Apheris Series A Round, January 2024

Berlin-based Apheris, a pioneer in federated computing for the life sciences sector, has successfully closed its Series A funding round, bringing its total funding to $20.8 million (€20.24 million). The round was led by European DeepTech venture capital firms OTB Ventures and eCAPITAL, with continued support from existing investors, including Octopus Ventures and Heal Capital.

Founded in 2019 by Robin Röhm and Michael Höh, Apheris specializes in secure and governed data access for AI and analytics, serving leading pharmaceutical companies like Roche and Johnson & Johnson, along with major hospitals. Apheris addresses significant challenges in data governance and intellectual property protection, which often hinder collaboration in the healthcare sector.

According to Apheris, approximately 97% of healthcare data remains unused due to privacy and security concerns, as it is siloed across different organizations. Apheris’ Compute Gateway enables secure AI model training without moving sensitive data, allowing organizations to collaborate while maintaining data privacy and control. This technology is pivotal for pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, hospitals, and clinical sites.

One notable application of Apheris’ technology is in the AI Structural Biology (AISB) Consortium, where companies such as AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson & Johnson, and Sanofi use the platform for AI-driven drug discovery while preserving data privacy.

The Series A funding round introduces new investors OTB Ventures and eCAPITAL to Apheris’ journey. Both firms bring extensive expertise in cybersecurity and deep-tech innovation, essential for scaling Apheris’ secure data collaboration technology.

Hannes Schill, Managing Partner at eCAPITAL, remarked, “We have closely followed Apheris’ journey since its inception and have been impressed by Apheris’ technological advancements in federated computing. As cybersecurity investors, we recognize the growing importance of secure and private data collaboration, particularly in the life sciences sector, where such capabilities can drive transformative outcomes.”

Marcin Hejka, Managing Partner at OTB Ventures, highlighted the broader potential of Apheris’ technology: “We believe Apheris could become a critical component in the federated data networks that are starting to emerge. Apheris also enables seamless integration with complementary privacy-enhancing technologies like homomorphic encryption and synthetic data.”

Apheris will use the Series A funds to expand its role as a federated computing provider for leading biopharmaceutical companies. By the end of 2025, the company aims to establish the largest and most secure life sciences data network, enabling AI and analytics through connected distributed health data. Additionally, Apheris plans to host advanced models, such as protein-complex prediction tools, and enhance collaborative model training for critical life sciences use cases.

CEO Robin Röhm expressed enthusiasm about the company’s next phase: “With the help of our new partners, Apheris will unlock the potential of AI and machine learning for the life sciences industry by solving its critical bottleneck: access to large and diverse data.”

OTB Ventures is a European venture capital fund focused on Series A and late-seed investments in innovative deep-tech startups, managing over €350 million. eCAPITAL, a German venture capital firm with over €400 million in assets under management, invests in early and growth-stage companies across sustainability, cybersecurity, and enterprise software.

With this funding, Apheris is poised to revolutionize data collaboration in healthcare and beyond, driving innovation and addressing some of the most pressing challenges in the life sciences sector.