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Author @c_m_ponce (post dated 2026-06-24) says Tetsuwan is building a…

Brief

Tetsuwan founder C.M. Ponce (@cmponce) argues automating the lab bench is essential for AI in biology because manual, hand-run experiments cause reproducibility problems while AI will demand scalable, reproducible data and propose more ideas than can be manually tested. Tetsuwan offers a syntax-driven platform that executes experiments remotely; pilot-tested for two years and launching protein-design functional screening services later in 2026.

Why it matters

Author @c_m_ponce (post dated 2026-06-24) says Tetsuwan is building a syntax-driven automated lab platform that executes user-specified experiments remotely so users never need physical access to a lab.

Key details

  • The platform was built and pilot-tested with partner labs over the past two years; Tetsuwan will bring its first services online later in 2026, initially focusing on functional screens for protein design.
  • Ponce's stated rationale: most experiments are still run by hand, causing widespread reproducibility issues, while AI will both demand more reproducible data and generate more ideas than can be tested manually.
Source evidence

Automating the lab bench is the best thing we can do for AI in biology.

Most experiments are still run by hand. Every biologist's handiwork is unique and every lab is a little different. So, biology faces widespread reproducibility issues.

But, AI will demand more reproducible data than we can produce, and generate more ideas than we can test.

Experiments must be communicated and executed in a standardized way to generate reproducible data.

So, Tetsuwan is building a lab where users specify experiments in an exact syntax. These experiments are executed by an automated platform to generate transparent, reproducible output. The user never needs physical access to a lab. This is a biology lab you can use like a computer.

Our platform, built and tested with pilot labs over the past two years, lets users configure automated workflows rapidly & precisely.

Later this year, we will bring our first services online, focusing on functional screens for protein design.

Alex and I met at Caltech, where she was one year my senior. We're building this company because we were little kids who wanted to be biologists that grew up into adults who resented the lab bench. We want biology to be about asking questions, not the painful and frustrating manual process of asking them.

For those looking to receive updates on our pilot services, looking for a meaningful job, or just to learn more about our work, see the links in the comments!

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