USD 45M Funding Round Positions ChemLex for Rapid Growth in AI-for-Science Sector
Published: 08 Dec 2025
Author: Precedence Research
ChemLex, a next-generation AI-for-Science startup, announced it had secured USD 45 million in funding, led by Granite Asia, and had established its global headquarters and a fully automated, self-driving laboratory in Singapore. The company, established in 2022, focuses on using artificial intelligence to accelerate chemical discovery in the pharmaceutical sector, aiming to reduce development costs and timelines.
With more than 70 clients worldwide, including six of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies, ChemLex has expanded rapidly in just over 3 years. The market for Artificial Intelligence -powered drug discovery is expected to grow from USD 3.6 billion in 2024 to nearly USD 50 billion by 2034, reflecting broader industry trends. The company's growth demonstrates how the life sciences industry is increasingly using digital and autonomous tools to boost productivity and efficiency.
ChemLex's innovation centers on an autonomous chemistry system that operates continuously. This fully automated platform can continuously optimize chemical synthesis record data in real time and autonomously run experiments. The system can produce what would normally take months or years in a conventional lab in a matter of days by transforming the conventional stop-start workflow into a smooth, effective pipeline. Additionally, this increases the process's cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability.
With the additional funding, ChemLex will be able to expand its operations to support a wider range of pharmaceutical and materials science projects, as well as hire more chemists and hardware and software engineers in Singapore. Because of its robust biotech ecosystem, highly qualified workforce, and worldwide connectivity, Singapore was carefully selected. ChemLexs founder and CEO, Sean Lin, claims that the facility will serve as an R&D engine, condensing months of research into weeks to assist international partners in need of rapid innovation.
Additionally, ChemLex and Singapore's Experimental Drug Development Center (EDDC) signed a memorandum of understanding to deploy advanced automation to accelerate small-molecule drug discovery. This partnership aims to deliver safer, more potent treatments, reduce costs, and expedite drug development. The program also supports the Economic Development Board's goal of creating a resilient, innovation-ready life sciences ecosystem. According to experts, these self-driving labs have the potential to drastically change the pharmaceutical sector by accelerating the discovery of new molecules and altering international supply chains.