Imperagen, a spin-out from the University of Manchester, has secured £5 million to advance its enzyme engineering platform, which leverages a combination of quantum physics, artificial intelligence and laboratory automation. The seed funding round, led by PXN Ventures, takes the company’s total investment to £8.5m and will fund the expansion of its research and development activities over the next 18 months. Imperagen’s closed-loop system has already demonstrated significant results, achieving more than 500x improvements in enzyme performance in projects with Fortune 500 personal care companies. Dr. Guy Levy-Urista, an executive with two successful exits, will serve as CEO and the company aims to deliver the future of biocatalysis: a recursive, self-improving AI platform that helps rewrite chemical reactions.
Quantum physics and AI drive closed-loop enzyme engineering
Improvements in enzyme performance of more than 500-fold are now achievable, as demonstrated by Imperagen, a University of Manchester spin-out company leveraging new approaches to enzyme engineering. The company integrates quantum physics, artificial intelligence modeling, and automated laboratory systems within a closed-loop framework to accelerate the development of enzymes for a variety of industrial applications, including pharmaceutical manufacturing and sustainable chemical production. Traditional enzyme engineering methods rely on manual screening and limited computational predictions, which are often time-consuming and inefficient. Imperagen’s platform addresses these limitations by creating a continuous purification system. The core of Imperagen’s technology lies in a three-step process that begins with quantum physics simulations that computationally explore millions of potential mutation combinations. Rather than relying on general-purpose algorithms, these simulations generate data that is used to train specialized AI models tailored to specific engineering challenges.
Automated robotics then physically tests the most promising predictions and generates experimental data. This data is immediately fed back into the AI model, allowing it to learn and improve with each iteration. Imperagen is expanding its business after securing a total of £8.5m in funding, including a recent £5m seed round led by PXN Ventures. The investment will fund both research and development, particularly the expansion of the company’s wet lab capabilities and expansion of its in-house AI team. The new CEO, Dr. Guy Levy Yulista, brings extensive experience in scaling deep technology businesses, having overseen two successful exits in both the US and Europe. “The companies that are making fundamental changes in this new AI-driven future are all AI-native, they rely on real-world data, they have real impact, and they are essentially deep tech,” he said. He added, “Each Impelagen has its own characteristics.”
Imperagen secures £5m seed funding led by PXN Ventures
This latest round brings total funding to £8.5 million and will be used to accelerate research and development, expand wet lab capacity and establish commercial routes over the next 18 months. The company’s approach differs from traditional enzyme engineering, which relies on time-consuming and expensive manual screening and unreliable computational predictions, by employing a closed-loop system designed for speed and predictability. Levi-Urista explained: “Imperagen has individual characteristics and combines them with great people, incredible technology and Manchester’s undeniable energy.” PXN Investment Director Sim Sinlanda highlighted the regional impact, noting that the company’s growth will build on its links with the University of Manchester’s Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, helping to strengthen the North West’s life sciences ecosystem.
The North West’s life sciences ecosystem is constantly strengthening and stands to benefit from Impellagen’s local jobs and growth plans, building on the company’s links with the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology at the University of Manchester.
Sim Singh-Landa, PXN Investment Director
Automated wet lab system improves enzyme performance by 500x to 677x
£5m has been invested. At the heart of Imperagen’s approach is a closed-loop system designed to overcome the limitations of traditional enzyme engineering methods. This approach often relies on time-consuming and expensive manual screening or designs that are computationally promising but ultimately unreliable. The company’s platform begins with quantum physics simulations, computationally exploring millions of mutational combinations to predict enzyme properties. Levy-Yurista pointed out that the company’s AI-guided system achieved productivity increases of 677x for two enzymes and 572x for two enzymes in just five experimental rounds, highlighting the potential for rapid optimization and risk avoidance of product development.
What I’m seeing now is that all the companies that are going to make fundamental changes in this new AI-driven future are AI-native, they rely on real-world data, they have real impact, and they’re essentially deep tech.
