Fidji Simo Co-Founded AI Research Firm ChronicleBio

The former Instacart CEO launched the biotech startup to map biological data for chronic illness research.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Biotech

A sterile biological lab workbench with a clear petri dish and pipetting equipment under cool clinical lighting. — Former Instacart CEO Fidji Simo has co-founded ChronicleBio, an AI research firm that raised $20 million to map biological data for chronic illness treatment. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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After stepping down from her role as CEO of Instacart in 2025, Fidji Simo co-founded ChronicleBio to address the lack of data surrounding chronic health conditions. The AI research firm raised over $20 million to help map potential drug treatments for patients.

Why it matters

Simo launched the company to better understand chronic illnesses like long COVID and POTS, which she was diagnosed with in 2019. By building an extensive biological dataset, the firm aims to uncover the biology behind debilitating symptoms.

ChronicleBio utilizes artificial intelligence to aggregate biological data, focusing on conditions like POTS, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and ME/CFS. Simo has personally noted that she can only stand for 10 minutes before potentially fainting.

The players

Fidji Simo

She is a tech executive who previously served as the CEO of Instacart until 2025.

ChronicleBio

This is an AI-driven research firm dedicated to mapping biological data related to chronic diseases.

The details

ChronicleBio analyzes biological information to bridge the gap between patient symptoms and effective pharmaceutical interventions. The firm focuses on complex, poorly understood chronic conditions that frequently cause rapid heart rate increases, dizziness, and fainting.

Fidji Simo received a diagnosis of POTS in 2019.
Simo co-founded ChronicleBio and exited Instacart in 2025.
She departed her full-time position at OpenAI in July 2026.
Simo outlined the company mission in a post on X on October 1, 2026.

The Tech Race

ChronicleBio represents a shift toward using artificial intelligence to decode complex biological markers that were previously difficult to quantify. This approach marks a departure from traditional drug development methods by prioritizing patient-specific data to solve chronic health challenges.

For patients suffering from chronic conditions, this technology represents a potential future path to more personalized diagnostic and treatment options. The data-mapping approach may eventually lead to better outcomes for those managing symptoms that currently limit daily physical mobility.

The takeaway

The move highlights how personal health experiences are increasingly driving innovation in the biotechnology sector. Entrepreneurs with chronic conditions are uniquely positioned to direct venture funding toward solving long-standing medical mysteries through advanced analytics.