Sunthetics Joins $19.5 Million NSF Initiative for Autonomous Labs

A $19.5 million National Science Foundation grant has tapped Sunthetics, a San Marcos-based startup, to co-lead the development of AI-driven autonomous laboratories. This four-year project aims to create a nationwide infrastructure for automated scientific discovery, positioning the company at the center of the U.S. government’s broader Genesis Mission.

Money Talk·September 1, 2026·reads: 2,085

Sunthetics Joins $19.5 Million NSF Initiative for Autonomous Labs

The initiative, managed under the NSF’s Programmable Cloud Laboratories test bed, unites Sunthetics with Scripps Research and UCLA to build an open, AI-guided platform for high-throughput chemical reaction discovery. By integrating robotics with machine learning models trained on chemical reactivity, the team intends to standardize how automated research is performed across scientific fields.

Sunthetics CEO Daniela Blanco stated that the project will redefine the integration of AI in science. The company’s core technology is designed to function with minimal input, using as few as five data points to generate actionable R&D roadmaps for pharmaceutical and chemical partners. This efficiency is intended to accelerate product development while reducing traditional manufacturing footprints.

Laura Moreno Lucas, General Partner at L'ATTITUDE Ventures, highlighted the selection as a milestone for diverse, women-led ventures in deep tech. As part of a larger $400 million national funding effort, the work in San Marcos contributes to a broader push for open, FAIR-compliant standards in scientific research, ensuring that the next generation of experimental infrastructure is both accessible and highly scalable.