Imperagen raises £5 million to use quantum physics, AI on enzyme engineering
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- Imperagen secured a £5 million ($6.7 million) seed round led by PXN Ventures, with IQ Capital and Northern Gritstone also participating.
- Imperagen employs a three‑pronged approach—quantum‑physics simulations, custom AI models, and closed‑loop robotic automation—to predict and test millions of enzyme mutations.
- Guy Levy‑Yurista was appointed CEO of Imperagen, bringing AI and life‑science expertise to scale its biocatalysis platform and forge industrial partnerships.
- Imperagen has raised a total of £8.5 million ($11.42 million) to date, earmarking the latest funds for hiring AI talent, expanding R&D, and scaling its experimental lab.
- Dr. Andrew Currin and co‑founders Dr. Tim Eyes and Dr. Andy Almond spun out Imperagen from Manchester Institute of Biotechnology in 2021.
Why it matters: Pharma firms and sustainable‑tech producers gain faster, cheaper enzyme design, while traditional trial‑and‑error labs lose market share; Imperagen’s £5M infusion accelerates its AI‑driven platform, promising quicker drug and bio‑product rollouts.
