When I was a young researcher, I believed invention was the pinnacle of achievement. To discover something new and build something no one had built before – that felt like enough.
But after launching several deep tech startups, I’ve learned a powerful lesson. Invention is just the beginning. Innovation is what changes the world.
The difference? Invention lives in the lab, while innovation lives in the real world. And getting from one to the other is the hard part. That’s also where I’ve found my purpose.
Over the past decade, I’ve built companies that transform complex science into usable, scalable, and often life-changing technologies. Innovations have spanned bio-based polymers, fertility diagnostics, smart antibiotics, and epigenetic profiling. The fields are different, but the mission is always the same: turn knowledge into tools that solve real problems.
I didn’t start with a golden network or a roadmap. I grew up in Syria, moved to Italy after high school in 1999 to study biotechnology, then earned my PhD in Sweden. I taught myself what it means to lead. Not just in science, but in business.
That meant learning to fail fast. To rebuild. To adapt. It also meant refusing to let doubt, or gatekeepers, define what’s possible.
What drives me isn’t the thrill of higher valuation or flashy headlines. It’s the joy of making something work, of seeing a technology finally leave the whiteboard and become a prototype, a product, or a platform. That moment is what I chase every day.
Let’s be honest: building deep tech is messy. It takes time and is full of uncertainty. And most people won’t understand what you’re building until it’s already done. That’s why I believe innovation doesn’t just require intelligence. It requires resilience… and a lot of coffee.
Today, with Epigenica, we’re unlocking a new layer of biology – epigenetics – and making it accessible for both research and medicine. We’re not just developing kits. We’re building infrastructure for the future of healthcare.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: Ideas are cheap. Execution is everything. Deep tech founders need to be scientists, storytellers, builders – and more often than not, stubborn optimists. But when you get it right, you don’t just build a company. You shape an industry.
And that’s a journey worth taking.
