Automaton is a company.
Automaton has raised $2.3M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Automaton.
Automaton has raised $2.3M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Automata is a London-based startup founded in 2015 that builds a hardware-software platform to automate science labs, focusing on life sciences like genomics and cell biology. It offers the Eva robotic arm integrated with LINQ cloud software, enabling users to connect instruments, design workflows, schedule experiments, and run full lab automation for repetitive tasks.[3][5][7] The company serves pharmaceutical firms (e.g., AstraZeneca), NHS Trusts, and academic institutions (e.g., The Francis Crick Institute), solving the problem of manual, error-prone lab processes by providing scalable, full-lab automation that boosts efficiency and innovation in research and diagnostics.[3][5] With over $147M raised—including a $40M round in 2023 and $50M Series B—Automata shows strong growth momentum, expanding across Europe and the U.S.[3][5][7]
Automata started in London in 2015, initially targeting various industries with a configurable desktop robotic arm called Eva for partial automation of repetitive tasks.[3] Founders recognized that smaller, individualized use cases wouldn't scale, leading to a pivot: they developed "Automata 2.0," a comprehensive platform integrating hardware and LINQ software for end-to-end lab workflows, zeroing in on high-potential sectors like genomics and cell biology on the cusp of automation revolutions.[3] Early traction came from refining this stack for life sciences, amassing key customers like AstraZeneca and NHS Trusts, with prior funding of ~$57M fueling product maturity before recent raises.[3][5]
(Note: Separate entities exist, such as a 2018 fintech crypto robo-advisor also named Automata in London[1] and a Cambridge gaming studio acquired by Improbable[2]; this profile focuses on the prominent lab automation company based on funding scale and recency.[3][5][7])
Automata rides the lab automation wave in life sciences, where rising R&D demands, talent shortages, and precision needs (e.g., post-COVID diagnostics) drive full-lab robotics adoption.[3][5] Timing is ideal amid genomics booms and AI-driven discovery, with market forces like pharma's push for faster drug development favoring integrated platforms over siloed tools.[3][7] It influences the ecosystem by enabling labs to "innovate, diagnose, and discover at scale," reducing manual bottlenecks and accelerating breakthroughs for partners like the NHS and Crick Institute.[5][7]
Automata is poised to dominate lab automation as life sciences funding surges and AI integration deepens workflows. Next steps include U.S. scaling, new verticals beyond genomics, and LINQ enhancements for AI-orchestrated experiments—shaped by trends like personalized medicine and regulatory pushes for efficiency. Its influence could evolve from niche innovator to infrastructure layer, powering global R&D as automation becomes table stakes, building on a vision that turned early pivots into enterprise reality.[3][5][7]
Key people at Automaton.
Automaton has raised $2.3M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Automaton's investors include Swan Venture Fund, Founders' Co-op, Steve Kishi, Voyager Capital.
Automaton has raised $2.3M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in April 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2021 | $2.0M Seed | Swan Venture Fund | |
| Dec 1, 2018 | $320K Seed | Founders' Co-op, Steve Kishi, Voyager Capital |
