Bengaluru continues to strengthen its position as India’s deep-tech innovation hub. AI-powered drug discovery startup Peptris has raised ₹70 crore (approximately $7.7 million) in its Series A funding round, co-led by IAN Alpha Fund and Speciale Invest. The round also saw participation from Tenacity Ventures and BYT Ventures, signalling strong investor confidence in the growing intersection of artificial intelligence and biotechnology in India.
Founded in 2019 by Narayanan Venkatasubramanian, Shridhar Narayanan, Anand Budni, and Amit Mahajan, Peptris is building advanced AI platforms to transform how drugs are discovered. The company focuses on reducing the time, cost, and uncertainty traditionally associated with pharmaceutical research.
Transforming Drug Discovery with Artificial Intelligence
Drug discovery has historically been a long and capital-intensive process, often taking more than a decade to bring a single molecule to market. High failure rates, particularly in early-stage trials, significantly increase research expenses. Peptris aims to address this challenge using proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning models.
The startup’s AI engine is designed to generate and optimise novel molecular structures while predicting key drug properties at an early stage. This approach allows researchers to identify promising candidates faster and minimise costly late-stage failures. By integrating computational intelligence with deep biological research, Peptris is attempting to reshape the future of pharmaceutical innovation.
The company has already reported progress in discovering Novel Chemical Entities (NCEs). In addition to new drug molecules, Peptris is also working on drug repurposing and rescue programmes — identifying new therapeutic applications for existing or shelved compounds. Some of these programmes are advancing toward clinical readiness, reflecting the tangible outcomes of AI-driven research.
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Strategic Deployment of Series A Capital
The ₹70 crore funding will primarily be utilised over the next 24 months to advance Peptris’s lead drug discovery programmes into clinical development stages. The company plans to scale its pipeline by launching new NCE programmes while strengthening its drug repurposing initiatives.
A portion of the funds will also be invested in expanding the scientific, AI, chemistry, and data science teams. Strengthening global partnerships is another strategic priority, particularly in the US and European markets, where pharmaceutical giants are increasingly collaborating with AI-driven biotech startups to boost R&D efficiency.
This fresh capital will enable Peptris to deepen its technology stack, enhance predictive models, and broaden its research capabilities across therapeutic areas.
Growing Investor Confidence in India’s Deep Tech Sector
The funding round highlights the increasing maturity of India’s deep-tech and biotech ecosystem. Investors are now backing startups that combine scientific excellence with advanced computational technologies to tackle real-world healthcare challenges.
Peptris represents a new wave of Indian startups leveraging artificial intelligence beyond conventional applications such as fintech and e-commerce. Instead, it operates in a high-impact domain where innovation can directly affect patient outcomes and global health systems.
With a strong founding team, cutting-edge AI infrastructure, and expanding global ambitions, Peptris is positioning itself as a serious player in the global drug discovery market. As pharmaceutical companies worldwide seek more efficient ways to develop medicines, AI-enabled platforms like Peptris could play a crucial role in accelerating the availability of new treatments.
The successful Series A round not only strengthens Peptris’s growth trajectory but also reinforces India’s rising reputation as a centre for advanced biotech innovation.