Exclusive: Apoha, startup pioneering AI based on liquid 'wave form' data, debuts with $36 million - Fortune

2026-06-03 · Source: Series A" OR "Series B" OR "Series C" AI startup via Google News · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Emerging Technologies & Innovation, AI for Materials Discovery · Depth: Intermediate, short

Summary

Apoha, a deep tech startup based in London and San Francisco, has emerged from stealth with \$36 million in venture capital funding, comprising a seed round in 2024 and an unlettered round this spring. The company is pioneering AI models to create new substances, from proteins to paints, by analyzing "liquid intelligence" data. This novel data captures wave forms generated when materials are suspended in liquid and subjected to external forces, correlating these unique patterns to properties like smell, taste, and reactivity. Apoha's core technology, developed by cofounder and CEO Shamit Shrivastava, involves a specialized VIBE measurement system that records over 1,000 distinct numerical descriptors from a pin-head sized sample in minutes. This platform has demonstrated significant potential in diverse applications, including identifying high-risk drug candidates with over 90% precision for Boehringer Ingelheim, outperforming 12 industry-standard tests on a dataset of 236 antibodies, and assisting food companies in material substitution. The \$36 million will scale Apoha's platform and custom hardware to handle more sample types and customers.

Key takeaway

For Directors of R&D in pharmaceuticals or food and beverage, Apoha's "liquid intelligence" platform offers a novel approach to accelerate material discovery and risk assessment. You should evaluate this technology for its potential to significantly reduce development timelines and costs by predicting material behavior with high precision. Consider piloting the VIBE system to screen drug candidates or optimize ingredient formulations, potentially saving hundreds of millions of dollars per failed project.

Key insights

Apoha's "liquid intelligence" uses material wave forms in liquid to predict properties and design new substances.

Principles

• Material behavior in liquid yields unique wave form data.
• Wave form patterns correlate to material properties.
• Early failure detection saves significant R&D costs.

Method

Apoha's VIBE system suspends a material sample in liquid, applies physical stresses, and records resulting wave patterns to create a "behavioral embedding" for AI training.

In practice

• Screen drug candidates for failure risk before clinical trials.
• Predict plant-based protein texture and behavior.
• Identify material substitutes rapidly for product development.

Topics

• Liquid Intelligence
• AI Material Design
• VIBE Measurement System
• Drug Discovery
• Food Science
• Deep Tech Funding

Best for: AI Scientist, Investor, Director of AI/ML, Research Scientist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Series A" OR "Series B" OR "Series C" AI startup via Google News.