Medra Secures $11 Million to Revolutionize Lab Automation with AI Platform

San Francisco, CA – Medra, a pioneering AI robotics startup, officially launched its "Continuous Science Platform" on September 11, 2025, aiming to transform life science research through advanced lab automation. The company has successfully raised $11 million in funding to propel its mission of accelerating scientific discoveries. The launch garnered positive attention, with healthcare expert Neil Parikh stating on social media, > "Excited for the launch of Medra! Congrats!!"

Medra's innovative platform integrates Physical AI and Scientific AI to create a self-improving, closed-loop system for laboratory experiments. Physical AI agents utilize computer vision and natural language understanding to automate approximately 70% of existing lab instruments, meticulously capturing granular experimental data. This data is then analyzed by Scientific AI, which leverages large language models to suggest protocol optimizations, significantly enhancing experimental throughput and accuracy.

Founded by CEO Michelle Lee, who holds a PhD in robotics from Stanford, Medra was established in 2021 to address the significant gap between cutting-edge AI technology and traditional lab automation. The $11 million investment underscores confidence in Medra's potential to drive innovation in the biotech sector. Medra is already collaborating with major biotech and pharma companies, including Addition Therapeutics and Lila Sciences, to apply its platform to critical areas like RNA transfection and protein characterization.

The launch comes amidst a rapidly expanding market for Artificial Intelligence in diagnostics, projected to reach $5.44 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate of 22.46%. This growth is fueled by advancements in machine learning, the increasing demand for early disease detection, and the ongoing digitization of healthcare. AI-powered software solutions are dominating this sector, offering enhanced precision and efficiency in medical diagnostics.

Neil Parikh, a physician and resident physician in Radiation Oncology at UCLA with a background in healthcare consulting, highlighted the significance of Medra's debut with his congratulatory remarks. His endorsement reflects a broader industry enthusiasm for novel technologies that promise to streamline research and improve patient outcomes. Medra's entry is set to contribute to the evolving landscape of AI-driven scientific advancement.