AI-Driven Protein Design Startup Cradle Lands $73M in Series B Funding
Biotech companies are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to accelerate innovation, and Cradle—a pioneer in AI-powered protein design—has just secured $73 million in Series B funding to scale its platform and wet lab operations. The round was led by IVP, with participation from Index Ventures and Kindred Capital.
The Rise of AI in Biotech
Founded in 2022, Cradle emerged as part of a new wave of startups leveraging language models to decode biological sequences. CEO Stef van Grieken famously described amino acid chains as “an alien programming language”—one that AI can interpret to optimize protein structures for medical and industrial applications.
How Cradle’s Platform Works
Cradle’s AI platform accelerates protein engineering by:
- Identifying Key Sequences: Analyzing amino acid chains to pinpoint modifications that enhance desired traits (e.g., heat resistance).
- Reducing Trial-and-Error: Minimizing costly experimental rounds, which can save companies hundreds of thousands of dollars per project.
- Preserving Functionality: Recommending alterations that improve performance without compromising the protein’s core purpose.
Why Biotech Companies Are Adopting Cradle
Van Grieken highlights three critical advantages:
- Speed & Cost Efficiency: Traditional protein optimization requires dozens of iterative experiments, while Cradle’s AI streamlines the process.
- SaaS Simplicity: A subscription-based model eliminates IP concerns and royalty complexities.
- Foundational Datasets: Proprietary lab data from Cradle’s Amsterdam facility continuously refines AI models for broader customer benefit.
Funding Allocation and Future Goals
The $73 million investment will fuel:
- Lab Expansion: Enhancing wet lab capabilities for large-scale protein testing.
- Team Growth: Hiring across engineering, biology, and data science roles.
- Democratizing AI: Van Grieken aims to “put Cradle’s software into the hands of a million scientists,” positioning AI as a ubiquitous tool in biotech R&D.
Competitive Edge in a Crowded Market
Unlike compe*****s focused on co-developing drugs, Cradle operates purely as a software provider. “AI in drug discovery will become a commodity,” van Grieken asserts, emphasizing accessibility over exclusivity.
With this funding, Cradle is poised to redefine how scientists engineer proteins—making breakthroughs faster, cheaper, and more predictable.
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