Imperagen raises £5 million to use quantum physics, AI on enzyme engineering

techcrunch.com May 21, 2026

Imperagen raises £5 million to use quantum physics, AI on enzyme engineering

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · May 21, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Imperagen, a biotech company, has raised £5 million in a seed round led by PXN Ventures, with participation from IQ Capital and Northern Gritstone. The company, founded in 2021 by Manchester Institute of Biotechnology scientists, aims to improve enzyme engineering using quantum physics and AI. Imperagen's technology uses quantum physics-based simulation, AI models, and robots to explore millions of mutations and generate experimental data. The company hopes to make enzyme development faster, more reliable, and commercially accessible, with applications in pharmaceuticals, food, biofuels, and agriculture. Imperagen has raised £8.5 million to date and plans to hire AI specialists and expand its lab capabilities.

💡 Why It Matters

· Faster enzyme engineering can accelerate drug discovery and make industrial production more sustainable.
· Imperagen's technology has the potential to unlock more efficient and reliable bio-based product development.

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Nearly half of American adults now use AI, but concerns are also…

New research by the Pew Research Center reveals that nearly half of American adults (49%) now use AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT or Gemini, marking a significant increase from last year's 33%. Americans are using AI for various tasks, including researching information, handling work tasks, and entertainment. ChatGPT dominates the U.S. AI market, with 44% of respondents using the OpenAI chatbot. However, concerns about AI's impact on society and data security remain high, with 40% believing AI will be more harmful than beneficial and 71% expecting AI to make their personal information less secure.

💡 Growing AI adoption raises questions about accountability and regulation, as Americans lack confidence in both the government and AI companies to develop and use these tools responsibly. The widespread skepticism about AI's impact on society highlights the need for more transparent and effective regulation to address concerns about data security and societal benefits.

appleinsider.com · Jun 18

Apple’s AI agents in Xcode 27 make vibe coding easier

Apple has unveiled Xcode 27, a developer tool that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify the coding process. The new version of Xcode includes a Core AI framework that allows developers to use on-device AI models with ease, delivering strong performance through a modern Swift API. Xcode 27 also supports third-party AI models and enables developers to have conversations with AI agents, making it easier to create and edit code. This marks a significant shift in Apple's approach to AI, positioning it as a powerful extension of the coding process.

💡 Apple's emphasis on AI in Xcode 27 raises questions about the future of human interaction in app development. By portraying AI as a tool to augment human capabilities, rather than replace them, Apple may be trying to alleviate concerns about job displacement. However, the company's decision to showcase AI-generated apps and code may ultimately lead to a surge in "vibe-coded" apps, challenging the notion that human touch is essential in app development.

teslarati.com · Jun 18

Elon Musk predicts Grok will start to challenge Hollywood by the end…

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androidcentral.com · Jun 18

I barely use Gemini’s default chatbot after trying the new Gemini Live…

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💡 The Gemini Live update showcases Google's commitment to refining its AI tools, making them more intuitive and user-friendly. By prioritizing visual content, the new interface opens up new possibilities for everyday use, such as improving productivity and creativity.

techtimes.com · Jun 18

Satellite AI Inference Clears Orbit: Gemma 3 Ran Aboard YAM-9 in April

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interestingengineering.com · Jun 18

China’s Alibaba unveils AI brains designed to power the next generation of…

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