Bio-tech startup Venomics AI raises $2.7 Mn in pre-seed round
- ByStartupStory | November 6, 2026
Venomics AI, a biotechnology company spun out of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has raised $2.7 million in its first institutional funding round. The pre-seed round was co-led by Speciale Invest and South Park Commons, with participation from Operators Studio.
The proceeds will be used to expand the company’s operations, grow its molecular dataset and strengthen its AI and laboratory screening capabilities, Venomics AI said in a press release.
Co-founded in May 2026 by Sunagar and Vinay Prabhu, Venomics AI combines venom biology, molecular sequencing, AI and experimental screening to discover and develop venom-derived therapeutic leads.
The Bengaluru-based startup is building the Venom Atlas, a platform that connects venom-derived molecular data with laboratory validation and drug discovery. It uses AI to prioritise molecular candidates and tests these predictions through functional screening in the laboratory. The experimental results are then fed back into subsequent predictions and molecular design.
The company aims to use India’s venom biodiversity and its scientific and computational expertise to develop a drug discovery platform for global therapeutic development.
Venomics AI has established the initial architecture of its platform, joined the NVIDIA Inception programme and been selected among the top five finalists for the 2026 Indo-Boston Biotech Bridge Award.
It plans to build a multidisciplinary team across venom biology, computational science and drug discovery, while supporting the validation and optimisation of promising molecules.
Startups in this space are exploring bioactive peptides and proteins found in snake, scorpion and marine animal venoms to identify molecules with potential applications in pain management, neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases and other therapeutic areas.
Another player in the space is Snaayu Lifesciences, incubated at C-CAMP, which is working on isolating and characterising novel analgesic compounds from cone snail venom.
The broader AI-driven drug discovery space has also attracted investor interest. Bengaluru-based Peptris Technologies raised Rs 70 crore in a Series A round co-led by IAN Alpha Fund and Speciale Invest in February 2026. The startup uses AI-driven molecular discovery and experimental validation to advance potential drug candidates.
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