Zaka VC Invests in DeepSeq.AI to Transform AI-Based Protein Drug Discovery
DeepSeq.AI, a privately held biotech company focused on AI-based protein (biologics) drug discovery using hyperscaled data, announced a new investment from Zaka VC, a Czech-based early-stage venture capital fund.1
DeepSeq.AI uses proprietary LLM-based technology to generate and analyze very large experimental datasets for protein drug discovery, including large-scale protein–protein interaction (PPI) data, to identify better drug candidates.1
The funding round includes capital from Zaka VC, Illumina Ventures, and several leading biotech-focused family offices, and will be used to scale DeepSeq’s datasets and development teams to support future collaborations in protein drug discovery.1
DeepSeq.AI’s large-scale PPI and other datasets have been validated through a DARPA-funded initiative, which are used to power its AI algorithms for more efficient discovery of protein drug candidates.1
According to Zaka VC co-founder and managing partner Jan Kasper, DeepSeq has a strong balance of scientific and commercial expertise, a unique data foundation with a strong moat, and has already shown promising early traction.1
DeepSeq.AI’s commercially available platform is already used by multiple big pharma customers and the company has received several recognitions, including the 2025 Astellas Future Innovators award and the 2024 MBC Biolabs/ONO “Golden Ticket” award.1
DeepSeq.AI is backed by major accelerators such as Merck Digital Sciences Studio (DSS), Stanford StartX, and Berkeley SkyDeck, and has received grant funding from DARPA and the NSF.1
Zaka VC is an early-stage VC fund bridging Europe and North America, focusing on Biotech, Healthcare, and Industrial Tech (including healthcare and life sciences and deep tech) and investing primarily at seed and pre-seed stages in the US and Europe.13
DeepSeq.AI is listed in the Zaka VC portfolio as a startup “transforming AI-based protein drug discovery using hyperscaled data,” headquartered in San Diego, CA, United States.5
Zaka VC has rapidly become one of the most active early-stage investors in Europe, originally formed as a family office and later formalized as a VC fund, with a growing presence in the United States and Canada, including a San Francisco office.12
Sources:
1. https://www.einpresswire.com/article/879998435/zaka-vc-invests-in-deepseq-ai-to-transform-ai-based-protein-drug-discovery
2. https://vestbee.com/insights/articles/zaka-vc-is-raising-15-m-fund