BioConvS at VivaTech 2025

DIM BioConvS at VivaTech 2025

DIM BioConvS was delighted to attend VivaTech on June 11, 2025, and to showcase one innovative start-up and two researchers from its community.

Introducing DIM BioConvS and Its Talents

Following a brief presentation of the DIM BioConvS network, the session featured two highlights:

A pitch by a DIM-supported start-up presenting its innovations in synthetic biology, bioproduction, and artificial intelligence.
Insights from two researchers in the field who shared their latest advances.

ZebraMed – Intelligent Screening on a Living Model

@Zebramed (Lorenzo Zolfanelli, CSO)
This start-up is developing a compound screening technology that combines the use of zebrafish larvae and AI to discover novel drug behaviors.

Drug discovery remains slow and disconnected from in vivo systemic biology, lacking a real feedback loop with AI.

The proposed solution:

Industrialize data generation through live-organism testing,
Simulate human-like responses in a controlled environment.

Objectives:

Extract automated multimodal data,
Evaluate toxicity and efficacy at scale,
Improve AI models to accelerate R&D.

Amir Pandi – AI-Assisted Design of Antimicrobial Peptides

Amir Pandi, Inserm Research Scientist | ATIP-Avenir Group Leader

Bioactive peptides are key molecules in medicine. Deep learning offers tremendous potential for the design and discovery of new peptides to combat antimicrobial resistance and the shortage of new antibiotics.

A cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) platform was developed to produce antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) quickly and affordably, directly from DNA templates.

Key results:

Thousands of AMPs were designed de novo using deep learning.
500 candidates were produced and tested every 24 hours.
30 novel functional AMPs were successfully identified.

Julien Mozziconacci – AI and Targeted Therapies for Genetic Diseases

Julien Mozziconacci, Professor at the Structure and Instability of Genomes Laboratory (StrInG)

This presentation showcased an AI-powered strategy to treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).

Therapeutic target:
Utrophin, a promising substitute for dystrophin in DMD patients.

Approach:

Use of generative AI models to identify precise DNA edits that can stimulate utrophin expression.
Validation of these predictions through experimental lab techniques.

This method opens the door to precise, targeted, and long-lasting therapies for DMD, and potentially for other genetic diseases as well.

We’re pleased to share that the DIM BioConvS will be participating in VivaTechnology 2025 as part of the Région Île-de-France delegation.

VivaTech is Europe’s largest startup and tech event, bringing together over 150,000 participants, including investors, corporates, innovators, and media from around the world. It’s a unique opportunity to boost visibility, meet potential partners, and showcase your innovation on a global stage.

The Région Île-de-France is generously offering 4 startups from our community the opportunity to pitch at the event as part of the regional booth, on the opening day of the conference, Wednesday June 11th, between 11h00 and 11h30.

👉 Interested in pitching? Please complete this short form by Sunday, May 18 (evening):

Apply to pitch your startup with BioConvS