In the pharmaceutical sector, AI is a powerful tool to accelerate discoveries and improve treatments. Yet, access to the data needed to train effective models remains a major challenge. Concerns over privacy, strict regulations, and intellectual property protection limit its use. Apheris, a German startup founded in 2019, offers an innovative solution to these challenges: federated computing.
The paradox of sensitive data
In life sciences, health data is critical but difficult to access. Organizations keep their information local to avoid risks of breaches or violations of privacy laws like the GDPR. However, these data silos hinder the collaborative potential required for progress in areas such as structural biology research and drug discovery.
The Apheris solution: Federated computing
At the core of Apheris’ technology is federated computing, which enables AI models to be trained directly on local data without requiring it to move. This approach ensures that only the computation outputs, such as model parameters, are centralized. The Apheris Compute Gateway platform, already adopted by players like Roche and the AISB consortium, leverages cutting-edge technologies such as homomorphic encryption and differential privacy.
“We believe Apheris could become a critical component in the federated data networks that are starting to emerge. “We see a maturing ecosystem of third-party software tools (open-source federation engines, data quality tools, and security products). Apheris also enables seamless integration with complementary privacy-enhancing technologies (homomorphic encryption, differential privacy, synthetic data).” explains Marcin Hejka, co-founder and managing partner at OTB Ventures, one of Apheris’ key investors.
A targeted approach for life sciences
Initially focused on a general federated computing framework, Apheris pivoted in 2023 to concentrate on the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. This strategic shift allowed the startup to quickly find its market. Since launching its new product in late 2023, Apheris has quadrupled its revenue, strengthening its positioning in critical use cases such as protein complex prediction.
A maturing ecosystem
The €8.25 million funding round in 2025 (serie A) , co-led by OTB Ventures and eCAPITAL, brings Apheris’ total funding to €20.8 million. This financial backing aims to solidify the company’s expertise by recruiting specialists in life sciences and accelerating the development of its platform.
