Bengaluru-based biotech and artificial intelligence (AI) startup immunitoAI has raised USD 6.1 million (~INR 54.45 crore ) in its Series A funding round, led by noted investor and fund manager Ashish Kacholia. The round also witnessed participation from pi Ventures, Anicut Capital, 3one4 Capital, AC Ventures, and existing backers, including JITO Incubation & Innovation Foundation, LVX, JJ Family Office, and several angel investors.
According to cofounder and CEO Aridni Shah, Ashish Kacholia invested about INR 25 crore (USD 3 million), while pi Ventures and Anicut Capital contributed INR 10.4 crore (USD 1.25 million) and INR 8.3 crore (USD 1 million), respectively. The remaining capital was raised from the other participating investors.
This Series A round follows immunitoAI’s earlier seed funding of INR 7.4 crore (USD 1 million) in September 2021, led by pi Ventures with participation from Entrepreneur First. That round marked the first investment from pi Ventures’ Fund II, announced earlier in 2021.
immunitoAI: Business Overview
Founded in November 2020 by Aridni Shah and Trisha Chatterjee, immunitoAI operates at the intersection of biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The startup has developed a generative AI platform that designs antibody therapeutics from scratch—without relying on biological sources such as animals or humans.
Its AI models are capable of generating novel antibody sequences tailored for any target antigen, compressing the traditional development timeline from four to five years to just 11–12 months. The company also runs its own wet lab, where the designed antibodies undergo validation and testing.
Though currently pre-revenue, immunitoAI envisions pharmaceutical companies as its primary clients. Its three-pronged revenue model includes:
- Selling developed intellectual property (IP) or proprietary antibodies.
- Custom antibody development based on specific client requirements.
- End-to-end drug development, transitioning toward becoming a fully integrated pharmaceutical company.
In the long term, Shah projects that a custom-developed antibody could command around USD 300 million (~INR 2,678 crore) plus royalties, while pre-developed IPs would attract even higher valuations.
Vision and Technology
At its core, immunitoAI’s mission is to accelerate and democratize antibody therapy using AI-driven innovation. Antibodies—proteins produced by the immune system to combat diseases—require lengthy and expensive development and trial phases before reaching clinical applications. ImmunitoAI’s proprietary AI-led process seeks to reduce discovery timelines and costs by more than 50%, enabling targeted therapy for complex diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.
As Aridni Shah explained, “Integration of AI with biology has become a reality today. Biology has always been difficult to study and understand, but with AI, we are bridging gaps and making the impossible possible. Our vision is to make antibody therapy a norm with the help of our technology.”
Investment Rationale
pi Ventures’ Managing Director Roopan Aulakh emphasized that the firm’s focus has always been on investing in disruptive, AI-driven technologies capable of transforming traditional industries. “Our thesis is well reflected in immunitoAI. The company’s AI-led platform will make antibody discovery faster and cheaper, enabling targeted therapy for multiple diseases,” he said.
This sentiment was echoed in 2021, when immunitoAI secured its seed funding. At the time, the funds were primarily allocated to AI product development and biological validation experiments. The new capital infusion will enable the company to develop antibodies for identified diseases, turning its platform-generated designs into proprietary, trial-ready therapeutic candidates.
Market Context
The global monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) market, valued at USD 226.63 billion in 2023, is projected to surpass USD 729.43 billion by 2033. While North America currently leads the market, Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the coming decade.
Within this expanding landscape, immunitoAI stands out as one of the few Indian startups building end-to-end AI-based antibody design platforms. Its closest global peers include Nabla Bio, Generate Biomedicines, and Chai2, which are already operating at the frontier of computational biotherapeutics.
India’s GenAI Healthcare Momentum
immunitoAI’s funding aligns with a broader transformation across India’s healthcare and life sciences sector, fueled by Generative AI (GenAI). Major players like Apollo Hospitals, Max Healthcare, and health-tech startups such as Healthify are increasingly adopting GenAI to optimize patient care, diagnostics, and drug discovery workflows. Globally, pharmaceutical giants including Pfizer, Novartis, and Merck have also integrated GenAI into their R&D pipelines.
As India emerges as a competitive hub for biotechnology and AI innovation, immunitoAI’s INR 54.45 crore raise underscores the country’s growing potential in next-generation biologics and AI-driven drug development.
Conclusion
immunitoAI’s successful Series A round marks a pivotal milestone in India’s biotech evolution. With a robust AI platform, a seasoned founding team blending biology and computation, and a clear strategy to monetize proprietary antibody IP, the company is well-positioned to redefine how biotherapeutics are discovered, designed, and developed—not just in India, but globally.
For more details related to IPO GMP, SEBI IPO Approval, and Live Subscription stay tuned to IPO Central.