Warp Sciences has emerged from stealth with US$215 million in funding to build a U.S.-based chemistry contract research organization for drug discovery. The San Francisco startup brings together expert chemists, AI, and robotics to make and test the molecules that biotech and pharmaceutical teams need. Its founders say the goal is to close the loop between designing experiments, executing them, and learning from their outcomes.
Founding Team and Investor Base
Warp Sciences was founded by Kevin Weil, formerly Chief Product Officer and VP of Science at OpenAI, and Solomon Reisberg, who held medicinal chemistry leadership roles at Terremoto Biosciences. Manohar Paluri, formerly a VP at Meta Superintelligence Labs, and DJ Patil, the first U.S. Chief Data Scientist for the White House, round out the founding team. Lightspeed led the funding round, with participation from Premji Invest, Mayfield, IVP, Lux, Menlo Ventures, and other firms.
The Data Advantage of Physical Experiments
A central part of Warp's strategy is generating real-world data at scale to train AI models for chemistry. The company notes that AI has dramatically accelerated software engineering and mathematics, but has yet to make the same impact in the physical sciences. By connecting AI more closely to the physical work of chemistry, Warp aims to make each experiment contribute to a smarter next cycle.
A U.S.-Based Chemistry CRO Model
Warp is building a domestic chemistry partner that scientists can choose for speed, quality, and close collaboration. The company combines experienced chemists with AI and robotics so that every physical experiment can generate data to train better models. According to its founders, better AI in turn powers more capable labs, giving scientists the capacity to test more ideas and ultimately discover medicines faster.
Initial Focus on Lead Optimization
The initial service will focus on lead optimization analog synthesis, making variations of molecules that researchers can compare as they search for a drug candidate. Experienced chemists will guide experiments while the lab is increasingly automated by AI and robotics, with models trained on data from physical experiments. Warp's stated objective is to enable customers to discover drugs more efficiently while keeping that discovery in the U.S.
Policy and Intellectual Property Context
The launch responds to longstanding concerns about reliance on overseas chemistry services and intellectual property risks. A 2024 Biotechnology Innovation Organization survey cited by Reuters found that 74% of respondents reported contracts with Chinese companies for preclinical and clinical services. The BIOSECURE Act, signed into law in December 2025, established a framework for restrictions on federal procurement and funding involving designated biotechnology companies of concern, reinforcing demand for domestic alternatives.
Infrastructure Without a Proprietary Pipeline
Warp has no proprietary drug pipeline and does not develop medicines of its own. Instead, the company builds infrastructure for biotech and pharmaceutical customers, who determine which molecules to pursue and retain control of their drug programs. Co-founder and COO DJ Patil emphasized that Warp's services bolster customer-led discovery programs rather than competing with them.
Warp Sciences is betting that faster access to research compounds, combined with automation and AI, can shorten the path from molecular design to testing. The company's US$215 million funding round highlights growing investor interest in rebuilding U.S. chemistry capacity while meeting demand for speed, quality, and IP protection. As the lab learning loop matures, Warp aims to become a central infrastructure provider for the next generation of drug discovery.