Kevin Weil, who previously led the science team at OpenAI, announced the creation of Warp Science, an artificial‑intelligence startup that will use robots to automate laboratory tasks involved in drug discovery. The company plans to train robotic systems to synthesize and test promising compounds identified by researchers, with the goal of speeding up the development of new medicines.
Warp Science disclosed that it has secured $215 million in funding, valuing the firm at $865 million. The financing round was led by Lightspeed and included participation from IVP, Mayfield, Lux Capital, Premji Invest and Menlo Ventures. Weil shared the news on X, noting that the capital will help the company build a domestic alternative to the outsourced, labor‑intensive molecule synthesis work that many biotech firms currently send to contract manufacturers in China, such as WuXi AppTec. By bringing that work back to the United States, Warp Science hopes to reduce exposure to geopolitical supply‑chain disruptions.
Human chemists at the startup will wear cameras and sensor‑equipped gloves to demonstrate laboratory procedures to the robots. Once trained, the machines can operate continuously, handling wet‑lab work around the clock and potentially accelerating the pace of drug discovery.
The announcement appeared alongside topics such as AI drug discovery, biotech and health, robotics and startup funding, and was featured in a broader TechCrunch roundup that also highlighted related stories on AI venture capital, medical AI performance, and recent cybersecurity incidents in the health sector.