Generative AI is making significant waves in the scientific realm, as evidenced by the recent developments in the field. One such example is Albert Invent, an AI platform that is transforming the way chemists conduct research and develop new products. In this article, we will explore the features and benefits of Albert Invent and how it is revolutionizing the chemical industry.
Unleashing the Power of AI in Chemical Science
How Albert Invent is Transforming Chemical Research
Startup funding rounds serve as a metric, and generative AI is indeed seeing ample adoption in the sciences. There is a lot of trial and error in research and development, and tools like Albert Invent that can speed up the process are highly valuable. Albert Invent offers an AI platform trained on data from past chemical experiments, enabling chemists to interrogate molecular-level data when formulating chemicals. Its founders' background in a 3D printing company allowed them to apply their knowledge of materials science to train an AI on chemical processes.
The latest Series A funding round of $22.5 million led by Coatue further validates the potential of Albert Invent. The company's platform, Albert Breakthrough, combines structured data with proprietary AI models. Chemical companies can use this platform to develop new products faster and better. For instance, it can generate real-time toxicology predictions for chemicals and outperform standard industry models.
Albert Invent's Customer Base and Impact
Albert Invent's customers include prominent names in the chemical industry such as Chemours, Solenis, Keystone Industries, Applied Molecules, Henkel, and Nouryon. Nick Talken, the CEO and co-founder, believes that the platform will bring significant changes to chemical science. He compares it to what data scientists have had access to for some time, stating that it is a SaaS product used by the largest chemical companies to reinvent the physical world.
The company has built its own foundational models trained on over 15 million chemical structures. In this industry, it is crucial to have domain-specific knowledge, and Albert Invent has taken the entire public information space around chemistry and built a foundational model that powers Albert Breakthrough.
Foundational Models and the Future of Albert Invent
When asked about using foundational models such as OpenAI, Talken said that the company uses them for some agent networks like chatbots, but its foundational chemistry models are its own. Ken Kisner, the co-founder, previously led Molecule Corp and sold it to Henkel Corporation. While at Henkel, they built a team to work on the problem they are addressing now and incubated Albert Invent as a software startup within the multinational chemical company.
Before the Series A round, the startup had raised a small seed round led by Index Ventures in late 2022. TCV, Index Ventures, F-Prime, and Homebrew also participated. David Schneider, general partner at Coatue, expressed excitement about supporting Albert as it transforms chemistry research. Johan Landfors, CTO of Nouryon, also emphasized the platform's integral role in their product development.
