A new kind of automated chemistry facility opened today in Glasgow in a ‘watershed moment’ for global drug discovery and materials science.
Chemify, a deeptech startup conceived by University of Glasgow Regius Professor of chemistry, Lee Cronin, aims to revolutionise the world of chemistry – by using using chemistry, robotics, computation and AI to digitise molecule creation.
Situated in Glasgow’s Maryhill district, the 21,500-ft² site unites Chemify’s AI-driven molecular-design engine with industrial-scale robotic synthesis, compressing the journey from concept to compound and accelerating the discovery of small-molecule medicines and next-generation materials for partners tackling society’s toughest challenges.
At Chemifarm’s core is the Chemputation platform—a bespoke programming language, ‘extensible robotics’, and the world’s largest curated, and fastest growing, library of validated reactions—enabling the on-demand design, optimisation and scale-up of molecules once deemed unreachable.
“The first Chemifarm is a watershed moment for molecular innovation,” said Lee Cronin, CEO and founder of Chemify. “By combining automation, AI and scalable synthesis, we can now move from code to compound faster than ever, fuelling breakthroughs in drug discovery, materials science and beyond.”
The £12 million project is supported through the Glasgow City Region Innovation Accelerator Programme, a UK Government-led initiative delivered by Innovate UK. Scottish Enterprise also provided a grant of £1.1M to Chemify for the project. Chemify’s new facility will create 60 new jobs and safeguard over 50 existing roles in Glasgow.
Chemify already partners with major pharmaceutical, biotech and materials-science companies, offering confidential, on-demand access to bespoke molecules for early-stage research and development. The Chemifarm will be integral to these research and development efforts to develop innovative chemical compounds with specific properties, designing and making chemical compounds and small physical samples for testing throughout the research process.
Dean Cook, director for place and global at Innovate UK, said: “A key objective of the Innovation Accelerator programme was to drive the technologies of tomorrow, so it’s fantastic to see Chemify launch the world’s first Chemputation facility. Their pioneering Chemifarm perfectly illustrates how place-based innovation support can deliver global impact by leveraging regional strengths. This facility further cements the UK’s reputation as a leader in advanced chemical and pharmaceutical industries.”
Adrian Gillespie, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said: “I am delighted to see Chemify’s expansion into this new state-of-the-art digital chemistry laboratory in Glasgow. This Chemifarm facility represents a significant milestone for the company, allowing them to drive innovation, create high-quality jobs and position Scotland at the forefront of the global healthtech market.
“Our backing of Chemify’s ambition underscores our commitment to doubling the number of innovative scaling companies in Scotland by 2030, by fostering a dynamic, sustainable, supportive economic environment for businesses to grow.”
