A former DeepMind scientist who helped develop AlphaFold, the AI model that revolutionised protein structure prediction, has raised $50 million to launch Latent Labs, a startup focused on using artificial intelligence to design new proteins.
Simon Kohl, a German-born physicist and machine learning expert, founded Latent Labs in 2023 with the ambition of “achieving computational mastery over biology.” The company aims to partner with biotech firms to accelerate drug development by replacing traditional experimental methods with AI-driven protein design.
The funding round, completed in December, was led by Radical Ventures, an AI-focused investment fund, alongside Sofinnova Partners, known for its life-sciences investments. High-profile backers include: Jeff Dean – Google’s chief scientist, Aidan Gomez – co-founder of generative AI firm Cohere and Mati Staniszewski – co-founder of AI audio startup ElevenLabs.
With an earlier $10 million in start-up capital, Latent Labs has now secured a total of $50 million to scale its operations.
Kohl, 34, previously worked at DeepMind, where he played a key role in the second iteration of AlphaFold—technology that has been recognised with a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. While AlphaFold enables scientists to map existing protein structures, Kohl believes the next step is to design new proteins from scratch using generative AI.
“[AlphaFold] allows you to look at the catalogue of existing natural proteins, but it doesn’t allow you to make new ones,” said Kohl.
His goal with Latent Labs is to develop AI models that eliminate the need for traditional laboratory techniques, making drug discovery faster and more precise.
Latent Labs is assembling a team of top AI and biotech researchers across London and San Francisco, including four former DeepMind scientists. The company is actively hiring more specialists as it expands.
By applying generative AI to protein and molecular design, Kohl believes Latent Labs can reduce failures in clinical trials, a key challenge in the pharmaceutical industry.
“There are still lots of failures in clinical trials, and in some ways, you can trace the issue back to how the drug was originally discovered,” he explained.
“If you can design proteins and molecules with a higher degree of control and precision, the idea is that in the future, we will see fewer failures.”
Kohl acknowledged concerns over the ethical implications of AI-generated proteins, calling it “an important question” that requires broader discussion. However, he stressed that current AI technology is not yet advanced enough to surpass what human experts can achieve in a well-equipped lab.
As for when Latent Labs’ AI will outperform traditional methods, Kohl admitted it was difficult to predict.
“Our north star is that our AI systems will eventually be so advanced that they no longer require experimental lab validation,” he said. “At that point, you will have quite powerful technology on your hands.”
Latent Labs is entering a competitive but still emerging field where multiple startups are exploring how AI can reshape drug development. Kohl compared the landscape to a space race.
“It feels like quite a number of rockets are being launched right now, and they may all reach orbit,” he said.
While Latent Labs has not disclosed its current projects or clients, the startup’s rapid funding and high-profile backing suggest it is poised to be a key player in the future of AI-driven drug discovery and protein engineering.
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Deepmind scientist raises $50m to use AI in protein design revolution