Automata builds fully automated lab benches and accompanying software for life sciences research. Founded in 2015 by Mostafa ElSayed and Suryansh Chandra, architects from Zaha Hadid's research lab, the company developed what it describes as the world's first fully automated lab bench. The system enables complete walkaway automation, allowing researchers to run experiments without manual intervention.
The company's platform comprises both hardware and LINQ, a software layer that controls and coordinates automated workflows. Automata targets genomics, cell biology, and assay screening applications, where its technology maximizes space efficiency and generates rich, contextualized data suitable for AI and machine learning integration. The design philosophy reimagines laboratory automation as open and integrated, departing from the specialized and fragmented systems that dominate the industry.
Automata's technical foundation spans computational design, robotics, and laboratory automation software. The combination of architectural expertise and life sciences focus distinguishes the company's approach to solving automation challenges in research environments where manual processes remain deeply embedded.
