The world of scientific research, particularly in the burgeoning fields of cell and gene therapy, faces a critical bottleneck: manual processes that hinder scalability and stifle the pace of discovery.
Now a San Francisco-based company, Monomer Bio, which has raised a $5.6 million seed funding round, aims to smash these barriers with a unique solution – an AI-powered lab automation platform designed to empower researchers and accelerate the development of innovative treatments. Last year, a similar platform which was based out of London called Automata had raised $40M for its robotic life science lab.
Major investors and how will the funds be utilised
The recent $5.6 million seed funding round, led by Talis Capital with participation from LifeX, Notley Ventures, and prominent individual investors, signifies the growing confidence in Monomer Bio’s transformative potential.
Kirill Tashilov, General Partner at Talis Capital, who led the funding said, “Not only is Monomer’s platform purpose-built for complex cell engineering workflows, but its focus is on the scientists actually conducting this research. It saves time, improves throughput, and is really easy to use.”
Reciprocating the comment, Jimmy Sastra (CEO) of Monomer Bio said, “We are thrilled to partner with Talis Capital and our other investors who share our vision to transform biotech labs with modern software.”
This capital injection will fuel the company’s expansion, allowing them to scale their team, enhance their platform capabilities, and empower even more scientists to embrace the power of automation and AI.
A team steeped in expertise
Leading the charge at Monomer Bio are Jimmy Sastra (CEO) and Mark Zhang (CTO), who boast a wealth of experience in both technology and life sciences. Their backgrounds, spanning Google, Benchling, Strateos, and Kensho, reflect the company’s unique blend of technical prowess and biological understanding. This combination positions Monomer Bio to deliver solutions that truly resonate with the needs of researchers in the field.
What does Monomer Bio’s platform actually do?
Monomer Bio’s platform goes beyond simple automation. It seamlessly integrates robotic lab equipment with data management and analytics, offering a unified solution for scientists conducting complex cell-based experiments.
Imagine meticulously managing experiments at scale, analysing vast datasets for actionable insights, and optimising workflows – all within a single, intuitive interface. This is the vision Monomer Bio is bringing to life.
Jimmy Sastra, CEO and co-founder of Monomer Bio, says, “With Monomer, scientists can realise the benefits of lab automation and artificial intelligence, without having to deal with the headache of integrating disparate hardware and software systems.”
Machine learning algorithms meet lab experiments
At the heart of Monomer’s platform lies its deep learning capabilities. The platform utilises machine learning algorithms to analyse microscope images, automatically detecting crucial changes in cell morphology – a significant advancement that reduces human error and increases the success rate of experiments. This translates to more reliable data, faster insights, and ultimately, a quicker path to groundbreaking discoveries.
Early success stories pave the way
While still in its early stages, Monomer Bio has already garnered the attention of leading players in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research domains. Indee Labs, a biotech company specialising in immune cell research, witnessed an impressive eightfold increase in key cell production after adopting the platform.
Similar success stories from other early adopters showcase the tangible impact Monomer is making on research efficiency and productivity.
Redefining research
Monomer Bio’s vision extends beyond simply automating manual tasks. They aim to fundamentally redefine the research experience by providing scientists with a powerful tool that streamlines workflows, unveil hidden insights, and empowers them to focus on the critical aspects of discovery. This shift promises to accelerate the pace of scientific progress, leading to faster development of life-saving drugs and therapies.
Mark Zhang, CTO and co-founder of Monomer Bio, says that their goal is to eliminate manual bottlenecks in the lab, so that researchers can focus on their work. He further adds that their company opens up new horizons by digitising formerly analog lab processes, enabling customers to drastically expand the scale and complexity of their experiments.
What we think about Monomer Bio?
One of Monomer Bio’s core strengths lies in its user-centric approach. Recognizing the diverse needs of research labs, the platform boasts compatibility with existing equipment from major manufacturers. This eliminates the need for expensive hardware upgrades, allowing researchers to leverage their existing infrastructure while seamlessly integrating cutting-edge automation and AI into their workflows.
With its user-friendly platform, innovative AI capabilities, and commitment to empowering researchers, Monomer Bio is likely to make a significant impact on the future of scientific discovery. As the company continues to grow and refine its platform, we can expect to see even more groundbreaking advancements in cell and gene therapy research, ultimately paving the way for a healthier and more prosperous future.
