Backed by AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva, AWS, and top venture firms, the initiative seeks global innovators to build the next AI-powered biopharma startup.
March 4, 2025 | Rehovot, Israel & Heidelberg, Germany
AION Labs, the AI-focused drug discovery venture studio supported by industry leaders including AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer, Teva, AWS, Israel Biotech Fund, and Amiti Ventures, has launched a global call for applications to identify entrepreneurial scientific founders for its next startup. The initiative is conducted in partnership with BioMed X, a renowned independent research institute based in Germany.
The 2025 startup challenge focuses on leveraging generative AI to identify and validate novel molecular target combinations—a critical step for developing multispecific biologic drugs like bispecific antibodies and peptides. These therapies hold promise for tackling complex conditions such as cancer, metabolic, and immune-related diseases.
While traditional target discovery relies on isolated experimental insights and manual hypothesis generation, AION Labs aims to shift this paradigm by building a data-driven platform. The new AI system will prioritize target pairs based on disease relevance, biomarker predictability, and safety profiles—helping pharma scientists design more effective, less risky biologic treatments.
The startup will be incubated at AION Labs’ headquarters in Rehovot, Israel, and benefit from mentorship and strategic input from its pharmaceutical and technology partners.
“AI is unlocking new dimensions in biologic drug design. This challenge is an opportunity to reimagine multi-target discovery using large-scale biomedical data,” said Dr. Yair Benita, CTO at AION Labs.
Who Should Apply
AION Labs invites computational biologists, AI experts, bioinformaticians, and drug discovery innovators from around the world to propose solutions that exceed current approaches to multi-target drug discovery.
- Application deadline: May 5, 2025
- Submit proposals: BioMed X Career Portal
- More info: www.aionlabs.com
About AION Labs
AION Labs is a pioneering venture studio dedicated to transforming pharmaceutical R&D using AI and computational science. Founded through a collaboration between pharma and tech leaders, it offers global talent a unique platform to build impactful startups targeting unmet needs in drug discovery.
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