Opentrons Labworks, a laboratory automation company, has raised $40 million in Series E funding led by healthcare investor Avego. BroadOak Capital Partners also participated in the round.
The company will use the funding to expand its robotics, software, and data infrastructure to support AI-powered scientific research and laboratory automation.
Opentrons develops robotic systems and AI software for automating experiments, optimising research workflows and accelerating scientific discoveries for scientists. Its Opentrons Flex platform combines lab robots and artificial intelligence (AI) systems to help researchers design, run, and optimise experiments more efficiently.
“Millions of scientists spend much of their day on manual work a robot can do. Giving that time back to discovery is the biggest opportunity in science,” said James Atwood, PhD, CEO of Opentrons. “We made lab automation accessible for any lab, and our systems are built for AI to run experiments directly. That is why autonomous science is standardizing on Opentrons.”
“Every AI-driven discovery still has to be tested in a real lab,” said James Flexner, Managing Partner at Avego. “Drug developers and AI companies alike are moving experimental work forward toward automated workflows that generate usable data. We see a significant opportunity for autonomous science to converge around Opentrons’ platform.”
The company has deployed more than 11,000 robots across laboratories in over 80 countries. Its customers include major pharmaceutical companies, research universities, academic institutions, and diagnostic laboratories.
With the new funding, Opentrons plans to expand its AI-powered experimental capabilities, improve its robotic systems and instruments, and develop software for faster laboratory protocol creation. The company also plans to enter new markets and expand its international presence.
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York City, Opentrons aims to make laboratory research more efficient by connecting artificial intelligence with physical laboratory automation.
