Brightseed raises $68m to accelerate AI-powered research

Brightseed, the developer of an artificial intelligence-powered phytonutrient discovery solution, has raised $68 million to support AI-led research.

The funding round was led by Temasek, with participation from new and existing investors.

The bioscience company is the creator of Forager, a platform that reveals the “connections between nature and human health”. The technology identifies natural bioactives and maps connections to human health benefits, with potential applications spanning food and agriculture, nutrition policy and nature-based drug design. 

Forager has mapped more than 2 million plant compounds, with a number of these in various stages of validation across health areas such as sugar management, immunity, and metabolic, digestive, cognitive and maternal health. 

Jim Flatt, co-founder and CEO of Brightseed, said: “Nature holds an incredibly rich and largely uncharted source of powerful, natural bioactives that create health benefits in humans and we’re now able to access and integrate them into products for food and health industries”.

He continued: “Discovering and mapping natural bioactives to human health benefits was just the first step for Brightseed. Now, we’re launching clinically studied ingredients and insights to illuminate the hidden potential in nature to restore human health.”

The new funding will enable Brightseed to advance its natural compound discovery and clinical validation, and launch its first FDA-GRAS ingredient from its new commercialisation centre in Raleigh, North Carolina.