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Venom-to-drugs startup Venomics AI, founded by IISc professor Kartik Sunagar, raises $2.7 million

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Venom-to-drugs startup Venomics AI, founded by IISc professor Kartik Sunagar, raises $2.7 million

Venomics AI, a Bengaluru biotech startup spun out of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has raised $2.7 million in a pre-seed fundin round co-led by Speciale Invest and South Park Commons, with participation from Operators Studio.

The startup uses venom biology, AI and laboratory screening to find molecules in animal venoms that can be developed into drugs.

It will use the fresh capital for expanding the Venom Atlas, its molecular dataset, and strengthening its AI and lab screening capabilities. Venomics AI also plans to hire across venom biology, computational science and drug discovery, and to validate and optimise its most promising molecules.

Animal venoms are mixtures of molecules that have evolved to act on specific targets in the body. Some of them have already become medicines. The drug captopril was inspired by snake venom peptides, and ziconotide is derived from a cone snail venom peptide.

Venomics AI's platform sequences venoms to build the Venom Atlas, uses AI to rank likely drug candidates, and then tests those predictions in its own lab. The results of each round of testing feed back into the next set of predictions and into molecular design.

"Animal venoms represent one of nature's richest yet least explored sources of potential medicines, and at Venomics AI, we are combining cutting-edge experimental science with artificial intelligence to unlock this extraordinary potential," said Kartik Sunagar, Founder and Director of Venomics AI.

He said the funding would help build a drug discovery platform that "leverages India's exceptional biodiversity and scientific talent to discover and develop breakthrough therapeutics in India, for the world."


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