Startups
Proxima Bio
New York, New York, United States · Boston, Massachusetts, United States
New York-based AI-enabled biotechnology company, formerly VantAI, developing proximity-based medicines by making protein interactions programmable. Its integrated discovery platform combines generative AI, structural proteomics and experimental chemistry and biology to map protein interactions and design molecular glues, PROTACs and other proximity modulators. Co-founded by Zachary Carpenter and Luca Naef, the business spun out of Roivant in 2023 and rebranded as Proxima in January 2026. Its team spans machine learning, computational biology and chemistry, proteomics and drug discovery, with seven published scientific advisers. A January 2026 seed announcement disclosed $80 million led by DCVC; the June 2026 SEC amendment records $91,454,999 actually sold in the same offering. A separate July 2023 preferred-share financing raised $6 million from SK Inc. Commercial collaboration milestones and retained-investment fair values are not financing proceeds.
Team
 Adam BorneSENIOR PRINCIPAL COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY |
 Adam GreenPRINCIPAL COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY |
 Aditi PalkarASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PROJECT MANAGER/ALLIANCE MANAGEMENT |
 Adriana AltomonteHEAD OF PEOPLE |
Alex GasnerBoard Member |
 Alexander GoncearencoSENIOR DIRECTOR COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY |
 Bradley L. PenteluteScientific Advisory Board Member |
 Bruno CorreiaScientific Advisory Board Member |
 Calliste SkourasSTRATEGY & OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE |
 Cathy MarulliPROTEOMICS PLATFORM LEAD |
 Chalada SuebsuwongDIRECTOR MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY |
 Charlotte KelleyPRINCIPAL BIOLOGY |
 Clemens IsertAI SCIENTIST III |
 Cristina Di GenuaSENIOR DIRECTOR BIOLOGY |
 Dan MarquessINTERIM CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER |
 Dana FelkerCOMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGIST II |
 Daniele GrattarolaHEAD OF MACHINE LEARNING |
 Danny KovtunVP ENGINEERING |
 Dom VigilVP/HEAD OF BIOLOGY |
 Douglas WuSENIOR PRINCIPAL COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY |
 Dwight McGeePRINCIPAL SCIENTIST COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY |
 Filippos KottakisASSOCIATE DIRECTOR BIOLOGY |
 Giulia CrocioniSENIOR SCIENTIFIC SOFTWARE ENGINEER |
 Graham HoltCOMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGIST III |
 Haichan NiuSENIOR LEAD SCIENTIST MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY |
 Ian ChurcherScientific Advisory Board Member |
 Inese SteinbergaSENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT |
 Jack KabrichDIRECTOR STRATEGY & OPERATIONS |
 Jack McFarlandCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER |
 Jason PontinBoard Member |
 Jeremy SokoloveINTERIM CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER |
 Jerome EberhardtCOMPUTATIONAL CHEMIST III |
 Josh SouthernSENIOR AI SCIENTIST |
 Julian CremerSENIOR AI SCIENTIST |
 Juri RappsilberScientific Advisory Board Member |
 Kai WohlfahrtSENIOR PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER |
 Liz BradyLAB OPS MANAGER |
 Luca NaefCO-FOUNDER & CTO |
 Lyn JonesScientific Advisory Board Member |
 Manav KumarSENIOR COMPUTATIONAL CHEMIST |
 Matthias GrassVP R&D STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS |
 Mehmet AkdelSTAFF AI SCIENTIST |
 Meiling ThompsonCHIEF OF STAFF |
 Michael BronsteinCHIEF SCIENTIST IN RESIDENCE |
 Michael LazearSENIOR DIRECTOR/HEAD OF PLATFORM |
 Michael PunAI SCIENTIST III |
 Milan AvilaCOMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGIST III |
 Morteza SadatAI SCIENTIST III |
 Patrick KunzmannSTAFF SCIENTIFIC SWE |
 Philippe SchwallerScientific Advisory Board Member |
 Qijia YuPROTEOMICS SCIENTIST |
 Raymond DeshaiesScientific Advisory Board Member |
 Rohit AdvaniSENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE |
 Sam GerritzVP HEAD OF CHEMISTRY |
 Si-Han ChenSENIOR DIRECTOR HEAD OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY |
 Sven GutjahrAI SCIENTIST INTERN |
 Taarak ShahTARGET STRATEGY INTERN |
 Thomas CastiglioneAI SCIENTIST III |
 Thomas DuignanPRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER |
 Thomas GilgenastSENIOR PRINCIPAL/DIRECTOR COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY |
 Vladas OleinikovasSENIOR DIRECTOR COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY |
 Xinyi ShaoLAB SCIENTIST |
 Yugandhar KumarPROTEOMICS SCIENTIST |
 Yusuf AdeshinaSENIOR PRINCIPAL/DIRECTOR COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY |
 Zachary CarpenterCO-FOUNDER & CEO · Board Member |
 Zachary KanterCHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER |