Colossal Co-Founder Ben Lamm’s Astromech Raises $20M at $3.8B Valuation

Astromech, an AI company founded by Colossal co-founder and CEO Ben Lamm, has raised $20 million in funding at a $3.8 billion valuation.

The round was led by Bob Nelsen, co-founder of ARCH Venture Partners, with participation from Peak 6, NeoGenesis Capital, Builders VC and CA Investments. The latest investment brings Astromech’s total funding to $60 million.

Founded in 2025 by Ben Lamm and Harvard geneticist George Church, Astromech uses AI and genomic data to study how biological systems change and identify where they are most likely to fail.

The company’s technology originated from Colossal Biosciences, where Lamm and Church are also co-founders. While Colossal focuses on using ancient DNA and biotechnology to bring extinct species back, Astromech is focused on predicting biological changes before they occur.

Astromech studies animals with extreme biological traits as natural experiments. Its first public research project examines longevity and cancer resistance by comparing species such as cancer-resistant Asian elephants, long-lived bowhead whales and Brandt’s bats with shorter-lived relatives.

The company says it has mapped 46 genes associated with cellular maintenance, cancer resistance and longevity. The research could eventually have applications across conservation, disease research, drug resistance and food supply.

Astromech operates in an emerging AI-biology market alongside companies such as Insitro and Isomorphic Labs, although its approach focuses on predicting biological weaknesses and changes before potential drug targets are identified.

The new funding will support the development of Astromech’s predictive biology platform as the company looks to turn genomic data and AI models into tools for understanding how complex biological systems change over time.