Owkin
French-American AI biotech using multimodal patient data and federated learning for drug discovery, diagnostics, and clinical trials. Founded 2016 in Paris; unicorn. Research-heavy, ~350+ staff.
What is Owkin?
Owkin is a French-American AI and biotech company that applies artificial intelligence to multimodal patient data, things like genomics, digital pathology images, and clinical records, to do biomedical science rather than just support it. Its work spans three areas: discovering and developing new treatments, building AI diagnostics, and making clinical trials smarter and faster. A defining part of Owkin's approach is federated learning: it trains AI models across data held inside hospitals and academic institutions without moving that data out, which lets it learn from large, sensitive patient datasets while preserving privacy. It has built agentic AI tools, including an "AI scientist" (K) that biopharma teams use to analyze their data and the scientific literature and make better R&D decisions. Owkin was founded in 2016 in Paris by Thomas Clozel, a clinical oncologist who serves as CEO, and Gilles Wainrib, an AI researcher. The company is headquartered in Paris and operates as a French-American business with a presence in New York and London, working closely with academic medical centers and pharmaceutical partners. It has raised more than $255 million and became a unicorn in 2021 through a $180 million round led by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi, with other backers from pharma and venture capital.
Mission & values
Use AI on real-world patient data to understand complex biology and find better treatments and diagnostics faster, while keeping that data private through federated learning.
Qualifications
Owkin sits at the intersection of AI and biology, so it hires a distinctive mix. On the science and technical side: machine learning and AI research scientists and engineers, computational biologists and bioinformaticians, data scientists, biostatisticians, software and data engineers (including MLOps and data platform), and specialists in pathology and genomics. On the biopharma and clinical side: medical and scientific affairs, translational research, clinical and biostatistics, and partnership roles working with pharma companies and hospitals. It also hires product, business development, legal and regulatory, finance, and people functions. Application flow lives at owkin.com/careers. Advanced degrees (PhD/MD) and strong research track records are common for the science roles, and experience with healthcare or biomedical data, federated learning, or regulated environments is valued. The company works across Paris, New York, and London; some roles are remote or hybrid while others are anchored to an office or to partner sites, and work authorization requirements depend on the country. Check each posting for location and remote eligibility.
Leadership
Thomas Clozel
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
A clinical oncologist by training who co-founded Owkin in 2016 and leads it as CEO, driving its use of AI on multimodal patient data for drug discovery, diagnostics, and clinical research.
Gilles Wainrib
Co-Founder
An AI researcher who co-founded Owkin in 2016 alongside Thomas Clozel, helping shape its machine-learning and federated-learning approach to biomedical data.
Hiring process
-
1
Apply at owkin.com careers
Browse AI/ML research and engineering, computational biology, data, medical/scientific, product, and partnership roles across Paris, New York, and London and submit through the Owkin careers site.
-
2
Recruiter screen
Confirms role fit, level, country and work authorization, remote/hybrid vs office expectations, and pay.
About 7 days
-
3
Technical or scientific interview
ML/data: coding, modeling, and a research or take-home discussion. Computational biology: domain and methods. Scientific/medical: research depth and translational thinking.
About 10 days
-
4
Team and cross-functional interviews
Interviews with scientists, engineers, and stakeholders on depth, collaboration across AI and biology, and fit.
About 10 days
-
5
Offer
Offer aligned to role, level, and country, in local currency, with equity where applicable.
About 7 days
Funding
Awards & recognition
-
Became a unicorn on a $180M Sanofi-led round · 2021
Owkin
-
Pioneer of federated learning applied to biomedical patient data · 2026
Owkin
Company information
- Industry: AI / Biotech / Drug Discovery & Diagnostics
- Location: Paris, France (New York & London; some remote/hybrid)
- Founded: 2016
- Company size: 201-1000
- Website: www.owkin.com ↗
- LinkedIn: Company page ↗