Owkin boosts medical research with machine learning applied to healthcare

The AI startup Owkin announced sealing the deal of $18 million in funding. The company which set up offices in Atlantic France in 2018 has created a global healthcare research network. Based on machine learning, the technology allows medical data to be connected and improves R&D without threatening patient privacy.

Owkin is a pioneer of federated learning applied to healthcare. The startup’s worldwide network gathers together leading academic medical centers. By using a software platform (Owkin Studio), they can use the power of AI and machine learning in their research. 

With the framework Owkin Connect, they can also evaluate a prediction model with a global database which is decentralised to avoid the risk of patient data breaches. The training data stays in its original location, and it is the algorithm which travels from a medical center to another.

$70 million raised since 2016

Owkin recently announced the success of $18 million in fundraising with Mubadala Capital and Bpifrance as principal investors. Since its creation in 2016, the company has raised a total amount of $70 million.

We are changing the world of medical research by breaking down silos and augmenting research capabilities at scale. Numerous discoveries of new multimodal biomarkers and disease mechanisms are changing how pharmaceutical companies approach drug development and how clinicians design treatment plans for patients.

Thomas Clozel, Owkin co-founder and CEO

In Atlantic France since 2018 for its environment and talent pool

Based in Paris and New-York, Owkin also chose to install an office in Nantes in 2018. The startup elected Atlantic France for its vibrant digital environment, its qualitative talent pool in a highly competitive recruitment sector, and for its business opportunities in healthcare.

In an interview with Nantes Saint-Nazaire development agency, the director of Owkin Nantes´ office also highlighted the quality of life in Atlantic France, a region which gives the possibility to combine “an exciting job and a pleasant environment“.