Biomatter lands $18M to speed up enzyme development with AI

Biomatter, a firm specializing in the custom design of enzymes, has successfully secured $18 million in funding for its innovative use of AI in enzyme development. The oversubscribed Series A round was led by Astanor, with backing from existing investors UVC Partners, Inventure, and Metaplanet.

The company's approach to enzyme development is unique; they create enzymes based on the specific chemistry required for an industrial process, rather than modifying existing natural enzymes. This method has the potential to significantly reduce the time traditionally required for enzyme development, which can span months or even years.

Biomatter leverages computational models and laboratory testing, using a proprietary dataset of experimentally characterized enzymes that grows with each development program. Their technology has already been utilized for enterprise customers across Europe, the United States, and Japan, including prominent names like AstraZeneca, BASF, Sanofi, and Tereos.

The funding will be used to establish a new 2,000-square-meter enzyme design and testing facility in Vilnius, slated to open in 2027. This facility aims to bring more development and testing activities in-house, thereby reducing enzyme development timelines from weeks to days. Additionally, Biomatter plans to expand its commercial team and presence in the United States, while continuing to refine its computational platform and proprietary enzyme dataset.