Adaptyv Bio
Category: AI in Biotech / Drug Discovery
Lausanne-based startup building the automated wet lab for agentic biology — validating AI-generated protein designs with experimental data in under 3 weeks. Adaptyv Bio was founded in 2021. The company is led by Julian Englert. Based in Epalinges (Lausanne), Switzerland. Team size: 11-50. Total funding raised: $50.7M. Latest round: Series A. Key investors include Highland Europe, Ace Ventures, ByFounders, Y Combinator, Wingman Ventures, Founderful, LongGame, Acequia Capital, Hawktail VC, Rheingau Founders, Founders Inc, FAST by GETTYLAB.
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- Epalinges (Lausanne), Switzerland
- Team size
- 11-50
- Total funding
- $50.7M
Value proposition
Adaptyv is the fastest protein validation lab in the world: it closes the gap between AI-generated protein designs and experimental validation by running automated, AI-native wet-lab experiments (DNA synthesis in-house, cell-free protein expression, SPR binding measurement with QC) and returning clean, labelled data in under 3 weeks, enabling lab-in-the-loop protein design.
Products and solutions
Automated protein validation lab platform (Binding, Expression, Thermostability assays), web platform + comprehensive API for ordering/managing/analyzing experiments, Proteinbase competition platform, transparent per-protein pricing (from $149/protein).
Unique value
Purpose-built for AI-first protein engineering: fully automated lab, clean experimental data, and a comprehensive API that lets AI agents order their own experiments directly — the fastest turnaround (under 3 weeks) and highest assay throughput of any protein validation lab.
Target customer
Frontier AI labs, top-5 pharma companies, and AI-native drug discovery startups (100+ customers) that need experimental validation of AI-designed proteins.
Industries served
Biotech / Drug Discovery, Protein Engineering, AI-native drug discovery, Synthetic Biology
Technology advantage
In-house DNA synthesis, cell-free protein expression, SPR-based binding measurement with built-in quality control, and state-of-the-art lab automation; runs more protein assays than anyone else in the world; public API integrated with Boltz, Chai, Cradle, Tamarind, Latent Labs and Benchling.
How they differentiate
While competitors focus on AI protein design/generation, Adaptyv owns the experimental validation layer — the automated wet lab that turns AI designs into real experimental data. It is a horizontal validation platform (not a therapeutic developer), serving frontier AI labs and pharma with the fastest turnaround and highest throughput.
Main competitors
Cradle, Latent Labs, Chai Discovery, Absci, Generate Biomedicines
Key partnerships
API integrations with Boltz, Chai, Cradle, Tamarind, Latent Labs and Benchling, benchmark collaboration with Anthropic (Claude Science), validation work for Google DeepMind, Chai Discovery (Chai-2 zero-shot antibody release), Roche and Novo Nordisk, Y Combinator.
Notable customers
Anthropic (Claude Science benchmark), Google DeepMind, Chai Discovery, Roche, Novo Nordisk, Cradle, Microsoft Research, Latent Labs
Major milestones
Y Combinator accelerator (2022), pre-seed CHF 2.5M led by Wingman Ventures (2022), official platform launch + $8M seed led by Ace Ventures (Nov 2024), brought DNA synthesis in-house and scaled lab automation, launched Proteinbase competition platform, shipped public API, €34.35M Series A led by Highland Europe (Aug 2026), announced London lab/office for Q4 2026.
Growth metrics
Team grew from 9 (Nov 2024) to 25 (2026), planning to reach ~60; revenue grew ~10x since Seed round; 100+ customers; Proteinbase competition attracted 680 participants and 10,000 protein designs; Anthropic benchmark: 95% of 1,320 designs expressed, 26.8% average hit rate.
Market positioning
Leading automated validation lab for AI-driven protein design; the place frontier labs go for real-world proof of AI protein designs; expanding from binding measurements into developability, biophysical characterization, and next-gen modalities (peptides, ADCs, degraders).
Geographic focus
Switzerland (Lausanne/Epalinges, Biopôle) with expansion to London (Q4 2026); serving global frontier AI labs and pharma.
About Julian Englert
Ex-Xsensio; EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) 2016-2019; Head of Bioengineering & Organoids Technology platform at AGORA Cancer Research Center (EPFL); Y Combinator alum; Forbes 30 Under 30
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Official website: https://www.adaptyvbio.com/
