Ginkgo Bioworks and Google Cloud forge five-year AI and biology partnership

Ginkgo Bioworks’ pioneering capabilities in harnessing vast biological data. [Image courtesy of Ginkgo Bioworks]

Founded in 2008, Ginkgo Bioworks’ stock jumped almost 25% on August 29, hitting $2.22, after unveiling a five-year partnership with Google Cloud. The partnership centers around the development of novel AI tools for biology and biosecurity. In particular, Ginkgo hopes to further its mission to make biology easier to engineer in the AI era.

Opting to make Google Cloud its primary cloud services provider, Ginkgo plans to develop new large language models for biological engineering applications based on Google’s Vertex AI platform. Debuting in 2021 as a framework for streamlining the machine learning lifecycle, Vertex AI has since evolved to incorporate more generative AI capabilities.

Further solidifying the partnership, Google Cloud will also help fund Ginkgo’s development of foundation mod…

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  • August 30, 2023
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Cellares teams up with Bristol Myers Squibb to explore automated CAR-T cell therapy manufacturing

Less than a week after announcing that it has secured $255 million in Series C funding, South San Francisco-based startup Cellares has revealed that Bristol Myers Squibb has joined its Technology Adoption Partnership (TAP) program. To date, the company has raised more than $355 million in total financing.

As part of the TAP program, Bristol Myers Squibb plans on conducting a proof-of-concept transfer of a CAR-T cell therapy process onto the Cell Shuttle, which the company has called a “factory in a box.”

Cellares plans to use the funding to launch what it dubs the world’s first commercial-scale Integrated Development and Manufacturing Organization (IDMO) smart factory. Koch Disruptive Technologies led the investment round, which included participation from Bristol Myers Squibb, DFJ Growth, Willett Advisors, Eclipse, Decheng Capital and 8VC.

When asked how Cellares managed to receive a large funding round in a difficult financial climate, Gerlinghausen sa…

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  • August 29, 2023
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