AI
Mettle Capital has partnered with Peak XV Partners to co-invest in Empirical Machines, an artificial intelligence startup founded by former OpenAI researcher Shyamal Hitesh Anadkat. According to Moneycontrol, the funding round has been increased to $20 million from the previously reported $15 million, with the startup valued at approximately $80 million.
The investment marks Mettle Capital’s first deal since its founding in May 2026 by former Peak XV partners Ashish Agrawal, Ishaan Mittal and Tejeshwi Sharma. The revised investor mix excludes Bessemer Venture Partners, which had previously been in discussions to participate in the round, Moneycontrol reported.
Empirical Machines is focused on accelerating scientific discovery, including applications involving chemical compounds. Anadkat returned to India after spending nearly four years at OpenAI, where he worked in Applied AI, helping bridge the gap between AI models and reliable real-world applications.
Why It Matters
The investment highlights growing investor interest in AI startups developing specialised technologies beyond conventional AI applications. Scientific discovery presents opportunities for AI to support complex research and accelerate innovation across industries.
The deal reflects increasing venture capital interest in specialised AI capabilities and research-driven innovation. For enterprise leaders, advances in AI-enabled scientific discovery could create new opportunities to improve research productivity, accelerate experimentation and develop industry-specific solutions.
