CuspAI secured $450 million to accelerate the design of materials for semiconductors, batteries, power grids, and advanced manufacturing.
British company CuspAI closed a $450 million Series B funding round backed by Bezos Expeditions, Jeff Bezos’ investment vehicle, and the UK government’s sovereign artificial intelligence fund.
The deal valued the startup at $2.6 billion just two years after its founding. The funds will enable it to expand operations in Europe, the United States, and Asia-Pacific while growing its technical and commercial teams.
In addition, the round was led by venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins and NEA. Glade Brook Capital Partners, Lux Capital, AMD Ventures, and Invest-NL also participated.
CuspAI aims to accelerate materials discovery
CuspAI develops artificial intelligence tools to reduce the time needed to identify, simulate, and validate materials with industrial applications.
Its approach combines generative models, computational simulation, synthesis route planning, and experimental validation. With this system, the company aims to shorten research processes that often require years of laboratory testing.
Likewise, the platform can evaluate thousands of chemical combinations before researchers produce a physical sample. This approach reduces costs and makes it possible to rule out less viable candidates in the early stages of development.
The company presents its technology as a search engine for materials that do not yet exist. Its goal is to identify compositions with specific properties such as higher conductivity, thermal resistance, or reduced reliance on scarce elements.
A coalition for semiconductors and energy
As part of its expansion, CuspAI launched AI Materials Foundry, a coalition that brings together nearly 50 technology companies, industrial groups, and research centers.
Its members include Nvidia, Meta, and Hyundai. The initiative seeks to combine computing power, scientific data, and industrial expertise to develop materials for chip manufacturers, batteries, and energy systems.
For the semiconductor industry, the challenge is especially significant. Advanced chips require materials capable of operating at higher power and lower energy consumption without losing thermal stability.
At the same time, the growth of artificial intelligence infrastructure is increasing demand for processors, data centers, and power grids. This pressure makes it necessary to find materials that improve equipment performance and reduce the consumption of critical resources.
Reduced reliance on iridium and ruthenium
CuspAI also aims to reduce or eliminate the use of rare metals such as iridium and ruthenium in certain supply chains.
These elements offer useful properties for industrial processes and electronic components, but their limited availability can drive up costs and create supply risks.
Artificial intelligence can help identify alternative compounds with similar performance. To achieve this, the models analyze relationships between chemical structure, physical properties, and behavior under different conditions.
The expected outcome is a portfolio of more accessible materials that can be transferred from simulation to industrial production.
MIRA coordinates the research cycle
CuspAI’s MIRA platform enables its partners to run complete discovery cycles. The process covers generative design, simulation, synthesis planning, and coordination of experimental testing.
In this way, researchers can follow an integrated path from the initial proposal to laboratory validation. The platform also facilitates the sharing of results between scientific teams and companies interested in specific applications.
This model can be useful in areas such as carbon capture, clean water production, energy storage, chip manufacturing, and materials resistant to extreme conditions.
The UK strengthens its commitment to industrial AI
The public investment is part of the UK strategy to support domestic artificial intelligence companies with potential for international expansion.
CuspAI is one of the companies backed by the UK sovereign AI fund, created to invest in early-stage startups and help them scale up operations.
UK Secretary of State for Science and Technology Liz Kendall highlighted the application of artificial intelligence to challenges linked to energy, climate, and economic growth.
For the UK government, the development of advanced materials can strengthen strategic sectors and reduce reliance on external supply chains.
The company expands its international presence
CuspAI will use part of the capital to open an office in Singapore and strengthen its teams in Cambridge, Amsterdam, Berlin, Tokyo, and the United States.
The company also brought on John Giannandrea, a former Apple and Google executive, to support the establishment of its US operations.
In addition, it is working with Abhi Talwalkar, an AMD board member and chairman of Lam Research. His semiconductor experience can help connect CuspAI’s research with the specific needs of manufacturers and suppliers.
With this expansion, the startup aims to turn AI-assisted materials science into an industrial tool capable of accelerating the development of chips, energy systems, and manufacturing technologies.
Source: The Guardian
Photo: Shutterstock
