Gobi Partners Invests in Cortical Labs to Scale Biological Computing in Malaysia

Gobi Partners announced its investment in Cortical Labs today, marking a significant push into the frontier of Biological Intelligence. The funding, executed through the Gobi Dana Impak Ventures fund, supports the Melbourne-based startup as it establishes an engineering and manufacturing hub in Malaysia. This move aims to commercialize hardware that integrates living biological cells with traditional computer chips.

Biological Intelligence represents a departure from purely silicon-based AI by leveraging the natural efficiency of living neural networks. Cortical Labs develops systems where human neurons are grown on electrode arrays, allowing them to perform tasks like learning and adaptation. This approach consumes significantly less power than the massive GPU clusters currently used to train large language models.

The company flagship product is the CL1, the first commercially available biological computer capable of running code. This system maintains a life-support environment for neurons while providing a digital interface for researchers and developers. It offers a new way to study complex decision-making and provides a platform for testing central nervous system drugs without animal subjects.

By moving operations to the SIDEC IC Design Park in Puchong, Cortical Labs will utilize Malaysia's deep expertise in semiconductor precision manufacturing. The partnership aligns with Khazanah Nasional’s strategy to elevate the national economy through high-value deep technology roles. This integration helps position the region as a vital node in the global supply chain for next-generation computing systems.

Dr. Hon Weng Chong, Founder and CEO of Cortical Labs, noted that current AI scaling is hitting a wall regarding energy and data efficiency. He emphasized that the focus is now on scaling their platform responsibly to bring biological intelligence into real-world applications. The funding will accelerate the adoption of systems that learn more like humans do.