Adaptyv Biosystems Raises $40M for Automated Protein Testing Lab

Adaptyv Biosystems Raises $40M for Automated Protein Testing Lab

Adaptyv Biosystems has secured $40 million in Series A funding to expand its automated laboratory platform that accelerates experimental validation of newly designed proteins. Highland Europe led the round, with participation from existing backers Ace Ventures, ByFounders, and Y Combinator, according to details first reported by Automation Watch.

The Lausanne-based company, which operates from the Biopôle life sciences campus, previously raised $8 million in seed funding in 2025. Its platform combines synthetic biology, nanofluidics, and machine learning to test proteins at substantially lower costs than traditional methods.

Why it matters

As AI-driven protein design accelerates, experimental validation has emerged as a critical bottleneck. Computational models can generate thousands of candidate proteins, but testing them in physical labs remains slow and expensive. Adaptyv's automated approach addresses this constraint at a moment when both pharmaceutical companies and AI-native biology startups are racing to translate computational predictions into real-world therapeutics and materials. The company's customer roster—spanning established pharma giants and cutting-edge AI labs—signals that fast, affordable protein validation has become infrastructure for the next generation of biotechnology.

Rapid growth and customer traction

Adaptyv has expanded lab throughput more than fivefold over the past year while onboarding over 100 customers. Its client base includes AI-focused biology labs such as Chai Discovery and Boltz, pharmaceutical companies including Roche and Novo Nordisk, and startups applying AI to drug discovery.

The platform enables protein designers to generate experimental data and engineer new proteins for applications ranging from designed antibodies and novel enzymes to alternative materials. By automating wet lab processes, Adaptyv reduces both the time and cost required to validate whether computationally designed proteins function as intended.

Expansion plans through 2027

The Series A capital will fund growth along two dimensions. First, the company plans to roughly triple laboratory capacity by the end of 2026 and continue expanding through 2027. Once a workflow is automated, Adaptyv can replicate the workcell with identical protocols and software, enabling rapid scaling.

A new lab and office will open in London in the fourth quarter of 2026, complementing the expansion in Lausanne. The team will grow from 25 to approximately 60 people, with hiring concentrated in production, automation, and software roles.

Second, Adaptyv will increase the complexity of assays it can handle. The company currently focuses on protein binding, already a market worth several hundred million dollars annually. It plans to advance toward developability and full biophysical characterization, then next-generation modalities including peptides and degraders, and eventually cell-based function testing.

Automation Watch first reported the funding details.