Transforming Material Design with AI:
A new startup, CuspAI, is leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate material design for carbon capture technologies. The company recently announced a $30 million seed funding round to develop an AI platform for rapidly generating and evaluating novel material structures.
Founded by AI Experts:
CuspAI was founded by renowned AI professionals, Professor Max Welling (former VP at Microsoft Research and Qualcomm) and Dr. Chad Edwards (deep-tech commercialization at Google and BASF). Geoffrey Hinton, the ‘Godfather of AI,’ will serve as a board advisor.
AI-Powered Material Search Engine:
CuspAI’s platform functions as a search engine for materials, allowing users to request specific properties for new materials on demand. This technology enables rapid discovery of materials with precise functionalities, including materials for carbon capture and sustainable fuels.
Tackling Climate Change:
One of CuspAI’s priorities is developing materials for capturing carbon dioxide from the air, supporting the direct air capture and carbon capture sectors. The company aims to help the industry reduce the cost of removing CO2 from the air to around $100 per ton.
Partnership with Meta:
CuspAI has partnered with Meta’s OpenDAC project to advance direct air capture technologies. Researchers from Meta will collaborate with CuspAI’s team to accelerate carbon removal solutions.
Business Model:
Cusp AI plans to charge companies for access to its AI-powered material search engine, enabling them to find the materials they need efficiently.
Investor Perspective:
Paul Murphy, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners (one of CuspAI’s investors), believes the company is “leading the way into a new era where finding solutions for societally critical global challenges could become as easy as searching the web.”
With its AI-driven approach to material design, CuspAI aims to transform the carbon capture industry and accelerate the development of sustainable technologies.
