Beijing State Capital Leads Series Financing Round of Hundreds of Millions of RMB for DP Technology
DP Technology
Simulation R&D Platform Developer
Recently, DP Technology announced that it has receivedHundreds of Millions of RMB in Financing, The investor isBeijing Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund and Zhongguan Village Science City Company。
Beijing Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund was established at the end of 2023, representing the support of Beijing's state-owned capital fund for the artificial intelligence industry. Since this year, it has invested in AI companies such as Zhipu AI, Mianbi Intelligence, RealAI, and DP Technology.
Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Innovative Development Co., Ltd. is a state-owned technology industry investment and service platform established by the Haidian District Committee and Government, with a registered capital of 6 billion yuan, engaged in services such as incubation and equity financing.
DP Technology stated that, as a leader and practitioner in the field of AI for Science, the recent support from state-owned capital marks the deep cultivation, interim achievements, and future development in the AI for Science domain receiving stronger and fuller recognition and backing.
This funding will be mainly used to continue attracting top talents in the industry, deepen the full-stack capabilities from algorithmic original innovation to industrial software and industry solutions, and strengthen the industrial application and commercial promotion of related technologies in scenarios such as biomedicine, new energy, chemical engineering, and semiconductors.
Two Post-90s Peking University Students Collaborate to Start a Business
In 2011, Sun Weijie was admitted to Yuanpei College, Peking University.Also entering the Pei College is Zhang Linfeng from Shanxi Province.
Perhaps, as fellow Peking University alumni, this connection had long become the bond that led to their co-founding of DP Technology years later.After entering school, they became close friends due to their shared passion for sports like basketball, soccer, and table tennis.
After graduation, Zhang Linfeng chose to go abroad for further studies. During his Ph.D. at Princeton University, he studied under two academicians from the departments of applied mathematics and chemistry, with main research directions includingStatistical Physics, Molecular Simulation, and Machine Learning, and its applications in chemistry, biology, and materials.
Sun Weijie continued to stay at Peking University to pursue a master's degree in Education Economics and Management, and later became active as an angel investor in the fields of technology, education, and enterprise services.
During the holiday, when returning to China for gatherings, Zhang Linfeng will share his research on statistical physics, molecular simulation, and machine learning with Sun Weijie.
During his Ph.D., Zhang Linfeng made breakthrough achievements, making it possible for AI to solve scientific problems.At this time, Sun Weijie had accumulated rich investment experience and observed a huge market demand in the field of technology investment.
During their pleasant conversation, Sun Weijie told Zhang Linfeng that his ideal was "to build a technology company originating from China and influencing the world."
Such an idea also moved Zhang Linfeng.By a stroke of serendipity, the two hit it off and finally decided to jointly venture into industry. On November 29, 2018, DP Technology was officially established in Beijing.
At its inception, the two founders stated: DP Technology is a technology company dedicated to empowering scientific research and industrial R&D at the microscopic scale using the new paradigm of "AI for Science."
The role allocation is also highly consistent with the experiences of the two individuals. Zhang Linfeng serves as the Chief Scientist, mainly responsible for algorithm, R&D, and technology-related operations.Sun Weijie serves as the CEO, taking on more responsibilities for product and commercialization implementation.
In addition, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of Beijing Institute of Scientific Intelligence,Professor Weinan E of Peking University serves as the Chief Scientific Advisor of DP Technology.With the new generation of molecular simulation technology DeePMD, the core members of the DP Technology team have won2020 ACM Gordon Bell Prize for High-Performance Computing。
The drug research and development team is led by Dr. Zhang Xiaomin., responsible for the planning, implementation of the overall strategy of the drug research and development team, as well as team management.
Dr. Zhang Xiaomin has worked at GlaxoSmithKline China R&D Center, Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical, and other pharmaceutical companies, driving the completion of more than ten drugs from preclinical research to IND submission and clinical trials, with extensive experience in project management and development.
Let AI Liberate Scientists
This year's Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry were awarded to deep learning and protein computation, marking the mainstream scientific community's recognition of AI's role in advancing science and expanding the boundaries of human research.
In recent years, artificial intelligence has been increasingly integrated into scientific discovery, quickly identifying potential patterns from vast amounts of data, allowing scientists to discern correct results from the patterns predicted by AI.
DP Technology is committed to building an AI for Science platform, promoting the transformation of scientific research from a "small-scale workshop" model to a "platform-based research" model.
Currently, DP Technology has built industrial design and simulation infrastructures such as the Bohrium Scientific Research Cloud Platform, the Hermite Drug Computational Design Platform, the RiDYMO Difficult-to-Drug Target R&D Platform, and the Piloteye™ Battery Design Automation Platform, and has launched corresponding industry solutions.
In the field of drug research and development, DP Technology mainly focuses onHermite Drug Computing Design Platform, RiDYMO Difficult-to-Drug Target R&D Platform, through based on"AI + Molecular Simulation + Experiment"The platform empowers enterprises and universities.
At the end of 2022, the founder announced that they would focus onThe Three Major Fields: Neuroscience, Oncology, and Autoimmune Diseases`, developing BIC drugs, no clinical pipeline yet.`
The company has reached cooperation agreements with multiple pharmaceutical enterprises.Drug Design Platform and Collaborative R&DTwo modes,Mainly focused on preclinical drug research and development.
Hansoh Pharma: Partnered on February 28, 2022, to provide Uni-FEP free energy perturbation calculation support, enhancing R&D efficiency during the lead compound optimization phase.
BioRay Biotech: In March 2022, conducted hit compound screening and lead compound optimization using an ultra-high throughput virtual screening engine and the Uni-FEP free energy perturbation calculation module.
Enhua Pharmaceutical: On April 14, 2022, a drug research and development collaboration in the central nervous system field was achieved.
Lida Pioneer: Has Reached a Co-Development Agreement with Rights Sharing for a Target in the Key Pathway of Anti-Aging
Hepharma: Collaborated on February 22, 2023, to advance the development of small-molecule drugs targeting novel oncology targets, and has obtained lead compounds.
Lepu Biotech: In September 2024, the two parties will collaborate to use AI for assistance.ADC MedicinalLinker IterationDesign, Validation, Enhance the drugability of ADC.
Moreover,The number of platform users exceeds 50., covering medical colleges and research institutes, including China Pharmaceutical University, Lanzhou University, Jinan University, Zhengzhou University, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Xiamen University, Westlake University, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, etc.
Moreover, DP Technology is also making a big push intoNew Energy Materials Field。At the power battery conference held in September this year,Yibin GovernmentAnnounced the joint creation of the Yibin New Energy and New Materials Digital Intelligence Innovation Center project with DP Technology.
The total investment of the project is several hundred million yuan.Relying on the "DP Technology·YuZhi®" AI for Science large model system, it provides crucial support for the scientific and technological innovation and industrial development of new energy and new materials in Yibin.
