Atomic AI
Atomic AI is a San Francisco-based biotech company that combines deep learning foundation models with proprietary wet-lab assays to predict RNA 3D structure and discover RNA-targeted small molecules and RNA-based therapeutics for pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSouth San Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Atomic AI does
Atomic AI is a privately held biotechnology company founded in 2021 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company builds AI-driven tools to predict the three-dimensional structure of RNA molecules and to design RNA-targeted small molecules and RNA-based therapeutics, including mRNA vaccines, siRNAs, and circular RNA. Atomic AI's core offering is the PARSE (Platform for AI-driven RNA Structure Exploration) platform, which integrates deep learning foundation models with purpose-built in-house wet-lab assays in a synergistic cycle. The platform is powered by ATOM-1, a proprietary foundation model that the company describes as the first large language model to leverage chemical mapping data for RNA therapeutic optimization. The underlying research originated at Stanford University, with the ARES algorithm published on the cover of Science in August 2021, providing scientific provenance for the company's technology.
Atomic AI generates revenue through a B2B partnership and platform licensing model directed at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The company does not sell products to end customers; instead, it engages potential partners through business development outreach (inquiries routed to [email protected]) and develops RNA-targeted medicines in therapeutic areas aligned with each partner's strategic focus. Revenue mechanics are consistent with typical biotech platform deals: upfront payments, milestone payments, and potential royalties on successfully developed drug candidates. The company serves a single primary segment — pharmaceutical and biotechnology business units seeking to access previously undruggable RNA targets — and has no publicly disclosed named customers, contracts, or revenue figures.
The company has raised approximately $42 million across funding rounds: a $7 million seed round in 2021 led by 8VC, a $35 million Series A in January 2023 led by Playground Global with participation from 8VC, Greylock, AME Cloud Ventures, Factory, and Not Boring, and an additional undisclosed amount from Modi Ventures in August 2023. Atomic AI has approximately 16 named team members spanning machine learning, RNA biology, cheminformatics, and business operations. Leadership includes founder and CEO Raphael Townshend (Stanford PhD), Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Manjunath Ramarao (former Bristol Myers Squibb), and Head of ML Stephan Eismann. The company has been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 (December 2022, founder), Nature Biotechnology Editor's Pick (August 2024), and Pharma's Almanac Five Small Biotechs to Watch (February 2025).
Atomic AI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Atomic AI
- Legal name
- Atomic AI
- Website
- https://atomic.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Atomic AI is a San Francisco-based biotech company that combines deep learning foundation models with proprietary wet-lab assays to predict RNA 3D structure and discover RNA-targeted small molecules and RNA-based therapeutics for pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Atomic AI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AI-driven RNA drug discovery platform
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- akta.pro primary industry
- RNA Therapeutics Platforms & Design (sequence design, target ID/validation, AI/bioinformatics) (HLAAADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE), AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)
Keywords
Where Atomic AI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Atomic AI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Platform Licensing and Partnership Agreements: Atomic AI licenses its platform technology to pharmaceutical and biotech partners, enabling them to develop RNA-targeted small molecules in areas of strategic focus. Revenue likely comes through upfront payments, milestone payments, and potential royalties on successful drug development.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Atomic AI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Atomic AI combines machine learning with structural biology to design RNA-targeted small molecules and RNA-based therapeutics. Its proprietary PARSE platform integrates deep learning foundation models with purpose-built in-house wet-lab assays in a synergistic discovery cycle, anchored by the ATOM-1 foundation model that predicts RNA 3D structure and the properties of small molecules, mRNA vaccines, siRNAs, and circular RNA. The platform is offered to pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners to access historically undruggable RNA targets.
Product overview
Atomic AI offers a unified platform approach combining the PARSE (Platform for AI-driven RNA Structure Exploration) as the core R&D system with ATOM-1 as its foundational AI model. PARSE integrates deep learning foundation models with purpose-built in-house wet-lab assays in a virtuous cycle, while ATOM-1 serves as the large language model enabling precise 3D RNA structure predictions. Together, these products enable the discovery and development of RNA-targeted small molecules and RNA-based therapeutics for treating traditionally undruggable diseases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ATOM-1: First-of-its-kind large language model that leverages chemical mapping data to streamline RNA therapeutic optimization. Enables precise predictions of RNA structural and functional properties.
- PARSE (Platform for AI-driven RNA Structure Exploration)
Products and services
- PARSE (Platform for AI-driven RNA Structure Exploration) Proprietary R&D platform that integrates cutting-edge deep learning foundation models with purpose-built in-house wet-lab assays in a synergistic cycle for discovering and developing RNA-targeted and RNA-based small molecules; offered to pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners for drug discovery.
- ATOM-1 Foundation Model First-of-its-kind large language model that leverages chemical mapping data to predict RNA structural and functional properties, as well as key characteristics of RNA-based modalities including small molecules, mRNA vaccines, siRNAs, and circular RNA; underpins Atomic AI's PARSE platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- First foundation model using chemical mapping data for RNA therapeutic development
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Atomic AI
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Atomic AI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature3 records
Atomic AI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Atomic AI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- EvolutionaryScale: Frontier AI research company building foundation models for biology (ESM series) and pursuing applications in therapeutics. Comparable as a foundation-model-for-biology company with overlapping talent pool and methodology.
- Profluent Bio: AI protein design company using large language models for novel protein engineering. Comparable as an AI foundation-model-for-biology startup with adjacent (protein, not RNA) focus and similar go-to-market.
- Cradle Bio: AI platform for protein engineering and biologics design with pharma partnership model. Comparable as an AI-native biologics platform competing for similar pharma partnership budgets.
Broad incumbents
- Insitro: AI-driven drug discovery company combining ML with induced pluripotent stem cell biology, with major partnerships (e.g., Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly). Comparable business model of AI platform + pharma partnerships in a larger, better-funded form.
- Owkin: AI biotech platform with pharma partnerships applying ML to drug discovery and clinical development. Comparable as a larger, established AI-for-drug-discovery platform competing for similar pharma AI partnerships.
- Recursion Pharmaceuticals: Public, large-scale AI drug discovery company combining high-throughput wet-lab biology with ML. Comparable as a much larger, well-funded AI-biotech platform pursuing pharma partnerships and internal pipeline development.
Direct peers
- Isomorphic Labs: Alphabet/DeepMind spinout applying AlphaFold-style AI to drug discovery, including partnerships with Novartis and Eli Lilly. Directly comparable as a well-capitalized AI-native drug discovery platform with pharma partnership model.
- Deep Genomics: AI platform company focused on RNA-targeted medicines and genetic drug discovery. Most directly comparable to Atomic AI given its emphasis on AI-designed RNA-targeted therapeutics.
- Inceptive: AI-first RNA biology company (founded by Patrick Collison) focused on designing RNA-based medicines with deep learning. Closely mirrors Atomic AI's mission of using AI to unlock RNA therapeutics.
- Generate Biomedicines: Flagship Pioneering-backed AI generative biology company developing RNA- and protein-based programmable medicines using foundation models. Most directly comparable to Atomic AI in applying generative AI to RNA/biological drug design.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Atomic AI social profiles
Digital presenceAtomic AI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Atomic AI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Atomic AI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Atomic AI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Atomic AI
What does Atomic AI do?
Atomic AI combines machine learning with structural biology to design RNA-targeted small molecules and RNA-based therapeutics. Its proprietary PARSE platform integrates deep learning foundation models with purpose-built in-house wet-lab assays in a synergistic discovery cycle, anchored by the ATOM-1 foundation model that predicts RNA 3D structure and the properties of small molecules, mRNA vaccines, siRNAs, and circular RNA. The platform is offered to pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners to access historically undruggable RNA targets.
Is Atomic AI a public or private company?
Atomic AI is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Atomic AI founded?
Atomic AI was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Atomic AI based?
Atomic AI is headquartered in South San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Atomic AI make money?
One revenue line is on record: platform Licensing and Partnership Agreements.
Who are Atomic AI's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are EvolutionaryScale, Profluent Bio and Cradle Bio. Broad incumbents are Insitro, Owkin and Recursion Pharmaceuticals. Direct peers are Isomorphic Labs, Deep Genomics, Inceptive and Generate Biomedicines.
Does Atomic AI have an API?
No public API is recorded for Atomic AI.
What industry is Atomic AI in?
Atomic AI's product category is AI-driven RNA drug discovery platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAADAG, RNA Therapeutics Platforms & Design (sequence design, target ID/validation, AI/bioinformatics), with a secondary code of HLAAAIAE, AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening). Its NAICS code is 541714.