Start-up prize for "EmbryoNet AI Technologies"
Using artificial intelligence to revolutionize drug development is the aim of the start-up "EmbryoNet AI Technologies" led by Konstanz biologist Patrick Müller. Müller and his team have now been awarded the start-up prize by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) for their business concept.
Developing new drugs is a very time-consuming and expensive process that still requires animal testing. The start-up EmbryoNet AI Technologies wants to use artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the process. The team is led by Patrick Müller, a professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Konstanz and an affiliate member of the Konstanz Cluster of Excellence "Collective Behaviour". At the moment, they are developing an online platform that enables automated drug screening in animal embryos or artificial organoids while identifying the underlying mechanisms of how the substances work.
The AI-supported method is faster, more cost-effective and more sustainable than current means of drug development. EmbryoNet AI Technologies aims to work with pharmaceutical companies, research institutions and regulators to improve the efficiency of their research as well as to enable them to move towards animal-free drug testing.
The business concept of Embryonet AI Technologies was one of the 15 winning concepts selected by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in the start-up competition. Each winner receives 7,000 euros as well as individual coaching services. The award ceremony took place on 19 March 2025 at the networking event "Connecting the Dots" in Berlin.
Earlier reporting on Patrick Müller's research provides more information about the EmbryoNet-AI project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and the underlying technology.
