Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are revolutionizing almost every field. Drug discovery - the process of identifying druggable targets and potential therapeutic compounds - is a long, costly, and often laborious process wherein researchers may sift through thousands of therapeutic candidates for a target looking for a hit.

After many decades of experimentation, millions of data points on targets and therapeutic compounds exist for all kinds of disease indications. This is far too much information for even a top team of humans to interpret, but can artificial intelligence algorithms make sense of it all to improve the drug discovery process?

In this episode of BioInnovator Spotlight, we speak with Ségolène Martin, CEO and co-founder of Kantify, a company using AI technology to improve drug discovery in a variety of fields such as oncology and neuromuscular disorders.

Mammalian cell culture is difficult to scale up. Many cell types do not grow well in suspension and preferably attach to surfaces like the bottom of their flasks. Currently, researchers examine this growth manually and culture cells by hand in specialized cell culture flasks.

Cell culture is critical in many fields of research, from healthcare to future food technology, and scaling this technique using automated processes is the holy grail of manufacturing cell-based products that are both affordable and high-quality.

Unicorn Biotechnologies was founded by Adam Glen and Jack Reid to take on this challenge. In this episode of BioInnovator Spotlight, Adam and Jack tell us what motivated them to enter the world of automation, how they met at Entrepreneur First, and what they hope to achieve with Unicorn in the coming year.

Alternative meat products are a simple answer to the challenge of sustainably feeding a growing population worldwide. These foods, often made from plants and fungi, mimic existing familiar meat products like steak and fish fillets, but often lack the same taste, mouthfeel, and even some health benefits of the real deal.

Upstream Foods is addressing this issue head-on by creating cultivated fat cells from fish. These cells can be used as an ingredient in alternative fish products, providing healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as the taste and feel of real fish.

We speak with Upstream's co-founder and CEO, Kianti Figler, about her journey from biology to food technology, why she founded the company, and the challenges she faces as a founder today.