OpenAI researcher Miles Wang to launch AI drug discovery startup at $2B valuation
Original: OpenAI researcher Miles Wang in talks to launch AI drug discovery startup valued at $2B
Why This Matters
AI drug discovery startups are attracting multi-billion-dollar valuations, signaling rapid sector growth at the intersection of AI and life sciences.
OpenAI researcher Miles Wang is leaving the company to found an AI drug discovery startup. He is in talks to raise approximately $200 million at a $2 billion valuation, with Lightspeed reportedly in discussions to lead the round. Several other OpenAI researchers are expected to join the new venture.
Miles Wang, an OpenAI researcher focused on using AI to accelerate scientific and biological discovery, is departing the company to launch a startup developing AI models for drug discovery. According to four sources familiar with his plans, Wang is in talks to raise around $200 million at a $2 billion valuation, with Lightspeed reportedly in discussions to lead the funding round. Wang disputed the reported funding figures and company description but did not provide corrected details; Lightspeed declined to comment.
The new startup may focus on identifying new uses for existing or previously failed drugs — a strategy that can reduce time to revenue compared to developing entirely new compounds, since FDA-approved drugs have already passed safety testing.
Wang joined OpenAI in 2024 after leaving Harvard, where he was pursuing a computer science degree. At OpenAI, he co-authored research papers on how AI can automate and accelerate scientific discovery.
The news comes amid surging investor interest in AI-driven life sciences. Chai Discovery — co-founded by former OpenAI researcher Josh Meier — raised $400 million at a $3.8 billion valuation this week. Google DeepMind spinout Isomorphic Labs raised a $2.1 billion Series B in May 2026.