Persist AI
YC W23Sacramento, US · Founded 2022 · Delaware corporation · 6 employees · 8 known investors
Persist AI provides AI-driven formulation development services for pharmaceutical compounds, combining robotic lab automation with machine learning models to accelerate drug formulation optimization and reduce time-to-market.
Also known as Persist AI Formulations Corp
AI & Machine LearningBiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesRoboticsMachine LearningMicrofluidicsNanotechnologyTherapeuticsUnited States of AmericaAmerica / CanadaPartly Remote
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (W23)
Persist AI was founded in 2022 by Karthik Raman and Christopher Shelner.
KR
Karthik RamaninCo-Founder & CEOKarthik Raman founded Persist AI to develop long-acting drug delivery formulations that reduce infusion frequency and patient side effects through monthly or annual injections instead of multi-hour intravenous treatments.
CS
Christopher ShelnerinCo-founder · Chief Operating OfficerChristopher Shelner worked as a program manager focused on electronics, automation, and manufacturing before founding Persist AI.
Investors · 8
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements$16.9M disclosed across 2 of 3 rounds · 2023–2025
- $12MSeries AMay 2025 · 2 sourcesSource ↗
▶$4.9MraisedApr 2023 · 27 investors · PharmaceuticalsRule 506(b)
▶$4.9MraisedApr 2023 · 27 investors · Pharmaceuticals
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Christopher ShelnerExecutive Officer, Director
- Karthik RamanExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $5.5M
- Amount sold
- $4.9M
- First sale
- Apr 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2022
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
The YC application· Winter 2023 batch
What they told YC
- Describe what your company does in 50 characters or less.
- The company helps pharmaceutical firms develop slow-release drugs faster.
- What is your company going to make? Please describe your product and what it does or will do.
- The founders offer a service that develops sustained-release drug formulations for pharmaceutical companies, targeting 50% faster and cheaper results than current methods, which typically take 3-5 years and $10M or more. They screen formulations at high throughput using lab automation and train machine learning models to predict outcomes from data rather than relying on scientists' intuition.
Summarized from the founders' answers on their Y Combinator profile.
Competitors · 1
by search overlap
Companies competing with Persist AI for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
In the news
Frequently asked questions
- What does Persist AI do?
- Persist AI provides AI-driven formulation development services for pharmaceutical compounds, combining robotic lab automation with machine learning models to accelerate drug formulation optimization and reduce time-to-market.
- Who founded Persist AI?
- Persist AI was founded by Karthik Raman, Christopher Shelner in 2022.
- Who are Persist AI's investors?
- Persist AI's investors include 2048 Ventures, Global Brain, Good AI Capital, Jovono, Spero Ventures, Y Combinator, Innospark Ventures, MBX Capital.
- How much funding has Persist AI raised?
- Persist AI has disclosed $16.9M raised across 2 of its 3 known rounds.
- Where is Persist AI headquartered?
- Persist AI is headquartered in Sacramento, US.