On November 20, Y Science hosted a Pharma Pitching Competition for early-stage startups and pre-startups. Today we had the opportunity to interview San Pun, founder and CEO of the startup that won the 5,000€ prize. AiMorphous Health is a Swiss company pushing boundaries in early detection and diagnosis of thrombosis. With a strong foundation and clear vision, they are poised to make a significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide. Below you can find out more about their journey so far.
How did AiMorphous Health come to life, and what inspired your transition from academia to leading a startup?
AiMorphous Health emerged as a natural evolution of my scientific journey. My academic background is in neuroscience, with a focus on synapse formation and neurodegenerative diseases—a passion influenced by family experiences with Alzheimer's and dementia. Over the years, I transitioned to biomarker discovery and diagnostic solutions, eventually finding myself in thrombosis and bleeding research. Starting AiMorphous Health was less about seeking to lead a company and more about creating practical, impactful solutions for healthcare, moving beyond academic inquiry.
Why is there a need for early detection of thrombosis?
Thrombosis is a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, vein thrombosis, or lung emboli, accounting for over 25% of deaths globally. Research indicates that a staggering 80% of thrombosis cases could be prevented through early detection, but unfortunately there is no reliable test currently capable of identifying the risk of early or asymptomatic thrombosis.
What makes AiMorphous Health’s technology stand out?
Our innovation addresses key limitations of the current standard of care: the insufficiency of providing early detection of blood anomalies, and the lack of thrombosis risk prediction. Our proprietary solution offers unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity. This innovation positions us as a game-changer in the field.
Why did you choose "AiMorphous" as the company name?
The name embodies our core focus—blood. "Amorphous" signifies the shapelessness of blood as it adapts to the body's needs. The additional "i" in “AiMorphous” highlights our individual risk prediction capabilities powered by innovative machine learning algorithms. With just a drop of blood, our technology promises unprecedented insights for early detection and risk assessment.
What unique challenges and advantages have you faced as a scientist-turned-CEO?
Transitioning to a CEO role has been both challenging and rewarding. I remain deeply involved in the science behind our technology, while learning to navigate the business landscape. While my scientific mindset helps drive innovation, business aspects like fundraising and market positioning require a different skill set. Balancing these roles has been a learning curve, but it’s fulfilling to see our science translate into real-world impact.
What advice do you have for scientists considering a move into entrepreneurship?
It’s crucial to embrace a mission-driven mindset. As scientists, we need to focus on understanding problems, and entrepreneurship demands translating those insights into actionable solutions. Balancing science with practical applications ensures your work can truly provide impactful and sustainable benefit to society.
How was your experience participating in the Y Science competition?
Joining and winning the competition was a great experience. The coaching sharpened my ability to communicate complex scientific ideas to diverse audiences, from investors to non-experts. The connections made at the event have been invaluable, opening doors to collaborations and potential funding opportunities.
What are the next steps for AiMorphous Health?
We're focused on securing financing to establish a lab, enabling data generation for product development and regulatory approval. Collaboration with global experts is already in place, and this infrastructure will allow us to accelerate our mission of delivering effective, scalable solutions.