SandboxAQ Further Dives into Drug Discovery by Acquiring Good Chemistry
SandboxAQ, a leading company in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, has recently announced the acquisition of Good Chemistry, a top computational chemistry company known for its innovative use of AI, quantum, and other advanced technologies in drug discovery and materials design. This acquisition, SandboxAQ’s second and first in the AI simulation sector, signifies a significant expansion of its computational chemistry and simulation capabilities, enhancing its technological prowess and industry insights.
Good Chemistry, which originated from 1Qbit in 2021, brings to SandboxAQ a wealth of experience and expertise, having worked with industry giants like Dow and the Japanese chemical manufacturer Dī Ai Shī Kabushiki-gaisha.
“Good Chemistry’s software and existing partnerships will enable us to rapidly accelerate how we bring the benefits of advanced simulation and AI tools to more customers,” said Dr. Nadia Carlsten, Vice President of Product at SandboxAQ in a recent press release. “Combining our capabilities will give SandboxAQ an advanced and scalable computing platform for highly accurate chemical simulation on a scale that makes impactful use cases such as new drug and material synthesis possible.”
Good Chemistry’s founder and CEO, Arman Zaribafiyan, will join SandboxAQ as Head of Product for AI Simulation Platforms, bringing a team of skilled computational and quantum chemists, AI software developers, machine-learning engineers, and quantum computing scientists.
This strategic move will integrate Good Chemistry’s advanced software – QEMIST Cloud and Tangelo – into SandboxAQ’s enterprise software portfolio. QEMIST Cloud is a robust, cloud-based computational chemistry platform that runs high-accuracy quantum simulations on classical and quantum computing hardware. Tangelo, an open-source quantum computing SDK, facilitates end-to-end chemistry workflows, supporting experimentation across various quantum cloud providers and hardware devices. These tools are set to empower industries such as biopharma, chemical, and automotive with advanced material development capabilities.
The acquisition, reportedly worth around $75 million in cash and stock, positions SandboxAQ at the forefront of the rapidly evolving field of quantum and AI technologies. Good Chemistry, backed by investors including Green Sands Equity and other leading entities, joins the SandboxAQ investor base. The union of these two companies is expected to catalyze the adoption of powerful simulation technologies. Reema Khan, CEO of Green Sands Equity, expresses excitement over this merger’s transformative impact on various sectors.
SandboxAQ, which spun out of Google parent Alphabet in 2022, has been making significant strides in the field of molecular simulations using quantum technology and AI tools. The company’s focus on leveraging algorithms that simulate material behavior at the molecular level has been instrumental in training new AI algorithms for drug discovery and developing new materials. This acquisition follows SandboxAQ’s purchase of cybersecurity and encryption startup Cryptosense in 2022, further solidifying its position as a leader in the quantum and AI ecosystem.
The merger of SandboxAQ and Good Chemistry, recognized as a “really good match” by industry experts, is poised to yield highly beneficial products and services. The combination of these two innovative companies is expected to enhance their capabilities and services, setting new benchmarks in the quantum and AI industries. This significant development marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of quantum computing and AI, promising to reshape the landscape of healthcare, renewable energy, and various other industries.
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Managing Editor at Inside Quantum Technology and the Science Communicator at JILA (a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST). Her writing beats include deep tech, quantum computing, and AI. Her work has been featured in Scientific American, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Ars Technica, and more.
