Astromech raises $20M to build a biological operating system that can forecast evolutionary change
An artificial intelligence startup called Astromech that’s developing models that can predict biological change has raised $20 million in funding, lifting its valuation to $3.8 billion. The round was led by biotechnology investor Bob Nelsen and saw the participation of Peak 6, NeoGenesis Capital, Builders VC and CAZ Investments, bringing the company’s total amount raised […] The post Astromech…
Astromech, an artificial intelligence startup, has successfully secured $20 million in funding, elevating its valuation to $3.8 billion. This investment round was spearheaded by biotech investor Bob Nelsen and included participation from Peak 6, NeoGenesis Capital, Builders VC, and CAZ Investments, bringing Astromech's total funding raised to $60 million.
The company, co-founded by Ben Lamm and geneticist George Church, aims to create a predictive model of biology that can forecast evolutionary changes in living systems. Astromech's approach, similar to weather forecasting, combines genomic, evolutionary, biological, and functional data to anticipate future biological trajectories, identify vulnerabilities, and understand driving factors behind these changes.
By analyzing billions of years of evolutionary history alongside genomic data from living and extinct species, Astromech's algorithmic prediction solution seeks to address genetic bottlenecks, disease progression, drug resistance, and species' response to environmental changes. With a focus on longevity, Astromech is currently mapping 46 longevity-associated genes across a time-calibrated 'tree of life' to identify the genomic and regulatory mechanisms behind aging, with the potential to extend human lifespans.
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