ChemLex, a next-generation AI-for-science startup, announced the establishment of its global headquarters and self-driving laboratory in Singapore, alongside the close of a US$45 million funding round led by Granite Asia, a leading multi-asset investment platform headquartered in Singapore.

ChemLex is a next-generation AI-for-science startup.

ChemLex: Powering AI for drug discovery market

Founded in 2022, ChemLex develops AI technologies that radically accelerate chemical discovery for the pharmaceutical industry, significantly reducing time-to-market.

Only in its three-and-a-half-year operation, ChemLex has grown to support more than 70 customers worldwide, including six of the world's top ten pharmaceutical companies. This surge reflects a larger industry shift as analysts expect the AI-powered drug discovery market to jump from US$3.6 billion in 2024 to nearly US$50 billion by 2034.

At the core of ChemLex's platform is a 24/7 autonomous chemistry system that accelerates chemical discovery, making it far more cost-efficient and significantly more sustainable than traditional laboratory methods.

Driving this is an innovative AI-powered, fully automated synthesis line, which runs experiments autonomously, captures data in real-time, and transforms chemical discovery from a stop-start process into a smooth workflow.

“We're building an R&D engine that compresses months of synthesis and optimization into weeks or even days, transforming both the speed and certainty of discovery,” said Sean Lin, Founder and CEO of ChemLex.

Funding

The new funding will support the hiring of more hardware and software engineers, as well as chemists in Singapore, enabling the company to serve a broader pipeline of pharmaceutical and materials science projects.

“AI-enabled chemistry is creating one of the most important industrial transitions of the decade, and ChemLex sits in that sweet spot, turning that shift into a business advantage with a platform that can accelerate molecule design and manufacturing at scale. This is the type of deeptech company that can reshape supply chains, shorten development timelines, and unlock new economic value,” said Yinghui Kuang, Partner at Granite Asia.

Collaborating with national platform for drug discovery

ChemLex also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore's national platform for drug discovery and development. As ChemLex's first Singapore partner, this collaboration seeks to accelerate next-generation small molecule drug discovery through advanced automation.

“This partnership reinforces our shared vision of accelerating drug discovery and development through cutting-edge technology, ultimately bringing safer, more effective therapies to patients faster. By combining EDDC's drug development expertise with ChemLex's automation and AI capabilities, we aim to shorten timelines, reduce costs, and deliver innovative treatments that improve lives in Singapore and globally,” commented Prof. Damian O'Connell of EDDC.