Introducing the Inaugural EU Cohort of the Big if True Science Accelerator
In June, we announced our partnership with SPRIND, Germany's Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, to identify and develop the next generation of leaders to design new R&D challenges and other kinds of coordinated research programs to tackle humanity's most pressing challenges.
Last month, we welcomed the inaugural EU cohort of the Big if True Science Accelerator (BiTS) – our intensive program designed to transform exceptional scientists into visionary leaders capable of designing and executing R&D initiatives that transcend the boundaries of traditional single-laboratory research. BiTS addresses a critical gap in the global innovation ecosystem: while history's most transformative breakthroughs have emerged from ambitious, coordinated research programs, there has been no systematic pathway for technical visionaries to develop the leadership capabilities needed to architect such initiatives.
After a highly competitive international selection process, we're thrilled to introduce the 10 exceptional scientists and innovators who comprise our inaugural cohort. These researchers are confronting audacious challenges ranging from continuous monitoring of female hormones to shaping the market for nuclear fusion in Germany.
"BiTS has proven to be a remarkable platform for discovering talented individuals who can architect future breakthrough innovation programs and connecting their exceptional capabilities with the resources needed to launch and execute ambitious challenges," says Jano Costard, Head of Challenges at SPRIND. "Our alumni will be positioned to lead future SPRIND challenges or engage meaningfully with the broader European innovation funding ecosystem."
Selected for their potential to deliver transformative real-world impact, this diverse cohort spans critical fields including neuroscience, environmental engineering, biomedical research, and advanced materials science. Over the next 15 intensive weeks, they will systematically transform their breakthrough concepts into concrete, fundable eight-figure challenges and other types of R&D programs under the guidance of world-class mentors.
The BiTS x SPRIND cohort benefits from mentorship by distinguished leaders including Renee Wegrzyn, the inaugural director of ARPA-H, and Cheryl Martin, former Acting Director of ARPA-E – program architects who stewarded breakthrough technologies from initial funding to market applications.
Their transformative journey will culminate on December 10 in Berlin, where they will present their fully developed program concepts to an audience of leading funders, positioning them to launch the next generation of coordinated research initiatives that could reshape entire technological fields.
The Big if True Science Accelerator represents our commitment to building systematic pathways for developing research program leadership, creating a replicable model for how governments, philanthropists, and research institutions can cultivate a robust pipeline of ambitious research visionaries capable of catalyzing breakthrough innovations.
Meet the cohort
Achim Harzheim
Molecular transducers that turn biological activity into electronic signals.
Shahaf Peleg
Light-powered mitochondria boost cell energy, slowing aging achieved via synthetic proton pumps and internal bioluminescence.
Antonia Schmalz
Market shaping for nuclear fusion.
Ida Tin
Continuous, real-time monitoring of all four key female sex hormones.
Jerome Unidad
Autonomous bioreactors for mass bioproduction in Earth's orbit.
Vasyl Mykytiuk
Structured, trainable biological processors for adaptive, ultra-low-energy neural computing.
Joe Meyerowitz
Downstream processing tools to make bioproduction cost-competitive with petrochemicals.
Anna-Lena Schindl
Expanding the pre-commercial R&D landscape in continental Europe with FROs and other emerging metascience tools.
Alexander German
Reversible human hibernation for organs to be vitrified and stored for later transplantation and survival of prolonged hypothermia.
Jan Jedryszek
Intracellular, battery-free nano-transceivers for real-time sensing.
Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing updates on their progress as these ambitious concepts evolve into actionable programs. Follow along as they work toward the Demo Day in December.
