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Bio Protocol, a Switzerland-based decentralized science (DeSci) company, has raised $6.9 million to expand its AI-native platform for accelerating biotech research and drug discovery. The funding coincides with the release of Bio V2, an upgraded version of its infrastructure that merges artificial intelligence, blockchain-based coordination, and community-driven funding. The goal is to tackle the common funding bottlenecks that stall early-stage biotech projects, particularly in longevity research, by creating a more open and efficient system for financing and collaboration.
At the heart of the platform are BioAgents—AI-driven, decentralized agents that generate hypotheses, manage funding flows via onchain wallets, and interface directly with laboratories. These agents are designed to automate scientific tasks, maintain blockchain-verified records of knowledge, and continuously learn from encrypted datasets, social platforms, and collaborations across the globe. This creates a system where insights, compounds, and services can be monetized and licensed to industry, potentially reducing both the cost and time needed for drug development.
One of the first BioAgents, Aubrai, launched in partnership with VitaDAO and longevity researcher Aubrey de Grey, has already demonstrated the model’s potential. Within weeks of release, Aubrai generated over 1,000 hypotheses, raised more than $900,000 in funding, and facilitated real-world lab testing. The rapid rise of its associated token—from a $269,000 pre-sale valuation to around $40 million—underscores the investor appetite for decentralized, AI-driven biotech innovation. Bio’s CEO Paul Kohlhaas argues that this approach breaks science out of institutional “black boxes,” empowering both researchers and citizen scientists to back promising ideas from the earliest stages.
Bio V2 adds new features to expand community and investor participation, including rapid fundraising through Ignition Sales, loyalty rewards via BioXP, and staking mechanisms that align incentives across the ecosystem. Since 2024, Bio’s network has already funneled over $50 million into global biotech projects, helping advance initiatives from RNA therapies to longevity trials. With fresh capital from investors such as Maelstrom Fund, Animoca Brands, and Mechanism Capital, the company now aims to scale its launchpad, AI software, and future tools like onchain prediction markets. Supporters believe Bio could establish an entirely new AI-native research market—one that compresses drug development timelines from decades to just months.
