startup – AlbPhD Circle

Sequential

Advancing health through microbiome science

Biotech

Clinical microbiome analysis for personal care and pharma with a 20,000+ sample database, in vivo certification, and full clinical study support.

• NGS & molecular diagnostics
• End-to-end clinical platform
• Scientifically validated products

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

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Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

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If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

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Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

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Founder Biography & Company Overview

Sequential was founded in 2021 by Dr. Oliver Worsley and Dr. Albert Dashi, two award-winning scientists with a shared vision of advancing human health through microbiome science. Dr. Worsley, CEO, holds a PhD in molecular genetics from the Genome Institute of Singapore and has received multiple international innovation awards. Dr. Dashi, CSO, earned his PhD in molecular genetics, epigenetics, and stem cell research from the National University of Singapore, and is recognized for his contributions to scientific research and entrepreneurship. Together, they lead a multidisciplinary team of experts in genetics, microbiology, clinical research, and skincare innovation.

Sequential is a pioneering medtech company specializing in clinical microbiome analysis for the personal care and pharmaceutical industries. Our mission is to decode the complex interactions between the human host and microbiome to drive innovation and improve health outcomes. With one of the industry’s most advanced human microbiome databases housing over 20,000 samples, we deliver a robust end-to-end platform that includes in vivo microbiome certification, biophysical assessments, and full clinical study support. Our cutting-edge platform uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) and molecular diagnostics to generate actionable, real-world data that help partners develop scientifically validated, differentiated products. By combining deep scientific expertise with clinical rigor, Sequential is setting new industry standards in microbiome testing and shaping a future where healthier microbiomes lead to better, more effective products and care.

Founded

2021

Founders:

Dr. Oliver Worsley, Dr. Albert Dashi

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Bottneuro AG

Non-invasive neuromodulation for Alzheimer’s

MedTech

University of Basel spin-off using alternating microcurrents on glial cells to develop non-invasive Alzheimer’s therapies.

• Venture Kick — all 3 stages
• Forbes DACH “Spin-off to Watch”
• Backed by Gebert Rüf Stiftung

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

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Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

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If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

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Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

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Advice to Someone Just Starting

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Founder Biography & Company Overview

Founded in 2021 by Dr. Bekim Osmani, Bottneuro AG is a pioneering medtech startup committed to revolutionizing the treatment of neurological diseases.

Rooted in cutting-edge research and driven by a passionate, multidisciplinary team, the company is supported by seasoned advisors and entrepreneurs who bring deep industry expertise to its mission.

As a spin-off from the University of Basel, Bottneuro has demonstrated the therapeutic potential of alternating microcurrents on glial cells—a scientific breakthrough made possible through the support of the Gebert Rüf Stiftung.

Within its first year, Bottneuro achieved significant milestones, including sweeping all three stages of the Venture Kick Program and being named a “spin-off to watch” by Forbes in the DACH region.

These achievements have positioned Bottneuro as a leading force in the development of non-invasive treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

Founded

2021

Founder:

Dr. Bekim Osmani

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Epistudia

Accredited, research-centered online learning

Education

Globally accredited online training for clinical medicine, public health, and life sciences; bridging the evidence gap with CME/CTE options.

• Collaborations: Harvard, Cambridge, Stanford
• Evidence-based, practice-focused courses
• Led by Dr. Taulant Muka

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

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Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

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If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

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Founder Biography & Company Overview

Epistudia is a globally accredited, research-centered online learning platform dedicated to empowering professionals in clinical medicine, public health, and life sciences.

Designed to meet the evolving needs of healthcare and research, Epistudia offers flexible, high-quality, and practical training supported by the latest scientific evidence and validated methodologies.

Through collaborations with renowned scientists and clinicians from top universities, the platform equips users with advanced tools to navigate complex research questions and improve diagnostic and treatment practices.

Led by Dr. Taulant Muka—Chief Scientific Officer and a widely published expert with experience at Erasmus Medical Center, Harvard, Cambridge, and Stanford—Epistudia integrates cutting-edge knowledge with real-world application.

With options for earning CME/CTE credits at your own pace and a growing library of specialized courses, Epistudia fosters a global community committed to ethical, evidence-based learning and meaningful impact.

Founded

2022

Founder:

Dr. Taulant Muka

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Arbrea Labs

Augmented reality for patient‑centered aesthetics

Beauty & Health Tech

AR tools (Arbrea Suite, Lindapp) that improve plastic‑surgery consultations, automate planning, and streamline clinic workflows.

• Team alumni: Disney Research, ETH Zurich
• Lead gen & patient engagement
• Centralized data & implant selection

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

Endri Dibra, Arbrea Labs’ CEO, has a long history of interest in medicine, surgery, and computer science, and it would be unthinkable for him to separate one aspect from another. After a family member was diagnosed with breast cancer, he became even more committed. It transformed his perspective on the procedures, especially after witnessing the trauma of mastectomy and the psychological effects it had on women. The contemplation of finding a solution as a follow-up to breast cancer rehabilitation ran in the background of Endri’s mind as he was undergoing his PhD thesis at the Computer Graphics Laboratory at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. During this time, Endri was reconstructing digital human avatars from single images, which started during Endri’s stint at Disney Research but only materialized and discovered real-world application during his PhD.

Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

Won Prices in : Mathematic Olympiads, Violin Playing & Swimming and Volleyball championships.

If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

Surgeon or Neuroscientist

Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

My first entrepreneurial story probably relates to helping my uncle build his business as well as typewriting on first pentiums on behalf of my grandfather to earn some bucks. I do believe necessity to excel in a foreign country combined with curiosity and PhD connections led to building an entrepreneurial profile

Advice to Someone Just Starting

Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, but if you do get into it do it for the path and challenges (ideally you have a personal motivation), rather than for the money

Quote Snippet / Pull Quote

If you can’t explain something simply, you do not understand it well.

Founder Biography & Company Overview

Dr. Endri Dibra has rich experience in startups (advisor, investor, CEO), academia (computer graphics, visual computing and AI) and industry (robotics, vision, AI). After earning his Master's degree in robotics and completing his PhD in Visual Computing at ETH Zurich, where he specialized in reconstructing digital human avatars from monocular imagery, he founded Arbrea Labs. The company develops innovative tools for plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery simulation using artificial intelligence.

Arbrea Suite provides doctors advanced 3D visualization, automates planning and implant selection, and centralizes patient data; Lindapp supports clinics in lead generation and patient education.

Together these tools elevate patient experience and clinic efficiency while improving communication and outcomes.

Founded

2018

Founder:

Dr. Endri Dibra

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TOM Medications

Europe’s leading med management platform

Digital Health

Privacy-first app for chronic condition management; generates real-world evidence for pharma and supports Swiss insurers.

• 1.7 yrs avg retention; 51% stickiness
• 1B+ patient-reported data points
• 3.5M+ monthly interactions

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

It all started at Unicorn Labs in 2018, when I was involved in the Entrepreneur Club at ETH Zurich. One day, I crossed paths with Sven, my current co-founder, who had just sold his fifth company and was on the hunt for his next challenge. I told him, “Let’s meet up and see what we can come up with. I think data in pharma is worth exploring.” Two days of intense brainstorming later, we had a vision: a massive data ecosystem for pharma companies and laboratories, with patients placed firmly at the center, powered by real-world evidence, meaning patient data, not the commercial pharmacy data sold as such today. It was bold and would have required a billion-dollar investment, so we broke it into manageable phases. Sven kicked things off by building the highest-engaging disease management app to start collecting patient data. While I focused on completing my PhD, Sven kept pushing the project forward. Near the end of my doctoral work, I rejoined, as the timing was perfect to finally put that data to work and create real-world evidence for the pharmaceutical industry.

Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

My hidden talent is intuitive painting. In art, I translate what I’m feeling into color, creating pieces that capture a specific moment and can’t be repeated.

If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

If not an entrepreneur, and not in healthcare, I would most likely pursue a career in psychology or anthropology. I believe the human psyche is the most fascinating and deeply unexplored territory. Growing up, my father taught me that the most accomplished person is the one who can truly understand themselves and their subconscious beyond the surface level. While there has been progress in this field, I believe there is still much to uncover to help people become more whole within themselves.

Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

As a child, I had an immense love for people. I was curious about their stories, needs, and challenges. Growing up, I often helped my parents run their side businesses alongside their growing careers in insurance and education, which gave me an early taste of entrepreneurship. That mix of human connection and business thinking shaped how I approach my work today, building solutions that put people at the center, and it is exactly why I chose healthcare and pharma as the industry where I could make the biggest impact.

Advice to Someone Just Starting

Hold your vision tightly, but your ideas lightly, the market decides, and your client is the compass. Not all of your ideas will be perfect from the start, and finding true product–market fit means putting the client at the center of every decision. This takes an open mind and adaptability, especially for entrepreneurs who can easily get stuck on their original ideas.

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“From the very beginning you are being told to compare yourself with others. This is the greatest disease; it is like a cancer that goes on destroying your very soul. Each individual is unique, and comparison is not possible.”

Founder Biography & Company Overview

TOM Medications is a Swiss digital health platform co-founded by Dr. Redona Hafizi, a pharmacology PhD and expert in industrial pharmaceutical sciences from ETH Zurich.

The TOM app is Europe’s most engaged medication management platform, with 1.7 years average user retention and a 51% stickiness rate, built to protect user privacy through an anonymous-by-design approach.

It helps patients manage chronic conditions while generating over 1 billion patient-reported data points that pharmaceutical companies use to access real-world evidence such as treatment pathways, adherence patterns, off-label use, and forecasting.

The platform also enables fast and anonymous patient surveys with over 3.5 million monthly interactions, and supports Swiss health insurers via a one-stop reordering system that reduces healthcare costs.

Dr. Hafizi, also Head of Pharma, has been recognized for research on kidney disease treatment and plays a key role in TOM’s mission to generate real-world evidence for the pharma and insurance sectors.

Founded

2022

Founder:

Dr. Redona Hafizi

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BioDelivera

Modular VLP delivery for oncology & gene therapy

Biotech

Engineered virus‑like particles (VLPs) deliver RNA, proteins, and enzymes with tumor targeting (HER2+, PDGFRβ+, PD‑L1+) and scalable one‑step manufacturing.

• Superior tumor penetration
• Intrinsic anti‑tumor activity (preclinical)
• Early data for brain‑targeted delivery

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

The idea for BioDelivera came from a desire to make advanced therapies accessible to countries that often lack them, like Albania and other under-resourced regions. We wanted to develop something that could be manufactured affordably without compromising on scientific rigor or therapeutic effectiveness.

Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

I don’t think I have any hidden talents. I’m just a very ordinary girl who loves both science and business. I work hard and stay curious.

If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

Honestly, I’ve never had a plan B. This has always felt like the only path for me.

Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

My mom went back to school while raising kids, studying late into the night. My dad also worked incredibly hard to provide for us. Coming from an immigrant family, I’ve always been inspired by how much can be achieved through persistence and sacrifice. That work ethic has shaped everything I do.

Advice to Someone Just Starting

Just go for it. Trust your gut, step out of your comfort zone, and give it your best. There will be ups and downs, but if you stay focused on your vision, anything is possible.

Quote Snippet / Pull Quote

I don’t usually like quotes, but this one says a lot about me: “Well‑behaved women seldom make history.” It reminds me that embracing who you are, speaking up, and challenging expectations is how you create real change, especially as a woman in science and business.

Founder Biography & Company Overview

BioDelivera was founded in early 2025 by Ikeda Trashi, Orikeda Trashi, and Mateusz Durbacz to develop a delivery platform focused on oncology, gene therapy, and neurodegenerative diseases.

The company’s mission is to make advanced therapeutics more precise, affordable, and accessible through an engineered virus-like particle (VLP) system that is easy to manufacture and scale.

BioDelivera’s VLPs can deliver both small and large molecules—such as RNA, proteins, or enzymes—while specifically targeting tumors, and the platform is customizable for markers like HER2+, PDGFRβ+, and PD-L1+.

It has shown efficacy in preclinical models across multiple cancers, with superior tumor penetration compared to many nanoparticles and antibody‑drug conjugates; even without cargo the VLPs exhibit intrinsic anti‑tumor activity.

A one‑step self‑assembly in bacteria requires no post‑modification, enabling fast, cost‑effective, and scalable manufacturing; the modular platform is also being developed for gene therapy and neurodegenerative diseases.

BioDelivera has won several awards, including the Big Idea Competition at UT Dallas, the Nucleate Texas Award, and the American Cancer Society BrightEdge EDS Phase I Award.

Founded

2025

Founders:

Dr. Ikeda Trashi, Dr. Orikeda Trashi, Dr. Mateusz Durbacz

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🏆 Big Idea Competition · Nucleate Texas · ACS BrightEdge EDS Phase I

Paperdrop Diagnostics

Paper microfluidics for rapid, low‑cost tests

Diagnostics

ICN2 spin‑off building paper‑based devices that detect critical biomarkers (e.g., kidney/liver injury, SIRS, ischemic stroke) at the point of care.

• One‑drop blood detection
• Primary care & low‑resource ready
• International recognition

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

There is a need for cost-efficient diagnostics devices to solve real issues for the society. The new generation of sensors and biosensors based on paper and using printing technologies would solve such a problem and pushed us moving forwardsuch spinoffs.

Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

The capacity to be entrepreneur sometimes is a hidden talent for young scientists. Speaking with young collaborators about such important routes for their future is very important.

If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

Scientist always.

Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

The nature, what people can do to protect it while developing new technologies.

Advice to Someone Just Starting

Chose a good mentor.

Quote Snippet / Pull Quote

Follow your dream, whatever you like to do, do your best.

Founder Biography & Company Overview

Paperdrop Diagnostics (PaperdropDx) is a biotechnology company in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, specializing in rapid diagnostic technologies using advanced paper microfluidics.

Founded in 2016 as a spin‑off of the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), the company was co‑founded by Prof. Arben Merkoçi, a leading global expert in nanobiosensors.

Together with CEO Marc Gallegos, the team aims to transform point‑of‑care diagnostics with low‑cost, user‑friendly devices that detect critical biomarkers from a single drop of blood.

Their innovations target conditions such as drug‑induced kidney and liver injuries, SIRS, and ischemic stroke, delivering rapid results without traditional lab infrastructure—ideal for primary care and under‑resourced settings.

Founded

2016

Founder:

Prof. Arben Merkoci

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GraphenicaLab

Flexible graphene‑based printed electronics

Nanotech

Printed sensors & devices via patented Wax Printed Membranes (WPM) technology — for mobility, healthcare, environmental monitoring, and more.

• EU Horizon 2020 funded
• Biosensors, temperature & chemical sensors
• Contract manufacturing options

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

The capacity to be entrepreneur sometimes is a hidden talent for young scientists. Speaking with young collaborators about such important routes for their future is very important.

If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

Scientist always.

Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

The nature, what people can do to protect it while developing new technologies.

Advice to Someone Just Starting

Chose a good mentor.

Quote Snippet / Pull Quote

Follow your dream, whatever you like to do, do your best.

Founder Biography & Company Overview

GraphenicaLab is a Spanish nanotechnology company specializing in flexible, graphene‑based printed electronic sensors and devices.

Originating as a spin‑off from ICN2, the company was co‑founded by Prof. Arben Merkoçi, a leading expert in nanobiosensors and graphene technologies.

Its patented Wax Printed Membranes (WPM) technology enables printing graphene and other functional materials onto various substrates to create temperature, humidity, chemical, and biosensors as well as integrated circuits.

Solutions span mobility, healthcare, environmental monitoring, and contract manufacturing, with funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 Programme.

Founded

2020

Founder:

Prof. Arben Merkoci

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AI Pathology Platform

Open‑source models for computational pathology

Library of privacy‑preserving AI models (segmentation, slide classification) with zero‑code training studio and federated learning.

• Local training; data stays secure
• Kidney fibrosis quantification tool
• Expanding to multiple organs & stains

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

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Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

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If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

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Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

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Advice to Someone Just Starting

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Founder Biography & Company Overview

We are on a mission to democratize AI in pathology, empowering pathologists with tools that enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency.

The platform offers a growing library of open‑source AI models for tasks like tissue segmentation and slide classification across multiple organs, usable via API or a zero‑code interactive studio.

All model training is local to keep data secure, and federated learning enables collaboration without compromising privacy.

A standout example is a fibrosis quantification tool for kidney slides; with expansion to other organs and stains, the vision is a scalable platform for AI‑driven pathology research and diagnostics.

Led by Dr. Rina Mehmeti, the team is building a flexible, community‑driven solution for modern pathology.

Founded

2024

Founder:

Dr. Rina Mehmeti

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Healthtech Venture

Ethical, user‑centered software innovation

Digital Health

Interdisciplinary team (biomed, computing, business) building scalable, user‑centered software solutions for healthcare impact.

• Problem‑first, market‑ready approach
• Ethical design & measurable outcomes
• Open to partnerships & new ideas

Interesting facts

Origin of the Startup Idea

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Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

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If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

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Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

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Founder Biography & Company Overview

The team—co‑founders Etnik Sheremeti, Maxence, and Pearl—combines biomedical research, computational science, and business strategy to drive tech innovation.

Focused on real‑world impact, they develop scalable, user‑centered software solutions, particularly in health tech.

Their mission is to identify meaningful challenges and transform them into ethical, market‑ready products through interdisciplinary collaboration, remaining open to new ideas and partnerships.

Founded

2025

Founders:

Dr. Etnik Sheremeti, Dr. Maxence, Dr. Pearl

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Health, Bio & Deep Tech Startups

Sequential

Bottneuro AG

Epistudia

Arbrea Labs

TOM Medications

BioDelivera

Paperdrop Diagnostics

GraphenicaLab

AI Pathology Platform

Healthtech Venture

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