Brightseed: AI-powered startup explores ‘dark matter of nutrition’
Brightseed – a San Francisco-based startup deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze hundreds of thousands of phytonutrients for potential health benefits – was launched by three former Hampton Creek (Eat Just) executives in 2017 (Sofia Elizondo, Dr Lee Chae, and Dr Jim Flatt).
Working with partners from Danone to Pharmavite, Brightseed can either home in on a particular plant or can screen by compound, or by health benefit (e.g. LDL cholesterol reduction, metabolic health, cognitive function).
Once it has identified fruitful targets, it can then work with partners using more traditional analytical methods and clinical trials to validate its computational work, says Dr Flatt, who notes that Brightseed had demonstrated the potential of its platform by identifying a compound found in black peppercorns and several other plant sources that could deliver metabolic health benefits.
Key areas of research include digestive health, immune health, and cognitive function.
