Health, Bio & Deep Tech Startups

Origin of the Startup Idea

As scientists, we often celebrate breakthroughs within our own world -but too often, their impact reaches only a few. Our vision was born from a simple belief: science should be accessible to everyone. We see our skin every day, and we share an intimate relationship with it. That’s why we bring our knowledge of biology to life through the skin microbiome -turning science into solutions people can truly use.

Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

A knack for drawing. In particularly realism. It’s a quiet creative outlet that balances the intensity of building a business.

If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

Professional football player.

Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

No particular childhood inspiration, bud a deep admiration for innovators who bridged the gap between science and everyday life.

Advice to Someone Just Starting

Spend time finding the right co-founder and building a successful team. Success doesn’t come from an idea alone but from the people who bring it to life together.

Quote Snippet / Pull Quote

“Science should not stay in the lab — it should be in people’s hands”

“The right co-founder is worth more than the right idea”

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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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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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.

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.”

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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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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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Origin of the Startup Idea

The idea for Callisia was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the urgent need for continuous and remote patient monitoring became evident. In hospital wards, clinical deterioration often goes unnoticed for hours, delaying timely intervention and increasing risks for patients. Motivated by this challenge, the founders set out to develop a wearable biosensor platform powered by AI, designed to provide real-time monitoring of vital signs and early prediction of health risks to support clinicians in making faster, life-saving decisions.

Hidden Talent Most People Wouldn’t Expect

A hidden talent most people wouldn't expect from the Callisia team is the rare ability to build advanced AI-powered predictive models and design cybersecurity architectures entirely in-house, starting from the ground up—including hardware manufacturing, algorithm development, and seamless integration between device and cloud, which allows us to deliver highly accurate, real-time health insights while fully safeguarding patient data, a complete end-to-end capability that makes our approach to healthcare wearables truly unique and secure.

If Not an Entrepreneur, I’d Be…

Scientist

Childhood Inspiration or Origin Story

Childhood inspiration began with a natural curiosity that led me to dismantle and rebuild gadgets at home, constantly exploring how things worked. This hands-on experimentation sparked my passion for technology early on. My entrepreneurial journey took off in my teenage years when I started building mobile web pages for fun, integrating them with ads, and creating apps for Facebook, combining creativity with practical skills and igniting a lifelong drive to innovate and create impactful digital solutions.

Advice to Someone Just Starting

For someone starting now, the key advice is to embrace continuous learning and remain adaptable, as technology and markets evolve rapidly. Focus on solving real problems with user-centered solutions, and don’t be afraid to build prototypes early to test ideas. Building a strong interdisciplinary team and cultivating resilience through failures will also be crucial for long-term success in the startup journey.

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Solve real problems early, learn fast, and never fear failure.