Bio Protocol launches V1 upgrade to power DeSci research and boost BIO token utility

Bio Protocol, backed by YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs), has rolled out Bio V1, its first major update to provide efficient funding for scientific research on its DeSci platform powered by Base and Solana. Bio V1 introduced three main improvements, including the BioDAO Launchpad, BioAgents and new DAO Milestones, according to details shared with The Block.

The BioDAO Launchpad replaces the platform’s earlier accelerator model, which hand-picked participants, with a fully on-chain system. Projects seeking funding can now register directly and move through three phases: Curation, where backers stake BIO tokens to vote on proposals; Funding, where selected projects raise capital via auctions or bonding curves; and Liquidity, which includes token generation and listings on decentralized exchanges.

Liquidity is automatically allocated if funding thresholds are met. Backers of successful projects receive discounted tokens in the corresponding BioDAO, while those backing unsuccessful bids can withdraw their locked tokens.

The system is touted to “break the black box of biotech,” according to Paul Kohlhaas, co-founder of Bio Protocol. “Bio V1 represents a huge leap for the biotech sector, aiming to democratize access to funding and accelerate RD,” Kohlhaas told The Block.

“At a time when traditional scientific funding is faltering, this upgrade gives global communities the tools to co-develop breakthrough research via open RD networks that reduce the cost of capital, discovery, and commercialization,” he added.

Since November 2024, Bio Protocol says it has raised over $15 million in funding for initiatives focused on rare diseases, quantum biology, and other emerging fields.

AI agents and revenue

Bio V1 also introduces BioAgents, AI systems designed to assist with research, reduce costs and streamline product development. These agents fall into two categories: Core Agents, which handle on-chain tasks such as treasury management and governance, and the BioAgent Fleet, which supports scientific analysis and intellectual property development for individual BioDAOs.

"Integrating AI-powered BioAgents automates critical scientific tasks, from data analysis to hypothesis generation," Kohlhaas said to The Block, "Combining agentic automation with decentralized technologies can catalyze an explosion in autonomous science and unlock a new era of accessibility and scalability for life-saving discoveries."

He cited early successes with DAOs such as Curetopia (focused on rare diseases), Long COVID Labs and MycoDAO, noting their rapid progression from funding rounds to clinical trials and treatment development. Profits from intellectual property, Kohlhaas said, flow back into the ecosystems that produced them.

Bio V1 also introduces new revenue streams and utility for the BIO token through asset management, launchpad fees, liquidity provision and agent services. According to Bio Protocol, the upgrade aims to reshape how biotech breakthroughs are born by giving patients, researchers and crypto users the tools to support scientific innovation from day one.

Bio Protocol operates in the emerging "DeSci" sector — short for decentralized science — which combines blockchain infrastructure with collaborative research models. Bio Protocol raised over $30 million in 2024 from investors like YZi Labs and says it has facilitated more than $34 million in global research funding to date.

BIO, the platform’s native token, launched on Ethereum in January and debuted on Binance. An airdrop was also conducted on Ethereum for holders of BioDAO projects at the time.