Max Welling, computer science professor at the University of Amsterdam and co-founder of Cusp AI, discusses the UK-based start-up's mission to revolutionize materials discovery using AI. Founded in 2024 with Chad Edwards, former Quantinuum executive, Cusp AI aims to create a "search engine" for materials science that can design novel molecules in "months, not millennia."

The company recently secured $450mn in Series B funding at a $2.6bn valuation, led by Kleiner Perkins and NEA with participation from Jeff Bezos. Its AI Materials Foundry unites over 50 partners including Nvidia, Meta, Samsung, and Hyundai. An advisory board features AI pioneers Geoff Hinton and Yann Le Cun, former BP CEO Lord John Browne, and ex-ASML president Martin van den Brink.

Welling explains Cusp AI's inverse generative design approach: users input desired material properties, and the platform searches existing databases before imagining entirely new molecular structures. These candidates undergo digital twin simulations and experimental validation. A partnership with Finnish chemicals firm Kemira explored 300 trillion possible structures in six months, yielding 5,000 novel designs and 20 priority candidates to capture PFAS (forever chemicals) using metal-organic frameworks.

Welling emphasizes climate applications: "We are building molecules that remove PFAS from water" and developing carbon dioxide removal programs. The diverse board perspectives, including Hinton's existential risk concerns and Le Cun's optimism, strengthen the company's strategic direction.