Centella AI: The Startup Shortening Drug Discovery Cycles

For Dr. Riyaz Syed, the spark behind Centella AI ignited in a laboratory corridor. As a medicinal chemist at IICT collaborating with Dr. Poornachandra, a biologist, the daily grind of drug development felt inefficient and needlessly repetitive. "

We'd design thousands of molecules, but only a few hundred made it to screening," recalls the founder. The manual back-and-forth to check which compounds showed biological activity hindered progress and productivity.

Armed with a deep background in targeted cancer therapy research, including collaborations with University of Catanzaro and Mass General Hospital, the founder envisioned a better way—the goal: harness AI to eliminate inefficiencies and automate the drug discovery process.

From Centella Asiatica to Centella AI

Founded in May 2021 in Hyderabad, Centella AI draws inspiration from its namesake, Centella Asiatica, a medicinal plant revered in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Just as the plant is known for its healing properties, Centella AI aims to transform the therapeutic pipeline with its intelligent platform, CASCADE.

Tackling the $2.5 Billion Problem

Drug discovery remains one of the most expensive, prolonged scientific endeavours, often taking over a decade and billions in investment. Despite such efforts, more than 90% of drug candidates fail in clinical trials due to safety or efficacy issues.

Centella AI addresses this with its flagship platform, CASCADE—an end-to-end, modular solution that streamlines every step of the DMTA cycle. Integrating generative chemistry, retrosynthesis, ADMET prediction, and virtual screening, CASCADE helps researchers make faster, data-driven decisions. Unlike siloed tools or isolated datasets, the platform combines AI with scientific usability, built by scientists, for scientists.

Team of Cross-Disciplinary Experts

Co-founded with Dr. Poornachandra, Head of Discovery Biology, Centella AI is structured across AI/ML, chemistry, biology, engineering, and design. Its 26-member team works in cross-functional pods to accelerate research and development. "We hire for curiosity and adaptability," says the founder. "Solving complex problems requires collaborative thinking and domain fluency."

Institutional Support and Strategic Growth

Backed by top Indian institutions—NASSCOM, AIC-CCMB, DLabs at ISB, and JNTU Hyderabad—Centella AI has benefited from mentorship, funding, and advanced bio-infrastructure. Industry leaders like Praveen Mokkapati and Dr. Ramjee have played pivotal roles in the company's trajectory.

Their support is evident in key milestones: recognition among India’s Top 10 AI Drug Discovery Companies (2024) and inclusion in NASSCOM's GenAI report. Notably, Centella's AI designed 150 molecules targeting CDK2, of which 36 were synthesised and tested, yielding 4 potent hits, one with an IC₅₀ of 7.3 nM.

Scalable, Modular, Global

Centella's business model follows a 3P strategy: Pipeline (discovery programs), Partnerships (CROs and pharma), and Platform (SaaS access). Its modular pricing aligns with stages like hit-to-lead, ensuring scalability across customers from startups to global pharma.

As the global AI drug discovery market nears $7 billion in 2025, Centella is expanding into Europe and Southeast Asia, leveraging academic collaborations and CRO alliances.

Lessons and Legacy

Early challenges included accessing GPU infrastructure and hiring cross-disciplinary talent. But key lessons emerged: validate quickly, stay lean, and build with scientific rigour.

Ultimately, Centella AI isn't just about accelerating drug discovery—it's about making effective therapies more accessible worldwide, especially in resource-constrained settings. For aspiring founders, the message is clear: "Start with science, validate your innovation, and build with purpose."