Meet Nemosia co-founder Awa Diagne and discover how they provide the missing piece in the fight against neurodegeneration

28.09.2021 15:05, Isabelle Mitchell

Neurological degeneration is one of this century’s greatest medical challenges, and many disorders are diagnosed only at a stage, leaving no chance for early treatment or even a cure. Nemosia is here to change how we diagnose neurodegeneration, advance drug development, and optimize personalized therapies. The startup is developing positron emission tomography (PET) tracers that can quantify processes at the cell level long before there are structural changes in the brain. Here to tell us more about Nemosia’s mission is the company’s co-founder and CEO, Awa Diagne. Learn more about Awa’s expectations for the Venture Leaders Biotech experience, and find out what role Greek mythology, her family, and an almost 70-year-old book play in her entrepreneurial path.

Switzerland boasts one of the world’s most renowned and innovative biotech industries. To do justice to this powerful position, Swiss biotech startups now have their own Venture Leaders program: During their roadshow, the Venture Leaders Biotech will meet international investors and industry leaders and access industry-specific expertise and networks to grow their companies. For the next few weeks, we shine the spotlight on the 10 Venture Leaders Biotech 2021 and introduce you to the inaugural graduates of the program. To learn more about the startups, we asked each entrepreneur to complete a short profile and choose at least six questions from a questionnaire about their personal and professional life.

Name: Awa Diagne
Location: Zurich
Nationality: Senegalo-Canadian who has been living in Switzerland for over 10 years now
Graduated from: École Polytechnique de Montréal 
Your job title: Co-founder and CEO of Nemosia 
Number of employees: 5
First touchpoint with Venturelab: In May 2019 at a business ideas event at ETH Zurich 

“At Nemosia, we develop medical imaging tracers for the early detection and therapy monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases.”

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
The Nemosia business idea was originally born from ETH’s Dr. Hazem Ahmed’s and Dr. Ahmed Haider’s doctoral and post-doctoral research studies, under the supervision of Prof. em. Dr. Simon M. Ametamey. Then, in February 2020, they met their other two co-founders, Awa Diagne and Daniel Tay, during the Innosuisse Startup Campus Module 2 course. After winning “Best presentation” and “Most innovative business idea,” the team decided to join forces and turn award-winning research results into a business venture.    

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders program, and how will it help you achieve your vision? 
At Nemosia, we envision that in the next 10 to 15 years, brain scans would be part of the general public’s health check-up routine, even if there are no visible symptoms. Thus, the Venture Leaders program would support this mission in many facets: offer visibility and fundraising with investors networking opportunities, support us in developing international partnerships and distribution channels, and enable learning and exchange with fellow entrepreneurs. 

What is one thing not many people know about you?
I have an identical twin sister who lives in Canada.    

What would be the title of your biography?
A good title could simply be Tireless warrior because I do not accept the status quo. I am always seeking to challenge the established order and push my own limits. I do not like comfort zones much; I would rather go off the beaten paths, especially when I am being told not to do so!    

What is the one talent you wish you had?
Playing the piano or being able to sing! 

What is your favorite TV show?
House of Cards. The show has an excellent cast, and I like social experiments where power and money are at stake. I am always amazed by how people strategize to increase their influence or use the media to fight an adversary. I think this series excels in showing people’s true colors and not just the nice sugar-coated image they want to project—but more importantly, human nature’s darker side.    

What is your favorite podcast?
A podcast I listen to every day is a Senegalese politico-economic podcast Chronicles of Pape Alé Niang from Dakar-Matin. Not only because I am passionate about international politics and social dynamics but also because it allows me to maintain a link with my African roots.    

What is your favorite book?
Chants d'ombre by Léopold Sédar Senghor. It is a collection of 25 poems, most of which he had written while he was held captive by the Nazis. It is a hymn to the beauty of simple things, nature, and loved ones. I like to read it when I am under stress or strong doubt—for instance, before taking a major decision. The book soothes me and helps me refocus on my priorities.

What is always in your fridge?
Eggs, potatoes, and maple syrup! I love eggs:  They are not only delicious but super practical. They can adapt to anything from quick salad to more sophisticated desserts, and the best part is I can enjoy them at any time of the day!   

What are you most proud of?
I would say my family, particularly my mum, who is truly a role model to me.  We have been through thick and thin, but we always stick together and support each other even when we are not approving each other’s choices.     

What advice would you give your teenage self?
It is not a weakness to ask for help or support—au contraire, it is a sign of strength!    

How did you come up with the name of your startup?
Nemosia is derived from Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of memory. Nemosia is also the name of a species of bird from South America, which provides early detection for workers in mines, just like the canary. As we aim to provide early detection of neurodegenerative diseases, we find that the name matches our purpose very well.

What is your favorite productivity hack?
My number one productivity hack would have to be making lists, then having a morning routine where I review and re-prioritize the action items. There are so many things going on in parallel, and I cannot count on my sole memory anymore. Making lists ultimately helps me prevent things from falling through the cracks, define my daily game plan, and keep in mind what is coming up next.    

Where and when are you most productive?
Early morning and late evenings. I can work everywhere—bustling cafés or a quiet office room.    

What are your three favorite apps?
I give you six apps but organized into three groups: 
a) YouTube/Podcast player to catch up on the latest news worldwide 
b) Meetup/InterNations for networking and doing activities within local, thematic communities 
c) LinkedIn/TED for professional networking and business news and trends    

What do you do when you are creatively stuck?
I know it will sound old school, but I actually enjoy reading books, real paper books.    

How and where do you clear your mind? 
Reading, cooking or any other manual work, and sometimes sport as well, if I have more time.    

What is the most challenging aspect of being a founder? 
A founder’s path can be quite lonesome. I came from an organization with over 400K employees, where I was leading a +30 FTE team, so it has been quite a re-adjustment for me.    

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a founder? 
Making a greater impact! The perspective of developing solutions and tools from scratch that can affect millions of lives is truly what gets me going every morning.    

What is something you wish you had known about being a founder?
Everything takes longer: People are not at your service—and most of the time, they are doing you a favor—and it takes time to build a solid base, particularly in regard to legal and compliance aspects.    

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
The first impression is crucial. Some investors make their decision in a very short time, and there is not always a second chance.    

What is the best advice you have ever received? 
Do your homework! No one can know it all, but proper preparation is key. It makes a big difference, shows professionalism, and starts building trust. One of my early bosses told me that when I started my career as a management consultant, and I still find it valid today.

What is your greatest professional failure, and what did you learn from it? 
I was so overly excited to implement a particular new technology that I overlooked my client requirements and actual fit. Not only did I waste time and resources, but more importantly, it created a breach of trust. Since then, I always make a point to take the time to investigate and understand my clients’ specific needs—spoken and unspoken—before jumping to any solution. In addition, I do frequent re-alignments just to ensure that I capture any changes along the way.
                           
Last but not least, could you show us your workspace? 
Here is my remote office: 



For more information and updates on Nemosia and the Venture Leaders Biotech, follow the Venture Leaders Biotech 2021 team with #VLeadersBiotech on social media or subscribe to our newsletter. 

Venture Leaders Biotech 2021 is co-organized by Venturelab and Swissnex and supported by EPF Lausanne, ETH Zurich, VISCHER, and the Canton of Zurich.