Apoha, a deep tech startup focused on AI-driven material creation, announced a $36 million Series A funding round as it emerges from stealth. The round was led by European venture capital firm Singular, with participation from Draper Associates and existing investors including Redalpine and Seedcamp, the company confirmed today. Apoha is developing AI models that use novel data on material wave forms to design new substances ranging from proteins to paints.
The funding round also includes a grant from Innovate UK, the U.K.’s national innovation agency. Apoha’s cofounder Anshika Srivastava explained that the startup’s AI leverages wave form data generated when materials are suspended in liquid and subjected to external forces. These wave forms uniquely correlate with material properties such as smell, taste, and reactivity. By analyzing this data, Apoha’s AI can suggest modifications to create materials with desired characteristics, a method the company calls “liquid intelligence.”
Apoha’s approach addresses a gap in how materials are currently understood and designed, moving beyond traditional visual or textual data. The startup’s technology could impact sectors including food, pharmaceuticals, and coatings by enabling precise material customization. The $36 million Series A places Apoha among a growing number of startups applying AI to deep science challenges, similar to companies developing AI for drug discovery or advanced manufacturing.
Apoha is based in London and San Francisco and did not disclose its valuation. The company’s next milestones include expanding its AI model capabilities and exploring commercial partnerships to apply its liquid intelligence technology across various industries.