Drug discovery rarely moves at the speed of human needs. Between ballooning trial costs, brittle data pipelines and the sheer biological complexity of diseases, pharmaceutical R&D has long been a slow, expensive and high-risk endeavor. Yet over the past few months, a new cohort of healthtech startups has been quietly working on changing that – not on their own, but together inside a 3-month hybrid healthtech accelerator program in the heart of Basel’s life sciences innovation hub.
In 2025, 14 Swiss and international startups completed the DayOne Accelerator program. As the program’s culmination at the Innovation Showcase in December made clear, the breakthrough wasn’t just the technology on display, but the shared conviction that collaboration can compress timelines that are currently still stretching over a decade.
The testimonials below illustrate how these startups are reshaping what’s possible in pharma R&D – and how accelerator programs like DayOne can play a critical role in supporting and speeding up their growth and impact. Together, these perspectives point to a broader transformation underway across the pharma industry: a move away from fragmented, linear models of research toward faster, more interconnected and more collaborative ways of working.
“The DayOne accelerator was an excellent experience that significantly accelerated our entry into the Basel life sciences ecosystem. It provided us with rare, first-hand insights into how pharmaceutical companies operate – insights that typically take years to acquire,” shared Moustafa Houmani, Co-founder and CEO of Lemna Bio, a startup building AI models that explain how molecules interact, from atomic-level interfaces to biological networks. “I would strongly recommend DayOne to startups that are serious about building the next generation of drug discovery companies. Importantly, the program is both fee-free and equity-free.”
“DayOne is a fantastic accelerator for any company operating at the intersection of tech and biopharma R&D. The DayOne accelerator provided us with high-quality mentorship, as well as connections with a very large network of executives and pharma experts,” said Nives Rombini, Co-founder and CEO of Navis Bio, a startup up developing AI and quantitative methods to analyze scientific and clinical evidence supporting biopharma strategic decisions. “DayOne is also a very well-known brand in the Basel pharma ecosystem which was of great help for us to expand the presence of Navis Bio in Basel.”
“Joining the DayOne program has been one of the best decisions for our startup. The program offers truly hands-on, founder-focused support, with deep industry insight and a strong ecosystem. The coaching, mentorship and network helped us sharpen our strategy and move forward with much greater clarity and confidence,” noted Yanan Zhang, Co-founder of ZuriEV, a startup developing a blood-based liquid biopsy test enabling earlier, non-invasive brain cancer diagnosis. “DayOne feels less like an accelerator and more like a long-term partner in our journey.”
“DayOne has been a great partner for Octozi to build relationships within the Swiss pharma ecosystem. Their understanding of the local life sciences landscape and ability to connect us with the right sponsors and stakeholders has meaningfully accelerated our progress,” shared Amit Patel, Co-founder and CEO of Octozi, a startup developing an AI platform that helps biopharma sponsors automate clinical development processes for data cleaning and review. “DayOne has played a key role in helping us establish credibility and long-term partnerships in Switzerland.”
“DayOne is the premier hub for any startup serious about bridging the gap with the pharmaceutical industry,” said Edoardo Giudice, Co-founder of Virtuosis AI, a startup developing AI models analyzing vocal biomarkers for NCS, cardiometabolic and respiratory disorders.
“An incredibly impactful experience, highly practical, thoughtfully structured, and supported by exceptional mentors and experts,” noted Anna Cichonska, Co-founder and COO of Harmonic Discovery, a startup developing a machine learning-driven drug discovery platform designing multi-target kinase therapeutics with precision pharmacology. “The DayOne team and the startup cohort created an environment that made learning and progress feel both focused and collaborative.”
“The DayOne programme has been a real accelerator for us, helping pave the way for partnerships with pharma. It allowed us to fast-track our understanding of the ecosystem, the various stakeholders, their roles and challenges, and enabled us to fine-tune our value proposition. The program also created unique opportunities for us to meet and engage with people at the heart of the Basel life sciences and tech ecosystem,” shared Lea Pignier, Co-founder and CEO of Areltys, a startup developing a digital platform connecting cancer patients to innovative treatments, especially radioligand therapies worldwide. “The DayOne team, along with the experts they bring together, have immense experience, a keen understanding of startup challenges, and a genuine commitment to supporting startups and founders. The DayOne programme is truly unique, full of energy and has been extremely valuable for us.”
“DayOne provided great value through their mentorship and the doors they opened for us, as well as all the insights we could gather from top pharma executives,” said Antoine Herzog, Co-founder and CEO of Parithera, a startup developing a next-generation CTC liquid biopsy platform to detect treatment resistance and guide precision oncology.
“I would highly recommend the DayOne Accelerator for any healthtech startup. The insights, expert access and real-world feedback were incredibly valuable. If you’re building in this space, this is where you want to be,” noted Anna-Liisa Parts, Co-founder and COO of Menken Trials, a startup developing an AI-enabled clinical trial platform automating monitoring, compliance checks and essential document management.
Applications for the 2026 edition of the DayOne Accelerator open at the end of March. If you’re building a venture at the intersection of technology and pharma R&D – or know someone who is – stay tuned for more information on how to apply, what we look for and what to expect from the program. More details coming soon!
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