Basecamp Research

The People Building It

Basecamp Research was founded in 2019 by Oliver Vince and Will Pelton. The company's legal entity, Basecamp Research Ltd, was incorporated on 9 December 2019 (company number 12354133) [Companies House]. Initial significant controllers included Oliver Daniel Samuel Vince, William (Will) Shih-yen Pelton, and Oliver James Stegle, though Stegle ceased to be a person with significant control in early 2020 [Companies House].

The Short Version

Basecamp Research is building a proprietary, data-first platform for AI-driven protein discovery. Founded in 2019, the London-based company has raised significant capital, including a $60 million Series B in late 2024, to scale its collection of genomic data from remote ecosystems and train biological foundation models [Crunchbase, 2024] [TechCrunch, Oct 2024]. The founding team combines a physics and finance background with deep technical expertise in computational biology [Rory Cellan-Jones].

The company's primary asset is BaseData™, a knowledge graph built from metagenomic sequencing that contains over one million new species [Astrobiology.com, June 2025] [PRNewswire]. On this foundation, models like EDEN-28B are trained to discover and design proteins for partners in pharma, food, and industrial bioprocessing [EquityZen]. The business model is partnership-driven, generating revenue by providing access to this knowledge graph and its AI-generated protein sequences [Dealroom].

Over the next 12-18 months, the key watchpoints are the translation of its expansive data collection and model claims into validated, revenue-generating partnerships with major biopharma or industrial firms, and the operational execution of its global biodiversity sampling network across 31 countries. Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core funding amounts and product claims are cited, but some key details rely on single-source reporting or company statements.

The Company in Brief

Basecamp Research was founded in London in 2019. The company's origin story positions it as a response to the reliance of AI biology models on public databases filled with data from a tiny fraction of Earth's biodiversity [Rory Cellan-Jones]. The founding wedge was the decision to build a proprietary dataset from scratch, collecting genetic material from remote ecosystems using portable, off-grid sequencing technology.

A key early milestone was the establishment of a global field operations network, which has grown to include scientific collaborators across 31 countries [PRNewswire]. This groundwork enabled the development of the BaseData™ knowledge graph and the EDEN family of biological foundation models [basecamp-research.com, PRNewswire].

It secured a $20 million Series A round in December 2022, led by Systemiq Capital [Crunchbase, Nutraingredients-usa.com, UK Tech News]. This was followed by a $60 million Series B round in October 2024, led by Singular [CB Insights, Ropes & Gray, UK Tech News]. These rounds have funded the expansion of its dataset, which now claims over one million new species, and the scaling of its AI model capabilities, including the EDEN-28B model trained on 9.7 trillion nucleotide tokens [Astrobiology.com, June 2025, basecamp-research.com]. Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Core facts are confirmed by multiple independent public sources including Companies House, Crunchbase, and LinkedIn.

What They Have Built

Basecamp Research’s commercial proposition is built on a two-layer stack: a proprietary dataset and a suite of AI models. BaseData™ is described as the world’s largest biological protein sequence database, containing sequences from over one million new species [PRNewswire]. This data is collected through a global network of scientific collaborators across 31 countries [PRNewswire].

The AI layer is anchored by EDEN (Environmentally-Derived Evolutionary Network). The EDEN-28B model is reported to be trained on 9.7 trillion nucleotide tokens and 10 billion novel genes [basecamp-research.com]. For design applications, the company offers BaseGraph™, an AI system that uses the biodiversity map to match and refine novel proteins [EquityZen]. The company’s BaseFold model is reported to outperform AlphaFold 2 in predicting large, complex protein structures and small molecule interactions [TechCrunch, Oct 2024].

The business model involves providing partners with access to this knowledge graph, offering either natural sequences or machine-generated ones [Dealroom]. The company has announced a partnership with Malawi to accelerate biodiscovery [GlobeNewswire, 2025]. Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core product and data claims are consistently cited, but key performance assertions against competitors lack third-party verification.

Market Size and Demand

The market for AI-driven biological discovery is expanding, driven by a need to accelerate timelines and access novel design spaces. The broader AI in drug discovery market is projected to reach $4.9 billion by 2028 [Grand View Research, 2023]. The industrial enzymes market is valued at over $7 billion [MarketsandMarkets, 2023].

The company positions its approach against directed evolution campaigns, which can take years to produce a viable protein [LinkedIn]. Regulatory and macro forces include navigating complex international frameworks for biodiversity access and benefit-sharing [PRNewswire]. Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing figures are from analogous, published third-party reports for adjacent sectors.

Who Else Is Fighting for This

Basecamp Research is positioned as a data-first, discovery-oriented platform in the AI-powered protein design space.

Company	Positioning	Stage / Funding	Notable Differentiator
Basecamp Research	AI for protein discovery & design using proprietary biodiversity data.	Series B ($60M Oct 2024)	Proprietary BaseData™ database from global environmental sampling.
AlphaFold 2	Open-source protein structure prediction model from DeepMind.	Corporate R&D	Dominant public benchmark for structure prediction.
Evozyne	AI-driven enzyme design for therapeutics and industrial applications.	Series B ($81M Feb 2024)	Focus on directed evolution augmented by machine learning models.
Cradle	Generative AI platform for protein design and optimization.	Series A ($24M Nov 2023)	SaaS platform integrating with wet-lab workflows.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitor funding and positioning drawn from public tech press; Basecamp's comparative claims are company-sourced and unverified.

Opportunity

The core opportunity for Basecamp Research is to become the definitive source of biological intelligence, translating the planet's unsequenced biodiversity into a proprietary map for designing therapeutics, materials, and industrial enzymes.

Scenario	What happens	Catalyst
Therapeutic Design Partner	Basecamp becomes the go-to AI partner for major pharma companies.	A flagship partnership with a top-20 pharmaceutical company.
Industrial Bioprocessing Standard	The company's AI-designed enzymes become the default for sustainable manufacturing.	A commercial launch of a proprietary enzyme validated by an industrial partner.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core opportunity framing is supported by public product and data claims, but specific growth catalysts and commercial traction are not yet widely cited by independent sources.

Sources

1. [Crunchbase, 2024] Basecamp Research - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding | https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/basecamp-research
2. [TechCrunch, Oct 2024] Basecamp Research draws $60M to build a 'GPT for biology' | https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/09/basecamp-research-taps-60m-to-build-a-gpt-for-biology/
3. [Rory Cellan-Jones] Basecamp Research: A mission to cure | https://rorycellanjones.substack.com/p/basecamp-research-a-mission-to-cure
4. [Companies House] Basecamp Research Ltd - Companies House register | https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12354133
5. [Nutraingredients-usa.com, 2022] Basecamp Research secures $20m in Series A funding | https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2022/12/20/Basecamp-Research-secures-20m-in-Series-A-funding
6. [UK Tech News, 2022] Basecamp Research raises $20M Series A | https://www.uktech.news/news/basecamp-research-raises-20m-series-a-20221220
7. [CB Insights] Basecamp Research - CB Insights | https://www.cbinsights.com/company/basecamp-research
8. [Ropes & Gray, 2024] Ropes & Gray advises on Basecamp Research Series B | https://www.ropesgray.com/en/newsroom/alerts/2024/10/ropes-gray-advises-on-basecamp-research-series-b
9. [UK Tech News, 2024] Basecamp Research raises $60M Series B | https://www.uktech.news/news/basecamp-research-raises-60m-series-b-20241009
10. [Astrobiology.com, June 2025] Basecamp Research announces breakthrough discovery of over one million new species. | https://astrobiology.com/2025/06/basecamp-research-announces-breakthrough-discovery-of-over-one-million-new-species.html
11. [PRNewswire] Basecamp Research launches Trillion Gene Atlas to scale AI-designed therapeutics | https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/basecamp-research-launches-trillion-gene-atlas-to-scale-ai-designed-therapeutics-302716624.html
12. [basecamp-research.com] Basecamp Research, Beyond Known Biology | https://basecamp-research.com/
13. [EquityZen] Basecamp Research - EquityZen | https://equityzen.com/company/basecampresearch/
14. [Dealroom] Basecamp Research - Dealroom.co | https://app.dealroom.co/companies/basecamp_research
15. [LinkedIn] Basecamp Research | LinkedIn | https://uk.linkedin.com/company/basecamp-research
16. [GlobeNewswire, 2025] Basecamp Research Accelerating Biodiscovery Program with a New Partnership with Malawi | https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/10/2837923/0/en/Basecamp-Research-Accelerating-Biodiscovery-Program-with-a-New-Partnership-with-Malawi.html
17. [Grand View Research, 2023] AI in Drug Discovery Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report | https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-intelligence-drug-discovery-market
18. [MarketsandMarkets, 2023] Industrial Enzymes Market by Type, Application, Source - Global Forecast to 2028 | https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-enzymes-market-237327836.html