OpenAI researcher Miles Wang raises $200M at $2B for AI drug discovery startup

Miles Wang, a researcher at OpenAI who has focused on using AI to accelerate scientific and biological discovery, is in the early stages of launching a new AI drug discovery startup. According to four people with knowledge of his plans, Wang is in talks to raise approximately $200 million（約320億円） at a $2 billion（約3200億円） valuation, with venture capital firm Lightspeed in discussions to lead the funding round. Wang, who is expected to be joined by several other OpenAI researchers at the new venture, disputed the reported funding figures and company description in response to inquiries, though he declined to specify the correct details. Lightspeed did not respond to a request for comment, and sources noted that talks are ongoing with the possibility that the deal may not be final or that details could change.

The startup's formation underscores growing investor interest in applying AI to life sciences breakthroughs. This week, Chai Discovery, a two-year-old startup developing AI models to predict molecular interactions for identifying new drugs, announced a $400 million（約640億円） funding round at a $3.8 billion（約6100億円） valuation—notably, its co-founder Josh Meier also previously worked at OpenAI as a researcher. Similarly, Isomorphic Labs, a spinout from Google DeepMind that develops AI models for drug discovery, raised a $2.1 billion（約3400億円） Series B in May. Wang's new startup may focus on creating AI models to identify new uses for existing drugs and potentially those that have previously failed in trials, according to sources. This approach offers a significant advantage: finding new uses for FDA-approved drugs can deliver a substantially faster path to revenue than developing drugs from scratch, since these medicines have already undergone safety testing.

Wang joined OpenAI in 2024 after leaving Harvard, where he had been pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer science. At OpenAI, he co-authored research papers that evaluated how AI models can automate and accelerate scientific discovery. His departure reflects a broader trend in which talented researchers are leaving established AI labs to launch specialized startups in high-potential sectors. The venture capital market's recent appetite for young founders without traditional college credentials—Wang is an example of this trend—suggests that investor confidence in AI-driven drug discovery, combined with Wang's OpenAI pedigree and research background, has attracted serious funding interest despite the ongoing uncertainty around the exact terms of the deal.

The news reveals a significant talent exodus from OpenAI to the biotech AI sector, where investor capital is flowing robustly. Wang's departure follows a well-trodden path—another drug-discovery AI founder, Josh Meier of Chai Discovery, also passed through OpenAI as a researcher. The funding environment for AI-applied life sciences appears exceptionally strong: Chai Discovery's Tuesday announcement of a $400 million（約640億円） raise at a $3.8 billion（約6100億円） valuation and Isomorphic Labs' $2.1 billion（約3400億円） Series B in May demonstrate investor conviction that AI models can unlock drug discovery breakthroughs. The specific advantage Wang's startup may pursue—repurposing existing drugs and reviving failed candidates—avoids the lengthy clinical trial timelines that plague drug development from scratch, a distinction the article emphasizes.

Wang's profile (a 2024 hire who dropped out of Harvard for OpenAI, now launching at age and experience that once would have deterred VCs) also signals a broader shift in investor risk appetite toward young founders without traditional credentials. The fact that Wang has disputed the reported figures while declining to specify correct numbers adds a layer of uncertainty, though the involvement of Lightspeed and the cited precedent of similarly valued startups suggest the reported magnitude is plausible.

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