Venomics AI Raises USD 2.7 Mn to Advance Venom-Based Drug Discovery

Venomics AI, a Bengaluru-based biotechnology company spun out of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has raised USD 2.7 million in a pre-seed round co-led by Speciale Invest and South Park Commons. Operators Studio also participated. It is the company’s first institutional funding.

The company combines venom biology, artificial intelligence, and experimental screening to develop venom-derived molecules into therapeutic leads.

“This investment accelerates our vision of building a world-class drug discovery platform that leverages India’s exceptional biodiversity and scientific talent to discover and develop breakthrough therapeutics in India, for the world,” said Kartik Sunagar, Founder and Director, Venomics AI.

The funds will go toward expanding the Venom Atlas, strengthening AI and laboratory screening, validating and optimising promising molecules, and building a team across venom biology, computational science, and drug discovery.

Venomics AI was co-founded by Kartik Sunagar, a professor at IISc whose research covers venom evolution and antivenom development, and Vinay Prabhu, Chief Technology Officer, who holds a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University and works on machine learning and large-scale AI systems. The company has joined the NVIDIA Inception programme and is among the top five finalists for the 2026 Indo-Boston Biotech Bridge Award.

“India’s venom biodiversity is among the richest in the world, and Kartik is one of the world’s leading experts on it,” said Arjun Rao, General Partner, Speciale Invest. “Together, they are building the Venom Atlas, a unique dataset that will power AI to find drugs for some of the world’s most pressing diseases.”