Biomatter, a Vilnius-based company specializing in synthetic biology, has secured €6.5 million in seed funding. The funding will support the development of novel enzymes through their AI-driven platform. This investment round includes contributions from Inventure and UVC Partners, along with other existing investors and industry experts. Biomatter aims to revolutionize enzyme design, which will greatly impact health and sustainable manufacturing applications.
Previously, Biomatter initiated notable advancements in synthetic biology by introducing the first fully functional enzymes created using generative AI in 2019. This breakthrough spurred numerous R&D initiatives and collaborations with global corporations. The company’s continued innovation in enzyme design has garnered attention within the biotech industry for its potential to accelerate advancements in medicine, sustainable chemical manufacturing, and food production.
Leading the Innovation
The funding round was spearheaded by Inventure and UVC Partners, with additional support from Practica Capital, Metaplanet, and other business angels. Dr. Oliver Schoppe, Principal at UVC Partners, highlighted the promising nature of AI-powered protein design, describing Biomatter’s approach as a significant leap beyond natural enzyme limitations. Kevin Lösch, Investment Manager at Inventure, echoed these sentiments, noting the transformative potential of AI in protein design.
“AI-powered protein design is currently one of the most exciting and dynamic areas for venture capital. Biomatter’s innovative approach to designing enzymes from scratch enables them to go beyond the limits of natural enzymes, leading to breakthroughs in biotech.” – Dr. Oliver Schoppe, UVC Partners
“The application of AI in protein design will be transformational, addressing major current design limitations.” – Kevin Lösch, Inventure
Expanding Capabilities
The new capital will allow Biomatter to enhance its platform and continue developing innovative enzymes. Laurynas Karpus, co-founder and CEO of Biomatter, emphasized the crucial role enzymes will play in the future bioeconomy, enabling the creation of new molecules, cells, and organisms. The company’s ability to design new enzymes surpasses traditional enzyme improvement methods, offering limitless design potential.
“Enzymes will play a paramount part in the future of bioeconomy – they are the enabling piece that ultimately allows us to create new molecules, cells and organisms for the world.” – Laurynas Karpus, CEO of Biomatter
Biomatter’s advancements address critical global needs, such as medicine, sustainable chemical manufacturing, and efficient food production. Traditional enzyme design methods have been laborious and costly, but Biomatter’s technology offers a more efficient alternative. The Intelligent Architecture platform can create customized enzymes for various industries, reducing development time from years to weeks. This technology has already produced unique enzymes for leading companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific and BASF.
Biomatter has also collaborated with Kirin to produce Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs), supporting infant health, showcasing the platform’s broad applicability. The company’s commitment to innovation in AI-driven enzyme design highlights its potential to make significant strides in multiple industries.
Investors such as UVC Partners and Inventure provide critical support for Biomatter’s mission. UVC Partners, based in Munich and Berlin, invests in European B2B tech startups, managing around €400 million in assets. Inventure, with offices in Helsinki and Stockholm, specializes in scaling Nordic and Baltic startups, managing €377 million in assets. Both firms have a history of supporting deep tech and innovative ventures, underlining their confidence in Biomatter’s potential.
Biomatter’s innovative use of AI in enzyme design has the potential to revolutionize various industries. The company’s ability to create new enzymes quickly and efficiently opens up opportunities for advancements in medicine, agriculture, and sustainable manufacturing. The recent funding will enable Biomatter to continue expanding its platform and developing groundbreaking enzymes, positioning it as a leader in synthetic biology.
