Ineffable Intelligence Adds Six Cofounders From Google DeepMind, InstaDeep

Ineffable Intelligence, an AI startup based in London, has announced the addition of six high-profile "cofounders" to its team. This significant expansion includes four former researchers from Google DeepMind, a key player in AI development, and a former head of research from InstaDeep, an AI company acquired by BioNTech in 2023. The new hires are Chris Apps, Wojciech Czarnecki, Lasse Espeholt, and Junhyuk Oh, all of whom previously worked with David Silver, the ex-Google DeepMind researcher who founded Ineffable Intelligence. Apps, Czarnecki, and Oh were instrumental in DeepMind's 2019 AlphaStar project, an AI system that achieved professional-level performance in the complex video game Starcraft II, demonstrating advanced strategic reasoning capabilities. Espeholt, another new cofounder, contributed to Google's MetNet project, which focused on developing AI models for weather prediction, showcasing expertise in complex forecasting systems. The fifth cofounder, Alexandre Laterre, brings extensive experience from his role as head of research at InstaDeep, a London-based AI firm known for its work in various AI applications. InstaDeep was acquired by the biotechnology company BioNTech in 2023, highlighting its significant contributions to the field. Heather Gorham, the sixth cofounder, previously served as a partner at the venture capital firm Flying Fish, which was an early investor in Ineffable Intelligence. All six individuals have updated their professional profiles on LinkedIn to reflect their new positions within Ineffable. While Ineffable Intelligence confirmed these appointments, the company declined to provide further details. In April, Ineffable Intelligence secured a substantial $1.1 billion in seed funding, achieving a valuation of $5 billion, which represented the largest seed investment ever recorded in Europe. This wave of high-profile hires follows a trend of prominent researchers departing from Google DeepMind to join competing AI ventures. This exodus has fueled speculation about potential challenges within DeepMind, an organization that was initially founded with the primary objective of creating AI models capable of matching or surpassing human intelligence. Ineffable Intelligence was incorporated in November 2025 by George "Geordie" Rose, a Canadian entrepreneur and investor. David Silver officially joined Ineffable as a company director in January 2026, shortly after his departure from DeepMind. Records from the U.K. business registry, Companies House, indicate that Rose transitioned from being a "person with significant control" over Ineffable's shares one month after Silver's appointment.