Inherent Raises $50M to Build AI-Native Science Platform

Inherent Labs has secured $50 million in seed funding to advance Faraday, an AI platform aimed at transforming the scientific method for the machine learning era. The round was co-led by Index Ventures and Radical Ventures, with additional backing from NVIDIA’s venture arm, Nventurers, and funds like Ex/Ante, Metaplanet, Macroscopic Ventures, and Mythos Ventures. Unlike existing AI tools, Faraday is designed not to optimize current research workflows but to generate entirely new scientific questions through autonomous exploration of hypothesis spaces. The system integrates human expertise with semi-autonomous AI agents capable of self-enhancement, potentially accelerating discoveries that would take centuries of human effort. The startup’s founding team includes DeepMind alumni Tantum Collins, Edward Hughes, and Louis Kirsch, alongside infrastructure engineer Kaloyan Aleksiev. Collins previously served as an AI policy advisor in the Biden White House, while Matt Clifford, former UK AI tsar and co-founder of Entrepreneur First, joined as a strategic advisor. This blend of technical and policy expertise positions Inherent to bridge academic research and government-funded science. Inherent operates as a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), legally obligated to balance profit with public benefit goals like safety, transparency, and ethical advancement. Investors view this structure as a strategic advantage, framing AI-native science as a disruptive but uncharted frontier requiring early governance frameworks. The company’s vision challenges traditional scientific paradigms, emphasizing unpredictability and open-ended inquiry over structured, human-led research. By embedding ethical and regulatory considerations from inception, Inherent aims to set a precedent for responsible innovation in frontier AI.