The short answer: Warp Sciences is a San Francisco startup building a U.S.-based chemistry contract research organization (CRO) that combines expert chemists, AI and robotics to make and test the molecules drug researchers need. It was co-founded by former OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil, who is its CEO, and came out of stealth on October 22, 2026 with $215 million in funding at an $865 million valuation, according to TechCrunch.
A company profile from The Pomp Podcast, hosted by Anthony Pompliano. Last updated: October 24, 2026.
Key takeaways
Warp Sciences is a San Francisco startup building a U.S. chemistry contract research organization that combines chemists, AI and robotics.
Former OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil co-founded it and is CEO.
It emerged from stealth on October 22, 2026 with $215 million at an $865 million valuation, according to TechCrunch.
A note on the name: the company is called Warp Sciences. Some coverage, including TechCrunch's headline, shortens it to "Warp Science," and its website is warp.xyz.
What is Warp Sciences?
According to its launch announcement, Warp Sciences is "building a U.S.-based chemistry contract research organization (CRO) that brings expert chemists, AI, and robotics together to make and test the molecules research teams need." It sells services to biotech and pharmaceutical companies. It does not develop drugs of its own: "Warp has no proprietary drug pipeline," the company says.
The pitch is that discovery should "compound": experimental data trains better AI, better AI runs more capable labs, and scientists get the capacity to test more ideas.
What does Warp Sciences do?
Makes molecules for drug hunters. Its first service is "lead optimization analog synthesis," which means making variations of a molecule that scientists can compare as they search for a drug candidate, per the announcement.
Trains robots on real lab work. TechCrunch reports that Warp's human chemists wear cameras and sensor gloves to train robots on lab tasks, with the goal of labs that can run around the clock.
Keeps the work in the U.S. TechCrunch reports that biotech companies have long outsourced this kind of synthesis to contractors in China, and that Weil wants to reshore it. The announcement cites a 2024 Biotechnology Innovation Organization survey, reported by Reuters, in which 74% of respondents had contracts with Chinese companies for preclinical and clinical services.
Customers keep control. "Our biotech and pharma customers determine which molecules to pursue and retain control of their drug programs," co-founder and COO DJ Patil said in the release.
Who founded Warp Sciences?
Warp has four co-founders, according to the announcement:
Kevin Weil, co-founder and CEO. He most recently served as Chief Product Officer and VP of Science at OpenAI.
Sol Reisberg, co-founder and chief scientific officer, who held medicinal chemistry leadership roles at Terremoto Biosciences.
Mano Paluri, co-founder and CTO, a former VP at Meta Superintelligence Labs and a founding member of FAIR, Meta's AI research lab.
DJ Patil, co-founder and COO, a founding executive at Devoted Health and the first U.S. Chief Data Scientist at the White House.
"AI has dramatically accelerated software engineering and mathematics, but it has yet to make the same impact in the physical sciences," Weil said in the release.
How much funding has Warp Sciences raised?
Warp emerged from stealth with $215 million. TechCrunch reports the round values the company at $865 million, according to Weil. Lightspeed led the round. Other backers named in the announcement include Premji Invest, Mayfield, IVP, Lux, Conviction, Menlo Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, SignalFire and others.
Angel investors listed in the release include Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger, Figma CEO Dylan Field, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar and OpenAI Chief Research Officer Mark Chen.
What is Warp Sciences' connection to OpenAI?
The connection runs through people, not ownership. Weil came from OpenAI, and several current and former OpenAI executives invested as angels, according to the release. Neither the release nor TechCrunch describes OpenAI itself as an investor or partner.
Why does Warp Sciences matter?
AI moving into the physical sciences. Its founders argue AI for chemistry and biology needs real-world experimental data, and that the only way to get it at scale is to run labs.
Supply chain. It is one of a growing number of companies trying to move sensitive research work back to the U.S. The release notes the BIOSECURE Act, signed into law in December 2025, set up a framework for restrictions involving designated biotechnology companies of concern.
Talent from the AI labs. Its team comes from OpenAI and Meta's AI groups, with early hires from robotics companies including Skild AI and 1X, per the release.
What did The Pomp Podcast say about Warp Sciences?
Pomp brought up Warp Sciences on the October 24, 2026 episode with Jordi Visser, "Will Bitcoin Survive Quantum Computing?", as one of "two companies this week" worth talking about. The other was Warhound. Quotes below are from the episode, with timestamps.
"There are two companies this week that came out that I want to talk about. First is Warp Sciences."
"So, Kevin Weil, amazing guy, great entrepreneur and operator. He was the former chief product officer at OpenAI. He has now started a company where he basically wants to be at the forefront of AI, biotech, healthcare,"
Every Pomp Podcast episode that discussed Warp Sciences
Warp Sciences came up in 1 recent episode of The Pomp Podcast. Each link opens the YouTube video at that moment.
Oct 24, 2026: Will Bitcoin Survive Quantum Computing? | Jordi Visser. Pomp discussed Warp Sciences alongside Warhound while talking about how fast new AI and biotech companies are being built. Timestamps: 0:46 (preview), 39:43 (Pomp brings up Warp Sciences), 43:34 (Kevin Weil and the new company).
Watch or listen to the episode
Will Bitcoin Survive Quantum Computing? | Jordi Visser, released October 24, 2026. The Warp Sciences discussion is at 43:34.
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Where can I follow Warp Sciences?
The company's website and press contact are listed in its launch announcement.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Warp Sciences?
Warp Sciences is a San Francisco startup building a U.S.-based chemistry contract research organization that uses expert chemists, AI and robotics to make and test molecules for biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
Who founded Warp Sciences?
Warp Sciences was co-founded by CEO Kevin Weil, the former Chief Product Officer and VP of Science at OpenAI, along with Sol Reisberg, Mano Paluri and DJ Patil.
How much is Warp Sciences worth?
Warp Sciences raised $215 million when it emerged from stealth on October 22, 2026. TechCrunch reports the round valued it at $865 million, according to Kevin Weil.
Who invested in Warp Sciences?
Lightspeed led the round, with participation from investors including Premji Invest, Mayfield, IVP, Lux, Conviction and Menlo Ventures, according to the company.
Does Warp Sciences develop its own drugs?
No. The company says it has no proprietary drug pipeline. It provides chemistry services, and its customers decide which molecules to pursue.
Is Warp Sciences part of OpenAI?
No. CEO Kevin Weil previously worked at OpenAI and several OpenAI executives invested personally, but the company's announcement does not describe OpenAI as an owner or investor.
Sources
Last updated: October 24, 2026
Anthony Pompliano is an entrepreneur, investor, and author who serves as Chairman and CEO of Silvia, Inc (SVIA) and invests through Pomp Investments. He is the host of The Pomp Podcast, where he interviews founders, investors and economists about bitcoin, markets, AI and the economy.
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This profile is for informational purposes only and reflects reporting available as of October 24, 2026, plus opinions shared on The Pomp Podcast. It is not investment advice. Do your own research before making any investment decision.
