A Major AI Investment in Scientific Discovery
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has made a strategic move into AI-driven scientific research, joining the $200 million seed round for US-based Lila Sciences. This investment highlights ADIA’s continued focus on artificial intelligence and automation, particularly in life sciences, chemical research, and materials science.
Lila Sciences, backed by Flagship Pioneering (the venture firm behind Moderna), aims to develop AI-powered autonomous laboratories that will revolutionize scientific experimentation, hypothesis testing, and discovery automation.
Who Else Is Investing in Lila Sciences?
Apart from ADIA, Lila Sciences has secured funding from a diverse group of investors, including:
- Blue Horizon Advisors – An investment firm with offices in the UAE and the UK.
- Modi Ventures – A US-based capital firm focused on AI and deep tech.
- March Capital, ARK Venture Fund, and General Catalyst – Leading venture firms supporting AI innovation.
This funding will enable Lila Sciences to scale its AI platform, expand its autonomous lab infrastructure, and build a superintelligence platform designed for groundbreaking scientific research.
Lila Sciences – AI for Scientific Discovery
Founded in 2023, Lila Sciences is an AI-first technology company that seeks to redefine how scientific experiments are conducted. Its AI-powered platform aims to:
- Generate hypotheses using advanced machine learning.
- Automate experiment design to accelerate research breakthroughs.
- Utilize robotics to perform complex lab experiments without human intervention.
According to Geoffrey von Maltzahn, Ph.D., Co-Founder & CEO of Lila Sciences, the company’s goal is to develop scalable AI systems that can autonomously design and execute scientific research.
“To achieve this, we must solve the hard problems that allow AI to autonomously and in a scalable manner run each step – from AI models generating an idea to reducing it to practice with robotics and automation.”
Why ADIA’s Investment Matters
ADIA, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds with nearly $1.1 trillion in assets, has been aggressively investing in AI-driven technologies.
- Recent AI investments by ADIA:
- $1 billion stake in US-based data analytics firm Qlik.
- $500 million investment in AlphaGen, a US power company focused on AI-driven energy solutions.
ADIA’s investment strategy aligns with its vision of long-term value creation. It has particular interest in emerging technologies that drive the future of global industries.
AI and the Future of Scientific Research
With AI transforming industries at an unprecedented pace, investments like ADIA’s in Lila Sciences signal a new era for scientific discovery. The ability to automate and accelerate research through AI-driven labs could lead to breakthroughs. It will particularly impact medicine, materials science, and environmental sustainability.
As the UAE continues to position itself as a global leader in AI and innovation, ADIA’s involvement in next-gen AI research further strengthens its role in shaping the future of science and technology.