HomeLatent Labs Unveils Web-Based AI for Accessible Protein Design
Six months after emerging from stealth with $50 million in funding, Latent Labs has launched a web-based AI model for programming biology.
According to CEO and founder Simon Kohl, a scientist who previously co-led DeepMind’s AlphaFold protein design team, Latent Labs' model has "achieved state-of-the-art results across various metrics" when its designed proteins were tested in a physical lab. The term "state-of-the-art" (SOTA) is commonly used in AI to indicate the highest performance standard in the industry for a specific task.
"We have computational methods to evaluate the quality of our designs," Kohl told TechCrunch, noting that a significant proportion of the proteins generated by the model prove viable in laboratory testing.
The company's foundational biology model, called LatentX, allows academic institutions, biotech startups, and pharmaceutical firms to design novel proteins directly in their browser using natural language.
LatentX moves beyond natural proteins, creating entirely new molecular designs such as nanobodies and antibodies with precise atomic structures. This approach enables the development of new therapeutics at a much faster rate.
Kohl emphasized that the ability to design completely new proteins sets LatentX apart from AlphaFold.
"AlphaFold is a model for protein structure prediction," he explained. "It helps visualize existing structures, but it doesn't generate new proteins."
Techcrunch eventTech and VC Leaders Join the Disrupt 2025 Agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, and Sequoia Capital are among the prominent names joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to share insights that drive startup growth and sharpen your competitive edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt—secure your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices increase.
Tech and VC Leaders Join the Disrupt 2025 Agenda
Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, and Sequoia Capital are among the prominent names joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to share insights that drive startup growth and sharpen your competitive edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt—secure your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices increase.
San Francisco|October 27-29, 2025REGISTER NOWUnlike AI-driven drug discovery firms like Xaira, Recursion, or DeepMind spinout Isomorphic Labs, which focus on developing proprietary medicines, Latent Labs operates by licensing its model to external organizations.
"Not every company has the resources to build their own AI models, infrastructure, or teams," Kohl noted.
Although LatentX is currently available for free, Kohl said the company plans to eventually charge for advanced features and capabilities as they are rolled out.
Other companies offering open-source AI foundational models for drug discovery include Chai Discovery and EvolutionaryScale.
Latent Labs is backed by Radical Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, Google’s Chief Scientist Jeff Dean, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Eleven Labs CEO Mati Staniszewski.
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Comments (4)
0/500
![StevenLopez]()
This is a game-changer for biotech startups! Making protein design accessible online could democratize research, but I wonder about the security risks of sharing sensitive biological data on a web platform. Hope they've got robust encryption in place. 🧬🔒
![FredGreen]()
Latent Labs making protein design accessible online is a game-changer! As someone fascinated by biotech but without a lab, this feels like democratizing science. Can't wait to see what the community builds with this tool. The AlphaFold heritage is promising, but hope they keep it user-friendly for non-experts too. Exciting times! 🧬
![WillBaker]()
웹 기반 AI로 단백질 설계가 이렇게 간단해진다는게 신기해요. 이제 생물학자가 아니어도 관련 연구에 접근할 수 있겠네요. 🧬 기술 발전 덕분에 여러 분야의 벽이 계속 허물어지는 것 같아요.
![WillLopez]()
웹 기반 AI로 단백질 설계를 쉽게 접근하게 되다니! 🧬 이렇게 생물학 도구가 민주화되면 아마추어 연구자나 작은 실험실도 혁신에 참여할 수 있겠어요. 하지만 AlphaFold 출신 CEO가 만든 거라면 정확도나 윤리적 검증은 충분히 했을까? 약간 불안하기도 하지만, 앞으로 나올 응용 사례가 기대됩니다.
Six months after emerging from stealth with $50 million in funding, Latent Labs has launched a web-based AI model for programming biology.
According to CEO and founder Simon Kohl, a scientist who previously co-led DeepMind’s AlphaFold protein design team, Latent Labs' model has "achieved state-of-the-art results across various metrics" when its designed proteins were tested in a physical lab. The term "state-of-the-art" (SOTA) is commonly used in AI to indicate the highest performance standard in the industry for a specific task.
"We have computational methods to evaluate the quality of our designs," Kohl told TechCrunch, noting that a significant proportion of the proteins generated by the model prove viable in laboratory testing.
The company's foundational biology model, called LatentX, allows academic institutions, biotech startups, and pharmaceutical firms to design novel proteins directly in their browser using natural language.
LatentX moves beyond natural proteins, creating entirely new molecular designs such as nanobodies and antibodies with precise atomic structures. This approach enables the development of new therapeutics at a much faster rate.
Kohl emphasized that the ability to design completely new proteins sets LatentX apart from AlphaFold.
"AlphaFold is a model for protein structure prediction," he explained. "It helps visualize existing structures, but it doesn't generate new proteins."
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San Francisco|October 27-29, 2025REGISTER NOWUnlike AI-driven drug discovery firms like Xaira, Recursion, or DeepMind spinout Isomorphic Labs, which focus on developing proprietary medicines, Latent Labs operates by licensing its model to external organizations.
"Not every company has the resources to build their own AI models, infrastructure, or teams," Kohl noted.
Although LatentX is currently available for free, Kohl said the company plans to eventually charge for advanced features and capabilities as they are rolled out.
Other companies offering open-source AI foundational models for drug discovery include Chai Discovery and EvolutionaryScale.
Latent Labs is backed by Radical Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, Google’s Chief Scientist Jeff Dean, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and Eleven Labs CEO Mati Staniszewski.
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This is a game-changer for biotech startups! Making protein design accessible online could democratize research, but I wonder about the security risks of sharing sensitive biological data on a web platform. Hope they've got robust encryption in place. 🧬🔒
Latent Labs making protein design accessible online is a game-changer! As someone fascinated by biotech but without a lab, this feels like democratizing science. Can't wait to see what the community builds with this tool. The AlphaFold heritage is promising, but hope they keep it user-friendly for non-experts too. Exciting times! 🧬
웹 기반 AI로 단백질 설계가 이렇게 간단해진다는게 신기해요. 이제 생물학자가 아니어도 관련 연구에 접근할 수 있겠네요. 🧬 기술 발전 덕분에 여러 분야의 벽이 계속 허물어지는 것 같아요.
웹 기반 AI로 단백질 설계를 쉽게 접근하게 되다니! 🧬 이렇게 생물학 도구가 민주화되면 아마추어 연구자나 작은 실험실도 혁신에 참여할 수 있겠어요. 하지만 AlphaFold 출신 CEO가 만든 거라면 정확도나 윤리적 검증은 충분히 했을까? 약간 불안하기도 하지만, 앞으로 나올 응용 사례가 기대됩니다.
