Lausanne-based Adaptyv raises €34.35 million Series A to build the automated lab for agentic biology

Lausanne-based BioTech startup Adaptyv Bio has secured a €34.35 million ($40 million) Series A funding round led by Highland Europe to expand its automated wet lab for AI-driven protein design. This substantial investment aims to bolster the company's lab capacity and address more complex biological challenges. The round also saw participation from existing investors Ace Ventures, ByFounders, and Y Combinator, with Ace Ventures leading its initial €6.8 million ($8 million) Seed round in late 2024.

Adaptyv's innovative approach involves an automated, AI-native lab where the process begins with a digital protein sequence and culminates in real experimental data. DNA synthesis occurs in-house, proteins are expressed cell-free, and binding is measured using SPR, all while maintaining quality control. Customers can submit their designs via a user-friendly web platform or through an API, enabling AI agents to directly order their own experiments.

Since its inception with nine employees and a modest lab setup, the company has seen remarkable growth. Revenue has increased roughly tenfold, the team has tripled, and Adaptyv has attracted over 100 customers, including frontier AI labs, top pharma companies, and AI-native drug discovery startups. The company recently conducted a benchmark with Anthropic, validating 16 protein designs from their public competitions, achieving a 26.8% hit rate against 1,320 total designs.

This success showcases Adaptyv's growing influence as a benchmark for frontier labs seeking real-world proof of their designs.