Stealth Generative Protein Maker Closes Big Series A

Latent Labs, an AI-driven biotechnology company, has emerged from stealth mode with $40 million in Series A funding to develop AI-powered programmable biology. The new round follows an earlier $10 million seed round.

The Series A round was co-led by Radical Ventures and Sofinnova Partners, with participation from Flying Fish, Isomer, and existing investors 8VC, Kindred Capital, and Pillar VC.

London- and San Francisco-headquartered Latent Labs was founded in 2025 by Dr. Simon Kohl, a former senior research scientist at DeepMind and co-lead of the AlphaFold 2 protein design team. AlphaFold 2, developed by DeepMind, predicts protein structures with high accuracy, aiding drug discovery and medical research. Led by Demis Hassabis and John Jumper, it solved a major biology challenge in 2020 and now powers a database of over 200 million proteins for scientists worldwide.

Latent Labs focuses on generative protein design. The company’s platform enables biotech and pharmaceutical firms to computationally generate and optimize proteins for applications in drug discovery, personalized medicine, and industrial biotechnology.

In generative protein design, proteins are first developed virtually using AI and computational models. These models predict protein structures, functions, and interactions before any real-world testing. Scientists use AI to generate new protein sequences with desired properties, such as better stability or binding ability. Once designed virtually, the most promising proteins are synthesized and tested in labs to confirm their functionality. This process accelerates drug discovery, enzyme engineering, and biotech innovation by reducing the need for trial-and-error experiments.

“Every biotechnology or pharmaceutical company wants to be at the forefront of technology to find the best therapeutic molecules, yet not all are in a position to develop the most advanced AI models for the job,” said Dr. Kohl. “That’s where Latent Labs comes in. We push the frontiers of generative biology, giving our partners instant access to tools that accelerate their drug design programs.”

“We’ve partnered with Latent Labs because we’re confident that this team will realize the therapeutic and commercial potential of de novo protein design,” said Aaron Rosenberg, a partner at Radical Ventures and the former Head of Strategy & Operations at DeepMind. “Such a capability has never before been possible, one which can benefit humanity in such a profound way. Accelerating the development of more effective cures for disease, Latent is at the vanguard of innovation in computational biology, and we are excited to join them on this journey.”

Toronto-headquartered Radical Ventures was founded in 2017 and invests in companies that are active in machine learning and artificial intelligence. The firm has recently raised nearly $800 million for a new fund focused on later-stage AI companies. This fund, which is close to closing, will bring Radical Ventures’ total assets under management to approximately $1.8 billion.

“Latent Labs transforms biology from an observational science into an engineering craft, granting us precise control over life’s building blocks,” said Edward Kliphuis, a partner at Sofinnova Partners. “In practical terms, it means crafting bespoke molecules that tackle challenges once thought insurmountable. It’s a revolution in our ability to harness nature’s building blocks to develop breakthrough treatments and transform our lives. With pharmaceutical companies overwhelmingly demanding agile, next-generation tools to accelerate discovery and improve patient outcomes, Latent Labs is at the forefront of this rapidly growing market need.”

Paris-based Sofinnova Partners was founded in 1972 and specializes in life sciences investments. The firm manages over €2.8 billion in capital and has backed more than 500 companies over its 50-year history.