Science on Autopilot: The Future of Labs with Tetsuwan’s AI Robots
Tetsuwan is mass manufacturing scientific labor by building autonomous scientific agents for high sophistication tasks and automating lab experiments.
Tetsuwan Scientific is redefining scientific research by creating robotic AI scientists capable of independently running experiments. Founded in 2023 by bioengineer Cristian Ponce and robotics expert Théo Schäfer, the company is tackling one of the most tedious challenges in laboratories: the repetitive, manual labor that slows down innovation.
By combining cutting-edge AI and robotics, Tetsuwan is revolutionizing how experiments are conducted, from hypothesis generation to automated execution. Their mission? To accelerate scientific discovery by building robots that can think, evaluate, and adapt like human scientists. “It is the craziest thing that we could possibly work on,” Ponce says. “Any technology that automates the scientific method is the catalyst to hyperbolic growth.”
The Spark of Innovation: From Halloween to AI Integration
The story of Tetsuwan began at a Halloween party hosted by Entrepreneur First, where Ponce and Schäfer first met. Schäfer, a NASA veteran with expertise in underwater autonomous robots, and Ponce, a Cal Tech bioengineer, bonded over their shared frustrations with tedious lab tasks. “Schäfer had studied at MIT, worked at NASA exploring Jupiter’s moons for alien life,” Ponce recalls. “Crazy stuff. I was coming from Cal Tech, doing bioengineering and working on E. coli.”
The breakthrough came in May 2024, when OpenAI’s multi-model capabilities inspired Ponce to test GPT-4’s scientific reasoning. By showing the model a DNA gel image, Ponce discovered its ability to not only interpret the data but also diagnose problems and suggest detailed solutions. “It identified a primer dimer and offered detailed suggestions on how to fix it,” Ponce explains. This “light bulb moment” solidified their vision: pairing AI’s reasoning power with robotics to create a system that could execute and refine experiments autonomously.
Robots That Think and Adapt
Tetsuwan’s robots are functional, square-shaped lab machines designed to evaluate results and make real-time modifications. They address a long-standing gap in lab automation: translating scientific intent into physical action. “That robot doesn’t have the context to know. Maybe it’s a viscous liquid. Maybe it’s going to crystallize. So we have to tell it,” Ponce explains.
By integrating software, sensors, and AI, these robots can adapt to variables like liquid viscosity, calibration, and crystallization potential. This allows them to adjust experimental parameters autonomously, much like a human scientist would. La Jolla Labs, a biotech focused on RNA therapeutics, is already using Tetsuwan’s robots to optimize dosages, showcasing their potential to revolutionize workflows in biotech and beyond.
Fueling the Future of Science
Tetsuwan Scientific has raised $2.7 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round led by 2048 Ventures, with support from Carbon Silicon, Everywhere Ventures, and biotech angel investors. This funding is accelerating the development of smarter, more adaptable robotic scientists capable of reshaping discovery in fields like genetics, drug development, and materials science.
While other organizations like FutureHouse and Potato are also exploring AI-driven scientific discovery, Tetsuwan stands out with its practical, lab-focused approach. “We’re not just building robots,” Ponce says. “We’re automating the very fabric of scientific progress.” With its innovative vision, Tetsuwan is uniquely positioned to redefine how science is conducted, one experiment at a time.
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