ChemLex raises $45m to launch self-driving drug discovery lab in Singapore

AI-for-science startup ChemLex has raised USD 45 million in fresh funding and opened its global headquarters and autonomous laboratory in Singapore, marking a major milestone in the race to commercialize self-driving drug discovery platforms. The funding round was led by Granite Asia and will accelerate the development of ChemLex’s automated AI platform for pharmaceutical and materials science research.

The Singapore launch underscores ChemLex’s transition from a fast-scaling deeptech startup to a global player in the AI-powered chemical discovery market, a segment that analysts expect will expand from USD 3.6 billion in 2024 to nearly USD 50 billion by 2034.

Founded in 2022, ChemLex has rapidly built a customer base of over 70 companies, including six of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical manufacturers. Its core offering is an autonomous chemistry system designed to replace traditional stop-start R&D workflows with a continuous, AI-automated discovery process. The system runs 24/7, using real-time data capture and synthesis feedback to iteratively optimize molecule design, thereby compressing R&D timelines from months to days.

How does ChemLex’s automation platform change the speed and cost of discovery?

At the heart of ChemLex’s technology is a fully integrated AI-driven synthesis system capable of autonomously designing and executing chemical reactions. This includes the robotic handling of reagents, iterative experimentation, and automated analysis of molecular results.

The platform transforms drug discovery into a dynamic feedback loop where AI models continuously refine hypotheses based on new data, effectively turning chemical R&D into a software-like, fast iteration process. This is particularly attractive to pharmaceutical companies struggling with rising costs and longer development cycles.

Sean Lin, founder and chief executive officer of ChemLex, stated that the company is building an R&D engine that can compress traditional synthesis and optimization work into a matter of days. He noted that Singapore offers both the technical talent and regulatory clarity needed to support the firm’s global expansion.

The Singapore facility will serve as both a technology showcase and a scalable delivery hub, designed to anchor ChemLex’s partnerships with large pharmaceutical companies as well as new entrants in specialty chemicals and materials science.

Why did Granite Asia back ChemLex’s vision for AI-driven chemistry?

Granite Asia, which led the USD 45 million round, characterized ChemLex as a defining player in one of the most important industrial transitions of the decade. Partner Yinghui Kuang described the startup as being in the “sweet spot” of deeptech and industrial AI, with the potential to accelerate drug manufacturing, redesign supply chains, and unlock new economic value across multiple verticals.

Kuang said ChemLex’s platform could fundamentally shift how new molecules are designed, not only by reducing cycle times but also by improving success rates across the drug discovery funnel. With increasing interest in small molecule therapies, platform technologies like ChemLex’s could offer pharmaceutical companies a vital edge in accelerating and derisking early-stage development.

The round is expected to fund the expansion of engineering, software, and scientific talent at the Singapore headquarters, while supporting the company’s growing slate of international projects across pharmaceuticals, materials, and green chemistry.

How is ChemLex working with Singapore’s drug discovery ecosystem?

In parallel with the funding and headquarters launch, ChemLex signed a memorandum of understanding with the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore’s national drug discovery and development platform.

The collaboration aims to merge ChemLex’s AI and automation capabilities with EDDC’s therapeutic development expertise. The joint effort will focus on next-generation small molecule discovery programs, with a goal of reducing both time-to-clinic and R&D failure rates.

Professor Damian O’Connell, chief executive officer of EDDC, said the partnership with ChemLex reflects a shared vision of accelerating drug development timelines through advanced automation. He emphasized the potential for the combined effort to deliver safer and more effective therapies to patients, faster and at lower cost.

The collaboration further supports Singapore’s goal of establishing itself as a regional hub for biomedical innovation and AI-enabled R&D infrastructure.

How does this align with Singapore’s broader life sciences strategy?

Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) welcomed ChemLex’s decision to anchor its global AI laboratory in the city-state. Goh Wan Yee, senior vice president and head of healthcare at the EDB, said the move showcases how Singapore’s deep tech and biomedical ecosystems are converging to attract next-generation innovators.

She added that the EDB is committed to supporting startups like ChemLex that leverage scientific breakthroughs to deliver global impact, particularly in sectors like precision medicine, sustainable materials, and therapeutic R&D.

The announcement also builds on Singapore’s long-term efforts to grow a resilient, innovation-driven life sciences sector that can withstand global supply shocks and shorten drug development timelines for emerging markets.

What is the industry outlook for AI-powered drug discovery platforms?

Institutional sentiment around AI-for-science platforms has grown significantly over the past two years, with a rising number of venture firms and corporate investors backing technologies that integrate automation, cloud infrastructure, and generative design.

Analysts tracking the sector believe that AI-native lab platforms—especially those capable of autonomous execution like ChemLex—are poised to play a central role in reshaping early drug discovery. These systems are seen as enabling both speed and precision, especially in areas like hit-to-lead optimization, structure-activity modeling, and sustainable compound synthesis.

With increasing pressure on pharmaceutical firms to derisk R&D portfolios, AI-driven platforms that can demonstrate efficiency gains and predictive value are being positioned as strategic assets.

As pharmaceutical and biotech firms seek to contain cost inflation, reduce time-to-market, and bring next-generation therapies to global populations faster, platforms like ChemLex’s are expected to see growing commercial traction. Investors will closely watch how ChemLex scales its delivery capacity, expands into adjacent verticals like agrochemicals and performance materials, and builds long-term revenue pipelines around lab automation services.

What are the key takeaways from ChemLex’s expansion and funding announcement?

• ChemLex has raised USD 45 million to expand its AI-for-science drug discovery platform and set up global headquarters in Singapore.
• Its core innovation is a fully autonomous chemistry platform that drastically reduces R&D timelines and costs through continuous, real-time synthesis and optimization.
• Granite Asia led the round, calling ChemLex a frontrunner in AI-enabled chemistry with strong industrial potential.
• The startup has signed an MOU with the Experimental Drug Development Centre to accelerate small molecule discovery using AI and automation.
• The expansion aligns with Singapore’s broader goal of becoming a global hub for biomedical and deep tech innovation.