From research to spinoff
PSI Founder Fellowship supports two spin-off projects: AI platform and solid-state batteries
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The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI is awarding PSI Founder Fellowships to Mohsen Sadr and Mohammadhossein Montazerian. The fellowships will support two business ideas based on PSI technologies: an AI-based platform for the development of fusion energy and aerospace technologies, and a novel technology for thin-film solid-state batteries for compact energy storage.
Two PSI researchers, Mohsen Sadr and Mohammadhossein Montazerian, have been awarded PSI Founder Fellowships: They will receive financial support of up to 150,000 Swiss francs, as well as coaching and advisory services from PSI’s technology transfer team and external experts.
AI-supported development for fusion energy and aerospace
Founder Fellow Mohsen Sadr is developing an AI-based tool that can accelerate and reduce the cost of physical simulations for fusion energy, aerospace, and semiconductor technologies. His goal is to develop, adapt, and deploy AI tools with industrial partners to optimise their development and design processes.
“Today the development of fusion energy systems requires years of simulation and testing cycles. Our AI solution can significantly accelerate these processes and can put decades of scientific know-how at the service of industrial applications in a targeted way,” Sadr says.
By addressing key bottlenecks in simulation and design processes, the technology enables faster evaluation and optimisation of new concepts. This is a crucial factor for the further development of fusion energy as a long-term, clean energy source, as well as for challenging aerospace applications.
Microbatteries for medical technology and wearables
Mohammadhossein Montazerian, the second Founder Fellow, focuses on interface engineering as well as micro- and nanofabrication processes for next-generation solid-state energy storage. Building on this, he aims to develop a new class of thin-film solid-state lithium-ion batteries.
“Our fully oxide-based battery architecture not only significantly improves safety, but also enables more than 5,000 charge cycles with ultrafast charging – precisely the properties that next-generation biomedical implants and Internet of Things (IoT) devices require,” explains Montazerian.
The technology eliminates the need for metallic lithium and enables exceptionally thin integratable structures suitable. The project addresses the growing demand for reliable micro-energy storage solutions in applications such as biomedical implants, wearables, IoT devices, and even microdrones.
From research to spinoff: PSI spinoffs create value
PSI Founder Fellows are selected annually by a jury composed of representatives from industry, research, and the venture capital community. Beginning in the first quarter of 2026, this year’s winners will systematically advance their respective technologies over a period of 12 to 18 months, conduct market validations, and develop an initial business plan. The goal is to attract further investors by the end of 2026 and lay the foundation for a potential spinoff company.
Spinoffs are a key instrument of technology transfer at PSI. They translate scientific findings from basic research into marketable products and solutions, thereby making a significant contribution to society and the economy. Since its launch in 2017, the PSI Founder Fellowship, with the support of UBS, has been helping PSI researchers and engineers in developing promising business ideas up to the point where a spinoff could be founded. Seven spinoffs have already emerged from the programme, including Araris Biotech AG, the first unicorn among the PSI spinoffs, with a market valuation of more than one billion US dollars.
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