Constructor Start is a global, equity-free program for DeepTech and Software+ founders turning validated technologies and early products into scalable, investment-ready companies. The program is a cornerstone of Constructor University’s commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation both in the Bremen region and globally.
Batch 4 was selected from more than 2,100 applications across 70 countries. 16 companies made it to the finalist cohort including Neology, PolaSight and Tortin from Switzerland. At the DemoDay three companies were named winner: Hi Holo (Georgia, deterministic AI engine for robotics), The Lithium Company (USA, lithium battery restoration process) and PolaSight.
PolaSight, founded by Roi Finish (CEO), Davide Scandella (CTO) and Pablo Márquez-Neila (CSO), won $100K. The company, a spinout of the University of Bern, has built the label-free imaging device PolaOne for use during cancer surgery, using polarized light and proprietary AI models to generate a live tissue map in under a minute, replacing a standard of care that can keep operating rooms idle for 30 to 40 minutes per sample.
PolaOne examines fresh tissue directly, in about a minute, without the freezing, cutting and staining steps that make the conventional intraoperative method slow. The tissue is not consumed and continues to standard pathology. The time saving comes from skipping sample preparation.
PolaOne is a research-use instrument and is not yet cleared for clinical diagnosis. However, it is already used for research on fresh tissue at University of Bern’s Inselspital. “Our work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, most recently in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, on the analysis of fresh tissue biopsies”, explains CEO Roi Finish. Larger multi-site studies are the next step for the team.
So far, the company is funded by the founders and by early non-dilutive support, including Venture Kick. “We are currently in discussions with investors for a pre-seed round”, adds Finish. The start-up is now moving from prototype to a first small series of instruments for research partners, advancing the regulatory process, and expanding clinical studies with hospital partners.
“This cohort is proof of what we set out to build: finding exceptional founders wherever they are building. From Hi Holo in Tbilisi to The Lithium Company in San Francisco and PolaSight in Switzerland, technical depth and ambition are not limited by geography. Our role is to identify these teams early and help them become globally competitive companies,” said Dmitry Kurin, CEO of Constructor Start.
All three winners also received a Nexford Program Award, providing a 60% tuition reduction across Nexford University’s MS in AI and Technology Management (MSAI), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and MBA in Entrepreneurship (MBAE) programs, in recognition of their academic excellence, leadership potential, and dedication to professional growth. Fadi Al Tarzi, Founder and CEO of Nexford, presented the awards on stage, marking the third consecutive year of the Nexford-Constructor scholarship partnership. Dmitry Kurin, CEO of Constructor Start, and Valentino Jadriško, Associate at Constructor Capital, presented the ceremonial $100K investment checks.
“None of these three would have looked obvious on paper a year ago. That’s exactly where we want to be, backing conviction before the market has any reason to agree with us,” said Marie Lepske, General Partner at Constructor Capital. “It’s the same pattern we saw with last year’s cohort. Those founders have already raised more than $10M in follow-on funding since Demo Day, and we expect this group to follow the same trajectory.”
Applications for Batch Five of the program have already opened, inviting DeepTech and Software+ founders with working prototypes, validated technology or early products who are ready to move towards customers, commercialization and scale to apply. Entrepreneurs interested in taking advantage of this program can learn more and apply on the Constructor Start website.
(Press release / Stefan Kyora)
