In today’s artificial intelligence landscape, generative AI and its application in expediting software and consumer product development is a major focus. Emerging from stealth mode, PhysicsX, an AI startup founded by two theoretical physicists, including a renowned Formula One engineering figure, is gaining attention for its distinct emphasis on constructing and managing physical systems within the enterprise sphere.
Headquartered in London, PhysicsX introduces an AI platform tailored to engineer simulations for automotive, aerospace, and materials science manufacturing. These industries often grapple with developmental bottlenecks due to the rigorous testing models require before production. Revealing itself from stealth mode, PhysicsX announces securing $32 million in its Series A funding.
General Catalyst leads this funding round, accompanied by a diverse set of financial and strategic backers such as Standard Industries, NGP Energy, Radius Capital, and Henry Kravis, co-founder and co-executive chairman of KKR. This substantial funding injection will fuel business expansion and further development of PhysicsX’s platform, marking its initial external funding.
PhysicsX addresses a consistent yet overlooked challenge pervasive in manufacturing and physical production realms.
In any physical system, whether within an experimental laboratory or an operational industrial setting, engineers aiming to introduce new concepts—such as enhancing machinery efficiency or creating entirely new products—need to simulate and refine these ideas before actual development. Traditionally, scientists and engineers undertake this simulation and testing manually, incorporating some AI but facing limitations in optimizing processes.
Robin Tuluie, co-founder of PhysicsX alongside Jacomo Corbo, highlighted, “Something like analyzing airflow across an object may take hours, and more complex simulations could stretch to days. This computational and time cost limits the depth of optimization.”
Both Tuluie and Corbo intimately understand these pain points.
Tuluie’s background spans two distinct careers as a theoretical physicist: academia collaborating with Nobel laureates in astrophysics and then transitioning to motorsports, contributing as head of R&D at Renault and Mercedes, where his designs significantly contributed to four Formula One world championships. Corbo, a Harvard PhD graduate, also delved into motorsports and later founded QuantumBlack, leading AI initiatives at McKinsey and addressing intricate product engineering challenges for Formula One, automotive, and industrial clients.
Pooling together a team of over 50 experts, including mechanical engineers, physicists, and specialists, PhysicsX is evolving its platform to not only address automotive challenges but also an array of applications across industries.
Corbo elaborated, “We are developing an enterprise platform supporting diverse domain applications linked to optimization challenges and physics simulation hurdles. PhysicsX empowers high-accuracy predictions of system physics, performing these tasks anywhere from 10,000 to a million times faster, enabling sophisticated exploration across high-dimensional spaces, such as in mining.”
PhysicsX’s emergence coincides with a pivotal moment in deep learning and AI’s application to the physical world.
DeepMind recently showcased advanced machine learning applications for short- and long-term weather forecasting, hinting at a new frontier in AI R&D. Corbo emphasized, “AI models are now surpassing numerical simulations in weather prediction, extending into broader physics applications, paving the way for various engineering applications. Hence, we’re crafting a platform to cater to these diverse sectors and a wide range of domain problems.”
While enterprises often face challenges in digital transformation, grappling with the overhaul of existing infrastructure, PhysicsX navigates a different path. By focusing on engineering and R&D challenges rather than typical IT issues requiring widespread organizational scaling, the startup avoids these obstacles.
Nonetheless, this approach marks a disruptive shift in how industrial companies approach development. General Catalyst, by supporting PhysicsX, not only invests in the burgeoning field of AI but also pioneers a new direction in this evolving landscape.
Larry Bohn, MD of General Catalyst, stated, “PhysicsX expands engineering boundaries in crucial sectors, led by a team deeply skilled in simulation engineering and machine learning. With credibility, customer relationships, and technical expertise, we believe PhysicsX is poised to transform engineering in complex industries. This aligns with our vision for industrial transformation and positions PhysicsX with the opportunity to create a category-defining company in advanced industries.”
