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§ Private Profile · San Carlos, CA, USA
Spring Discovery is a technology company.
Spring Discovery develops an AI-driven research and development platform designed to accelerate therapeutic discovery, particularly focusing on complex biological systems. The company leverages advanced machine learning models and high-content imaging analysis to interpret vast biological datasets, identifying novel drug candidates and mechanistic insights. Its core technical approach involves phenotypic screening and live cell painting, enabling a deeper understanding of cellular responses and disease progression.
Ben Kamens, an experienced engineer previously serving as VP of Engineering at Khan Academy, founded the company. Driven by a personal insight into the profound impact of disease, Kamens established Spring Discovery to address inefficiencies in drug development. The company emerged to apply cutting-edge artificial intelligence to biological research, aiming to streamline the traditionally lengthy and resource-intensive process of identifying effective therapies.
The platform serves pharmaceutical and biotech researchers seeking to uncover new treatments. It enables scientists to generate and analyze complex biological data at scale, moving beyond conventional discovery methods. Spring Discovery’s long-term vision centers on transforming how new medicines are brought to patients, making drug discovery more efficient and predictable, ultimately contributing to a future with more accessible and effective treatments for a wide range of diseases.
Spring Discovery has raised $22.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Spring Discovery has raised $22.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Spring Discovery has raised $22.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $18.0M Series A in December 2018.
# Spring Discovery: AI-Powered Scientific Discovery Platform
Spring Discovery (recently rebranded to Spring Science) is an AI and machine learning software company that builds tools for researchers and scientists to accelerate biological discovery and drug development[1][3]. The company's core mission is to "give scientists superpowers" by providing world-leading technology and intuitive software that helps researchers understand and battle disease[1]. Rather than conducting its own discovery programs, Spring has strategically shifted toward partnering with the broader scientific community—from academic institutions to major pharmaceutical companies—by offering a suite of proprietary AI tools accessible through software platforms[3].
The company serves a critical gap in the scientific workflow: as data complexity in biological experiments grows exponentially, researchers remain equipped with outdated software tools[3]. Spring's platform, the Spring Engine, enables scientists to extract meaningful, interpretable insights from high-dimensional datasets, particularly excelling in high-content image analysis and single-cell phenotyping[3][4]. This positions Spring at the intersection of computational biology and drug discovery, where AI-driven insights can dramatically accelerate the path from bench research to clinical development.
Spring Discovery was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in San Carlos, California[1]. The company was built by Ben Kamens, a former VP of Engineering at Khan Academy, who serves as Founder and CEO[1]. Kamens assembled a leadership team with deep biotech and product expertise, including Tim Sullivan (Chief Business Officer, formerly VP of Business Development at Arcus Biosciences) and Brandon White (Head of Product, formerly Senior Product Manager at Freenome)[1].
Over its first seven years, Spring gained recognition for pioneering work in applying machine learning and AI to challenging biological problems, with particular focus on aging, innate immunity, adjuvant development, and phenotypic profiling[3]. The company raised over $50 million in funding from prominent investors including First Round Capital, General Catalyst, Felicis Ventures, Tencent, and Sam Altman, among others[1]. Early traction came from partnerships with prestigious institutions—customers include scientists from UCSF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Broad Institute, and major pharmaceutical companies like Gilead Sciences[1]. By May 2023, Spring had developed three core products: Anvil, Immune Compass, and MegaMap[1].
Spring Discovery exemplifies a broader trend: AI infrastructure for specialized domains. While generalist AI tools dominate headlines, companies like Spring are building deeply specialized AI systems for high-stakes, knowledge-intensive fields where accuracy and interpretability matter enormously. In drug discovery specifically, the convergence of three forces creates urgency for Spring's solution:
1. Data explosion: Modern biological experiments generate vastly more data than researchers can manually analyze
2. Talent bottleneck: Computational biologists and data scientists are scarce relative to demand
3. Time-to-market pressure: Accelerating drug discovery timelines directly impacts patient outcomes and commercial success
Spring's rebranding from "Discovery" to "Science" signals a strategic pivot toward becoming essential infrastructure across the entire R&D pipeline—not just early-stage discovery[3]. This positions the company to capture value across a longer portion of the drug development workflow, from initial research through preclinical development.
The company also influences the broader ecosystem by demonstrating that specialized AI tools can command premium positioning in enterprise biotech, validating a market segment that attracts both venture capital and strategic acquirers.
Spring Science has recently been acquired by a major biotech leader in the Bay Area, marking a significant inflection point[4]. This acquisition validates the company's technology and market positioning while providing access to resources, customer relationships, and distribution channels that would be difficult to build independently.
The future trajectory likely involves:
The acquisition underscores a critical insight: in biotech, specialized AI tools that genuinely accelerate drug discovery are worth acquiring rather than building in-house. As the cost and complexity of drug development continue to rise, expect more strategic acquisitions of companies like Spring that have proven they can meaningfully compress timelines and improve success rates.
Spring Discovery has raised $22.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Spring Discovery's investors include General Catalyst, First Round, Albion VC, Alumni Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Angel investor, Jana Messerschmidt, #ANGELS (Hashtag ANGELS), Archetype, Jean de Fougerolles, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Blisce.