Former OpenAI Science Lead Kevin Weil Launches Warp Sciences With $215 Million to Automate Wet Labs With Robots

Kevin Weil, who previously led science at OpenAI, has launched Warp Sciences, a startup that trains robots to make and test promising drug compounds identified by researchers. Weil said the company raised $215 million at an $865 million valuation, led by Lightspeed with IVP, Mayfield, Lux Capital, Premji Invest and Menlo Ventures participating.

Human chemists wear cameras and sensor gloves to demonstrate lab tasks, and the robots then learn to repeat them around the clock. The aim is to speed up drug discovery by automating the labor-intensive synthesis of molecules.

Biotech firms have long outsourced such work to contractors including China's WuXi AppTec. Warp Sciences wants to bring it back to the US and reduce exposure to geopolitical supply-chain risks.