InstaDeep, one of the leaders in the design of decision-making Artificial Intelligence systems, announced on January 25 that it had raised $100 million (€88 million). The company closed a Series B round led by DeepTech investment firm Alpha Intelligence Capital and supported by CDIB. BioNTech, Chimera Abu Dhabi, Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures, Google, G42 and Synergie participated in this latest round.
Founded in 2014 by Karim Beguir and Zohra Slim, InstaDeep is a leader in decision AI systems, it has been named two years in a row to the CB Insights AI 100 ranking of the world’s 100 most promising private artificial intelligence companies.
The company develops patented AI products such as its DeepChainTM protein design platform and collaborates with leading companies such as Google DeepMind, Nvidia and Intel. To contribute to the development of AI, it develops solutions for everyone, published in open source, and organizes events and training.
InstaDeep will continue to invest in high performance computing infrastructure optimized for AI. To do so, it hopes to recruit among AI talents and accelerate the deployment of its disruptive AI products in sectors as varied as biotech, logistics, transportation or electronics. The London-based Tunisian start-up has offices in Tunis, Paris, Lagos, Dubai and Cape Town, and hopes to expand its international presence, particularly in the United States, where it hopes to establish itself this year. Karim Beguir, co-founder and CEO of Instadeep states:
“This new funding is a tremendous vote of confidence. We are particularly proud that our customers and partners BioNTech, Google and Deutsche Bahn are participating in this round after having collaborated with us on innovative, high-impact AI initiatives. We are delighted to have the support of key ecosystem players Alpha Intelligence Capital, Chimera Abu Dhabi, Synergy and G42, and are convinced of the many, many opportunities to deploy our AI products to solve complex industrial problems.”
Decision-making AI belongs to a new generation of AI that goes beyond pattern recognition to contribute to decision making. It allows industrial players to optimize their response to complex situations that require significant computing power in a limited time (management of logistics flows, transport, research into innovative therapeutic treatments, etc.). This is how Instadeep has developed its Deepchain protein design platform.
Collaboration with BioNTech
InstaDeep and BioNTech have been collaborating since 2019. At the end of 2020, the two companies announced the creation of an AI innovation lab combining InstaDeep’s advanced capabilities in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digitalization with BioNTech’s deep expertise in precision immunotherapies. The BioNTech-InstaDeep laboratory aims to develop next-generation vaccines and biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, including Covid-19. On January 14, the two companies announced the development of a new method combining structural modeling of the Spike protein with artificial intelligence to identify and monitor in real time the occurrence and evolution of high-risk variants of SARS-CoV-2, called the Early Warning System (EWS ).
Collaboration with Google and Deutsche Bahn
InstaDeep regularly collaborates with Google. With Google Research, DeepMind, the Sorbonne University and the National Research Center (CNRS), it has proposed, among others, the AlphaNPI-X solution, to improve robotics. in late 2020. InstaDeep is also working on an ambitious product to fully automate rail routing for Deutsche Bahn, the largest rail operator and infrastructure manager in Europe. For Boris Kuehn, Managing Director of Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures:
“InstaDeep has demonstrated unique capabilities in solving highly complex rail problems using revolutionary AI technologies. The team’s skills and leadership have paved the way for the adoption of cutting-edge AI technologies in the railway industry. We are pleased to participate in this round and strengthen our partnership to jointly exploit the potential of AI.”
For Arnaud Barthelemy, Partner and COO of Alpha Intelligence Capital:
“As the world’s first fund entirely dedicated to artificial intelligence and machine learning, we are particularly proud to have led this Series B round of financing, with top-notch co-investors. InstaDeep is a DeepTech company that is disrupting traditional approaches in critical areas, as is the case with BioNTech in drug discovery or with Deutsche Bahn in logistics. We are thrilled to join this exciting venture and look forward to helping support InstaDeep’s growth.”
Translated from 100 millions de dollars levés par InstaDeep pour l’IA décisionnelle
