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11 drug discovery startups to watch, according to VCs

October 4, 2023
By
Sifted

Welcome to our 2024 Impact Report – a look at what our portfolio companies have done to move the needle. This year’s edition highlights the grit, progress and potential of impact startups in a world that feels anything but predictable. It’s a snapshot of where we are, what we’ve learned, and why we believe the case for impact has never been stronger.

Developing new drugs can take over a decade — but these startups want to help companies speed the process up.

Investing in drug development is a game of patience — currently, getting a new drug to market can take between 10 and 15 years, according to Cancer Research UK.

But artificial intelligence might be about to speed that up… dramatically. More startups are using AI to boost the drug discovery process, creating platforms to make finding new drugs that target underserved conditions quicker and more efficient. And there’s money to be made: a recent Sifted briefing found that the global market is currently valued at around $11bn, and is projected to shoot to $188bn by 2030.

So, which startups could be leading the charge when it comes to AI drug discovery? Investors from H Tree Capital, General Catalyst, Norrsken VC and AlbionVC share the (non-portfolio) companies worth watching.

Investing in drug development is a game of patience — currently, getting a new drug to market can take between 10 and 15 years, according to Cancer Research UK.

But artificial intelligence might be about to speed that up… dramatically. More startups are using AI to boost the drug discovery process, creating platforms to make finding new drugs that target underserved conditions quicker and more efficient. And there’s money to be made: a recent Sifted briefing found that the global market is currently valued at around $11bn, and is projected to shoot to $188bn by 2030.

So, which startups could be leading the charge when it comes to AI drug discovery? Investors from H Tree Capital, General Catalyst, Norrsken VC and AlbionVC share the (non-portfolio) companies worth watching.

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