing enterprise risk across the organization. He previously worked at J.P. Morgan and has served on the board of Immigration Equality. “Over the last few years, we bu
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom