Top OpenAI, Google Brain researchers set off a $300M VC frenzy for their startup Periodic Labs 

Periodic Labs is a new startup founded by Liam Fedus, a key researcher from OpenAI, and Ekin Dogus Cubuk, a former Google Brain machine learning and material science expert. Emerging from stealth mode last month, the company aims to revolutionize material science by integrating advanced AI technologies with robotic automation. The founders identified a convergence of breakthroughs: reliable robotic arms capable of powder synthesis, efficient machine learning simulations modeling complex physical systems, and large language models (LLMs) with enhanced reasoning abilities—partly developed by Fedus’s team at OpenAI. This synergy allows Periodic Labs to automate the discovery and synthesis of new compounds, with LLMs analyzing experimental results and guiding subsequent steps. Cubuk previously co-authored a 2023 Google research paper demonstrating a robotic lab creating novel compounds suggested by language models, underscoring the feasibility of their approach. Despite initial speculation, OpenAI did not invest in Periodic Labs after Fedus’s departure, though he left with their apparent blessing