Four FSE start-ups take part in Academic Startup Competition

Four start-up companies founded by FSE scientists have been nominated to participate in the fifth edition of the Academic Start-up Competition (ASC).

FSE Science Newsroom | René Fransen

The Academic Startup Competition (ASC) is an annual competitive programme for the most promising academic ventures from Dutch universities and research institutes. The objective of the ASC is to accelerate the growth of ambitious founders, provide clarity on where to focus, and open doors that previously remained closed.

The ASC starts with 40 teams, nominated by Dutch universities, their incubators, UMCs, various institutions for applied research, and affiliated degree programmes. Three elimination rounds will determine the 10 winning teams in April. These teams will go on a trip to the USA in May to meet Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem connectors.

Below is a description of the four startups from the Faculty of Science and Engineering:

Limosa

Diagnosing infections can be complicated and costly. Limosa promises a more rapid and cost-effective diagnosis of diseases by looking at the so-called T-cells produced by our immune system.

The T-cells are specific to the cause of an infection or auto-immune response. Scientists from the Molecular Immunology group at the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB) have developed a method to identify what triggered these specific T-cells, enabling them to diagnose the disease.

Limosa will use this technology to develop diagnostics that can screen high-risk groups for infections or auto-immune diseases even before any symptoms have arisen, or diagnose patients at a very early stage. The startup is currently building a team and looking for investors.

MimeCure

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The disease progressively deteriorates the lung function, making breathing increasingly difficult and significantly reducing a patient’s quality of life. Current treatments focus only on controlling the symptoms, as there are no therapies available that can repair the lung damage caused by COPD.

Scientists at the departments of Molecular Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy of the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy have developed a groundbreaking treatment which is able to stimulate lung tissue repair and can potentially halt the progression of the disease. This novel treatment uses a specific protein fragment, MC002, to activate self-repair mechanisms of lung cells. These findings led to a patent application and the establishment of spin-off company MimeCure.

MimeCure has already demonstrated promising results: In experimental COPD studies, MC002 significantly improved lung function. The startup is currently focused on completing preclinical trials and obtaining investment to support the first human clinical trials, which are expected to start within three to five years. If successful, the innovative therapy could be ready for use in COPD patients within seven to ten years.

IMChip

Current AI technology requires large data centres that consume an enormous amount of energy and cooling water. IMChip is developing new analog and neuromorphic chips, using materials beyond those used in current CMOS technology. These new chips mirror biological systems such as our brain by combining processing and memory in the same device. Known as memristors, they require far less power than regular silicon-based transistors, and they have the added advantage of near-instantaneous decision-making capabilities.

IMChip is working with the patented memristor technology from the research group of Prof. Tamalika Banerjee to develop chips for applications used in self-driving cars, for example, where onboard, highly efficient, low-latency AI tasks must be performed. The company officially started in the autumn of 2024 and is in the early stages of product development and attracting investors.

See also: The chips of the future

Bioprex Medical

Medical implants, or other medical devices used inside the body, are prone to causing bacterial infections. Treating these types of infections with antimicrobial drugs is often difficult and may induce antimicrobial resistance.

Scientists at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, led by Prof. Ton Loontjens and Dr Rui Li, have developed an antimicrobial coating for medical implants that should prevent infection. The coating—based on so-called quaternary ammonium compounds—kills the bacteria through an electrostatic mechanism that is different from the pharmacological mechanism of antibiotics. The use of this coating does not cause antimicrobial resistance. 

Bioprex Medical has achieved promising results in laboratory studies and animal experiments, and is now preparing for further preclinical evaluations. The coating is developed as a platform technology and will be introduced to the market through partnerships with medical device manufacturers.