Mirror Review
November 18, 2025
Vik Bajaj is now one of the most important names in artificial intelligence. He has been appointed as co-founder and co-CEO of Project Prometheus, the new AI startup backed with $6.2 billion in funding and led by Jeff Bezos.
Project Prometheus is building advanced AI systems that learn from real-world experiments, robotics, and engineering data.
Instead of choosing a traditional AI executive, Bezos selected a physicist, chemist, lab builder, and scientific operator who understands how discovery actually happens.
This makes Vik Bajaj central to one of the biggest AI bets of the decade. His scientific background, experience in deep-tech ventures, and leadership at Google and Verily give him a unique profile rarely seen in startup leadership.
So who is Vik Bajaj?
Here are 10 rare facts about Vik Bajaj that explain why he is critical to the future of Project Prometheus.
1. He Was Building AI-driven Science Labs Long Before “Physical AI” Became Popular
Long before the industry began talking about “Physical AI,” Vik Bajaj was already designing automated laboratory systems at Google X and Verily. His teams built workflows where robots handled experiments, sensors collected data, and computation analyzed outcomes.
This early experience is crucial because Prometheus plans to scale exactly this type of environment. The future of AI depends on models that learn from real experiments, not just digital text, and Bajaj helped pioneer this idea.
2. He Co-Founded Google Life Sciences and Helped Turn It Into Verily
When Google created its life sciences division, Bajaj helped shape its scientific direction. As the division grew into Verily, he took on leadership roles that involved building teams, guiding research strategy, and overseeing the development of experimental platforms.
This makes him one of the few leaders who has already built a hybrid organization combining science, engineering, and computational research. Project Prometheus is following the same structure.
3. He Was Chief Scientific Officer at GRAIL, One of the Largest Genomics and Data-Driven Science Companies in the World
At GRAIL, Bajaj led scientific operations involving massive data sets and high-throughput genomic workflows. The company was built around large-scale experimentation, cloud computation, and predictive modeling.
This gave Bajaj firsthand experience in:
- running industrial-scale scientific pipelines
- managing complex datasets
- integrating computation with physical experiments
These are the same components required for Prometheus’ vision of Physical AI, where models must learn from millions of measurements across hardware, materials, and engineering tests.
4. He Has Deep Expertise in High-Throughput Measurement Systems and Experimental Engineering
A core part of Vik Bajaj career has involved building tools that collect real-world data. He has worked on molecular imaging, spectroscopy, nanofabrication, and micro-scale diagnostic devices. These tools generate precise experimental data, which AI systems need to learn physical laws and real-world behavior.
Physical AI requires this kind of data. Without reliable measurement systems, models cannot understand the physics behind materials, forces, structures, reactions, or mechanical systems. Bajaj’s expertise in measurement engineering fits perfectly with what Prometheus needs.
5. His Scientific Range Spans Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Engineering
Bajaj operates at the intersection of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. His research ranges from physical chemistry to analytical instrumentation to computational modeling.
This multidisciplinary range is rare. It helps him understand the full stack of scientific problems from the physics of a molecule to the engineering of a device to the computation needed to analyze it.
6. He Has Received Some of the Most Respected Awards in Scientific Research
Throughout his career, Vik Bajaj has been recognized for scientific innovation. His awards include:
- The Anatole Abragam Prize
- Two R&D 100 Awards
- The LBL Innovation Grant
These honors reflect breakthroughs in imaging, instrumentation, and experimental systems.
They also show that he has contributed original ideas to fields that require a deep understanding of physics and chemistry.
7. He Has Held High-Level Academic Research Positions at Top Institutions
Bajaj’s academic roles include serving as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Stanford School of Medicine and as an Affiliate Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He has contributed to research in physical chemistry, imaging, and instrumentation.
These positions matter because they reflect his ability to work in both academic and industrial settings. Prometheus will need this dual mindset: academic rigor plus real-world engineering discipline.
8. He Leads Deep-Tech Venture Creation at Foresite Capital and Foresite Labs
Beyond his scientific work, Bajaj has spent years helping launch high-tech companies through Foresite Capital. As Managing Director and Co-Founder of Foresite Labs, he supports ventures that rely on advanced data, computation, and experimental science.
This gives him insight into how deep-tech companies grow, raise capital, build teams, and develop long-term research programs. Prometheus will need these skills because it intends to operate more like a research institution than a typical startup.
9. He Serves on Important Scientific and Engineering Advisory Boards
Bajaj’s advisory roles include positions at UC Berkeley College of Chemistry and other leading research institutions. These roles signal trust from the scientific community and reflect his influence on research directions involving measurement, chemistry, and engineering.
Advisory experience also helps him identify strong talent, partnerships, and scientific opportunities, which are key ingredients for Prometheus’ growth.
10. His Education Blends Physics, Chemistry, and Experimentation at the Highest Level
Vik Bajaj earned his PhD in Physical Chemistry from UC Berkeley, where he worked on advanced imaging and analytical technologies. Before that, he studied chemistry and physics as an undergraduate.
This academic foundation allows him to speak fluently with physicists, chemists, engineers, and AI researchers. It also explains why he gravitates toward scientific problems that combine computation with physical experimentation, the same focus Prometheus is taking.
End Note
Vik Bajaj is not a typical AI executive. His background blends physics, chemistry, biotechnology, and experimental engineering in a way that fits perfectly with Project Prometheus’ mission.
The company wants to push AI beyond digital tasks and into the physical world, where models learn from materials, machines, and experiments.
With Jeff Bezos leading strategy and scale, and Bajaj leading scientific direction, Prometheus has the rare combination of vision and deep technical expertise required to build the next era of AI.
As Physical AI becomes the next major frontier, leaders like Vik Bajaj will play a defining role in shaping how AI interacts with the real world.
