Warp Sciences Raises $215 Million for AI Drug Discovery

The startup, co-founded by former Meta executive Manohar Paluri, plans to integrate AI with automated laboratory robotics.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Isometric editorial illustration showing a precision robotic arm above a titration vessel, representing AI-driven automated laboratory research. — Warp Sciences, co-founded by former Meta executive Manohar Paluri, has secured $215 million in Series A funding to advance its AI-powered drug discovery platform. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Former Meta vice president Manohar Paluri has departed the company to co-found Warp Sciences, a startup focused on AI-driven drug discovery. The company has secured $215 million in Series A funding to develop an automated research laboratory platform.

Why it matters

Warp Sciences aims to bridge the gap between digital AI models and physical chemical experimentation by generating proprietary data at scale. This strategy seeks to improve preclinical research outcomes by integrating AI-designed experiments with automated lab robotics.

The startup raised $215 million in Series A funding led by Lightspeed. This capital injection supports the company's plan to build a preclinical contract research organization that utilizes AI for experimental design and robotics for physical lab execution.

The players

Manohar Paluri

Former Meta vice president of AI and current chief technology officer at Warp Sciences.

Kevin Weil

Co-founder and chief executive officer of Warp Sciences.

DJ Patil

Co-founder and chief operating officer of Warp Sciences.

Solomon Reisberg

Co-founder of Warp Sciences.

Lightspeed

Venture capital firm that led the Series A funding round for Warp Sciences.

The details

Warp Sciences integrates specialist chemists with automated laboratory equipment to close the feedback loop between computational design and physical synthesis. AI models generate experimental protocols which are then executed by robots, creating a high-throughput pipeline meant to generate real-world data at scale. The company intends to function as a next-generation preclinical contract research organization, providing research services supported by these closed-loop digital and mechanical systems.

2012: Manohar Paluri joined Facebook.
2024: Paluri assumed the role of vice president at Meta.
October 2026: Warp Sciences secures $215 million in Series A funding.

The Tech Race

Warp Sciences competes with established preclinical contract research organizations by attempting to digitize the physical laboratory workflow. The startup enters a field where tech-forward competitors are increasingly racing to replace manual bench work with autonomous systems and proprietary chemical data pipelines.

Pharmaceutical researchers and drug discovery firms will be the primary users of the company's automated laboratory services once they are fully operational. While the firm has announced its funding and mission, no specific dates for the opening of their first research facility have been disclosed.

The takeaway

Warp Sciences is betting that AI-driven automation can accelerate preclinical research by eliminating human-led lab bottlenecks. Watch for upcoming announcements regarding the company's first operational facility and initial partnerships with pharmaceutical developers.