WhiteLab Genomics

What WhiteLab Genomics does

WhiteLab Genomics is a Paris-headquartered TechBio company, founded in 2019 by David Del Bourgo and Julien Cottineau, that builds computational tools to accelerate the design and development of genomic medicines. The company serves pharmaceutical companies (Sanofi through the WIDGeT project, Cytiva), biotech firms (Siren Biotechnology, Carbon Biosciences), and academic research institutions (INSERM ART-TG, Généthon, Institut Imagine, Institut de La Vision, UMass Chan Medical School, Université de Sherbrooke), operating from offices in Paris, Boston, and Montréal. Its commercial proposition is to replace trial-and-error experimental screening in gene and cell therapy R&D with data-driven rational design of viral vectors (AAV, lentivirus), non-viral vectors (lipid nanoparticles), payloads, and bioprocesses.

The company's core offering is ALFRED (AI-Led Framework for Rational Exploration in Drug design), a proprietary platform composed of named sub-modules: Jenn.AI for biomarker mapping and target/receptor identification, Carl.AI for protein and vector engineering, Emma.AI for predictive modeling, Kate.Data and Dave.Data for proprietary data curation, and OLIVIA, an LLM/RAG/knowledge-graph tool that structures heterogeneous lentiviral vector bioprocess data. The platform uses ESM-2 protein language models, reinforcement learning, generative AI, and predictive analytics over a proprietary biomarker atlas covering 1,000+ datasets and 850+ cell types. WhiteLab has generated in-house assets including more than 1.2 million unique 3D peptide structures with an 8.3% validated hit rate, and in May 2026 disclosed in vivo data showing ALFRED-designed vectors achieving approximately 50-fold higher DNA enrichment in mouse brain versus AAV9 with no detectable liver signal after IV injection.

WhiteLab operates a co-development business model. Revenue is generated through funded research collaborations, milestone-based co-development agreements with pharmaceutical and biotech partners, and technology licensing of its platform components; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held following a $10 million Series A in September 2022 led by Debiopharm Innovation Fund with participation from Omnes Capital, layered on top of Y Combinator W22 backing and French government support through French Tech 2030 and the French Tech Health20 program. Headcount is disclosed only as a band of 11–50 across three offices, and the company has received industry recognition including Galien Foundation Best Startup finalist status in 2023.

Name

WhiteLab Genomics

Legal name

WhiteLab Genomics SAS

Website

https://whitelabgx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WhiteLab Genomics is a Paris-based TechBio company that builds the ALFRED AI platform to rationally design viral vectors, payloads, and bioprocesses for gene and cell therapies, serving pharmaceutical firms, biotechs, and academic research institutions across Europe and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI-Driven Genomic Medicine Software

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

AI/ML-Enabled Biologic Discovery Platforms (computational design, in silico screening) (HLAAAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gene Therapy CMC/Process Development Platforms (capsid engineering, producer cell lines, plasmids, upstream/downstream) (HLAAACAN), AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)

Keywords

• AI drug discovery
• Genomic medicine platform
• Gene therapy design
• Viral vector engineering
• Computational biology software

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Co-development and Research Partnerships: WhiteLab Genomics operates a co-development business model centered on strategic collaboration with academic and industrial partners. Revenue is generated through funded research collaborations, co-development agreements, and service contracts where partners pay for AI-driven genomic medicine design and optimization services.
2. Technology Licensing and Platform Access: The company licenses access to its proprietary ALFRED AI platform and its component tools (Jenn.AI, Carl.AI, Emma.AI, etc.) to pharmaceutical and biotech partners for specific therapeutic programs.
3. Collaborative R&D Programs: Ongoing collaborations with pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi, Cytiva, and Carbon Biosciences generate revenue through milestone-based payments tied to research progress and successful delivery of AI-designed vectors and payloads.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WhiteLab Genomics develops and operates the ALFRED AI platform, an AI-Led Framework for Rational Exploration in Drug design that combines advanced algorithms, curated proprietary biological databases, and computational biology to optimize therapeutic candidates for gene and cell therapy programs. The platform supports target receptor identification, viral vector design (AAV, lentivirus), non-viral vector design (lipid nanoparticles), payload design, and bioproduction optimization through co-development engagements with pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, and academic institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ALFRED Platform: Proprietary AI-led Framework for Rational Exploration in Drug design - combines advanced algorithms, curated databases, and cutting-edge computational biology to optimize therapeutic candidates
• Kate.Data
• Jenn.AI
• Dave.Data
• Carl.AI
• Emma.AI

Products and services

• ALFRED Platform Proprietary AI platform for rational, in silico design of gene and cell therapy vectors and payloads, combining multiple AI/ML modalities with curated biological databases to accelerate and de-risk genomic medicine development for pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, and academic institutions.
• OLIVIA — Lentiviral Vector Downstream Processing Tool LLM-powered analytics tool that uses Retrieval-Augmented Generation and knowledge graphs to structure heterogeneous lentiviral vector downstream processing data, enabling automated process benchmarking and analysis for bioproduction teams.
• Co-Development & Research Partnership Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.5x higher success rate of entering Phase 1 compared to standard approach
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• UMass Chan Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025Partnership to use AI to optimize genomic medicines for neurological diseases. Professor Qinglan Ling's lab collaborates with WhiteLab to accelerate development of safer, more effective gene therapies for mitochondrial diseases and complex neurological and metabolic conditions.
• Cytiva (Expanded Collaboration)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2025Expanded partnership with Cytiva to use AI to accelerate cell line development, combining WhiteLab's computational biology capabilities with Cytiva's manufacturing infrastructure.
• Carbon BiosciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2025Collaboration to engineer novel genomic medicines and create new disease area opportunities using WhiteLab's ALFRED AI platform, with a focus on developing innovative vectors and expanding into previously inaccessible therapeutic areas.
• SanoficoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the WIDGeT project, Sanofi collaborates with WhiteLab Genomics and academic partners (TarGeT Lab at Nantes University, Institut Imagine) to create novel AAV vectors with tropisms to hard-to-reach cells. Sanofi is the Global Head of Genomic Medicine and has invested in this collaboration to optimize delivery vehicles for nucleic acid medicines.
• CytivacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaboration combining Cytiva's biopharmaceutical manufacturing experience with WhiteLab's AI technology to help manufacturers reach clinical and regulatory milestones faster, benefiting patients globally.
• Siren BiotechnologysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to accelerate Siren's mission to develop universal immuno-gene therapies for cancer. WhiteLab's AI expertise in genomic medicine will be leveraged to identify new indications for AAV gene therapies using a novel AI-accelerated approach.
• Institut ImaginesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration integrating AI into the development and optimization of gene therapies. Institut Imagine contributes expertise in podocytopathies and innovative technological devices to enhance gene therapy effectiveness, demonstrating the importance of public-private, multidisciplinary collaborations.
• Institut de La VisionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the GEAR (Gene therapy Engineering with AI for Retina) project to apply AI-guided rational design for next-generation AAV vectors targeting retinal diseases. Dr. Deniz Dalkara leads research on developing viral vectors with the goal of significant impact on retinal and visual health.
• GénéthonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration using WhiteLab's AI tools to review thousands of sequences and devise innovative combinations to develop a new generation of more specific AAV vectors for neuromuscular disorders. Part of the GenoTher Biocluster industry partnership.
• INSERM (ART-TG)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Anne Galy's team at ART-TG (Accelerateur de Recherche sur les Technologies de Thérapie Génomique) to integrate large bodies of information on critical parameters and their interconnections, enabling rapid experiment adaptation and strategic project acceleration through AI.
• Université de SherbrookesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory at the Pharmacology Institute of Sherbrooke (IPS) to develop peptides targeting new pharmacological targets and optimize viral vectors for genomic medicine, contributing expertise in pharmacology and physiology.
• Bayer Co.LabsupportingTechnology or IntegrationWhiteLab Genomics maintains an office at Bayer Co.Lab in Cambridge, MA, marking a key milestone in the company's international expansion and providing proximity to the Boston biotech ecosystem.
• Ginkgo Bioworks (Technology Network)supportingTechnology or IntegrationWhiteLab joined Ginkgo Bioworks' Technology Network, marking a major milestone in international expansion and connecting with Ginkgo's ecosystem of biotech technology providers.
• Future4CaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationWhiteLab Genomics is housed at Future4Care, a European ecosystem of multidisciplinary actors dedicated to digital health and a joint venture founded by Capgemini, Generali, Orange, and Sanofi. Future4Care provides the physical location for WhiteLab's Paris office and facilitates connections with pharma and startup ecosystems.
• AI for HealthsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of TechBio France 2024, the inaugural national event for the French TechBio ecosystem. AI for Health is a French open innovation ecosystem with international reach, bringing together key stakeholders in AI and healthcare.
• France BiotechsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of TechBio France 2024. France Biotech is the French health innovation association representing over 2,700 HealthTech companies and serves as a key interlocutor for public authorities on health innovation policy.
• France DeeptechsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of TechBio France 2024. France Deeptech unites deeptech players in France with nearly 300 members including investment funds, startups, and leading research centers.
• NIIMBL (National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the NIIMBL consortium driving the future of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. WhiteLab contributes to the development and adoption of next-generation technologies that enhance efficiency, innovation, and patient well-being.
• NIST Genome Editing ConsortiumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Genome Editing Consortium, collaborating with industry, academia, and government stakeholders to establish rigorous standards and measurement solutions for advancing genome editing with precision and reliability.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dyno Therapeutics: Applies machine learning to AAV capsid engineering for gene therapy, directly competing with WhiteLab's Carl.AI capsid design capabilities. Operates a partnership model with gene therapy developers and biopharma that is structurally similar to WhiteLab's co-development motion.
• Generate Biomedicines: Generative biology platform using ML to design novel protein therapeutics across multiple modalities. Overlaps directly with WhiteLab's generative AI and protein language model approaches for therapeutic design, including non-viral vector and payload engineering.
• BigHat Biosciences: AI/ML-guided antibody and protein engineering platform using wet-lab-in-the-loop design. Comparable to WhiteLab in combining generative AI, protein language models, and in silico design with experimental validation for biologic therapeutic discovery.
• Insitro: Machine learning-driven drug discovery company combining high-throughput biology with AI models to accelerate therapeutic development. Comparable enterprise AI-for-biologics platform with a co-development/partnership model targeting pharma.

Broad incumbents

• Recursion Pharmaceuticals: Large-scale AI-driven drug discovery platform using high-throughput experimental data and machine learning to identify novel therapeutics. A more broadly-scoped competitor operating a similar AI+biology platform model with significantly more capital.
• AbCellera: AI-enabled antibody discovery platform combining high-throughput screening, ML, and a partnership model with pharma. Comparable in using ML to accelerate biologic discovery and operating a partnership/licensing revenue model.
• Schrödinger: Computational chemistry and physics-based drug design platform with AI/ML-augmented molecular simulation. Comparable in offering computational tools that accelerate therapeutic design, but operates at significantly larger scale and in small-molecule as well as biologic modalities.

Emerging players

• Tessera Therapeutics: Gene writing technology company developing novel approaches to genomic medicine. Operates in the same genomic medicine development space as WhiteLab's partners and overlaps on the application side of AI-driven vector and therapeutic design.
• Cradle Bio: AI platform for protein engineering and design using generative ML models. Comparable to WhiteLab's protein language model and generative AI capabilities for biologics, though focused on broader protein design rather than gene therapy vectors specifically.
• Lantern Pharma: AI-driven oncology drug development company using machine learning to identify and develop targeted therapies. Comparable in applying AI/ML to accelerate therapeutic development in a partnership-aware model, though focused on oncology small molecules.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=E-jCzMoaBDw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whitelabgenomics
• Xx.com/WhitelabG
• Facebookfacebook.com/whitelabgenomics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WhiteLab Genomics