For World Health Day we meet the innovative alumni whose start-ups are driving change across the global healthcare sector

• Name: Szabolcs Nagy
• Job title & start-up: CEO and co-founder of Turbine Ltd.
• Institution: Corvinus University of Budapest
• Degree: Bachelor’s degree, International Business
• Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/turbine-ai/   

Tell us more about your start-up – what does it do? 

Turbine is the first artificial intelligence that can accurately simulate how cancer behaves and design effective therapies and therapy combinations to cure it.

Over the past 10 years, Turbine’s team of biologists and AI developers have developed the world’s first, working Simulated Cell. With it, biopharma can overcome one of its structural challenges: it has more ideas to treat disease than ever (based on advancements in AI and automation of lab work), but it still has no good methods to understand whether its potential treatments will help patients or not, driving a 90%+ failure rate and billions of dollars wasted in clinical trials.

By simulating every experiment in cells, animals and, eventually, patients, Turbine allows pharma to predict new avenues to treat disease and which ones have the highest chance to work where it matters, in patients.

Turbine has validated its simulations in collaborations from large pharma (Bayer, Pfizer, AstraZeneca) to mid-sized biotech and research institutes (Ono, Cancer Research UK), and is working to integrate with other leading AI platforms and CROs.

Our vision is making biology an engineering discipline – where scientists can accurately predict the outcome of an experiment computationally, reducing the need for long, costly experiments and massively increasing the chance to make R&D bets that translate to treatments that help patients. 

Szabolcs Nagy is CEO co-founder, alongside Kristóf Szalay and Dániel Veres, Szabolcs hopes the company will one day be Hungary’s first unicorn. 

What inspired you to start this business and tackle this issue? 

My first startup experience in cybersecurity showed me the thrill of building something from the ground up, but I wanted to apply that same drive to an area with an even deeper impact: human health. I started talking to innovators in Hungary working in medical sciences and it became clear how much untapped potential there was in using technology to address complex challenges in healthcare.

“One of our most ambitious goals is to become Hungary’s first unicorn and achieve an exit through an IPO. Doing so would not only be a milestone for Turbine but could also transform the startup ecosystem in Hungary. It would put entrepreneurship and startup careers on the map in a country where these paths are not yet fully embraced.”

– Szabolcs Nagy, CEO and co-founder of Turbine Ltd  

That’s when I met my co-founders, who shared a grand vision to revolutionise drug discovery through AI-driven approaches. Together, we saw the opportunity to not just innovate but potentially save lives by making drug development faster and more precise.  

How has your business school experience helped you to design and launch the venture? 

Through countless business case studies and competitions, I learned how to quickly grasp the fundamentals of new industries and technologies. It taught me to identify the core drivers that make or break a business.

Additionally, being part of a specialised college within the Corvinus University of Budapest helped me develop leadership skills. I learned how to take ownership of a mission, lead diverse teams, and build an organisation where people from different backgrounds work toward a shared vision. These experiences directly prepared me for the challenges I face at Turbine, where we navigate the intersection of science, technology, and business every day.  

How has your business school experience helped you to design and launch the venture? 

One of the most valuable aspects of my business education was the case study approach. Working through these cases taught me how to quickly understand entirely new industries and navigate complex challenges. It also gave me the chance to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds (engineering, computer science, finance) which is crucial at Turbine, where we blend expertise from data science, biology, and business.

The ability to communicate across disciplines and synthesise different perspectives has been essential in building solutions that are both scientifically sound and commercially viable.  

Tell us about a challenge have you encountered whilst launching your venture, and how you overcame it. 

One of the first major challenges we faced was having a ground-breaking scientific concept that could be applied to biopharma research, but none of us had a direct background in the industry. We had to invest a lot of time in understanding the everyday challenges and realities of biopharma.

Over two years, we worked on validating our simulated cells, demonstrating that their predictions aligned with real-world lab experiments. We started with small engagements with Hungarian biopharma companies, and these initial proof points allowed us to convince a major global pharmaceutical company to collaborate with us. Working closely with their scientists helped us better understand the potential applications of our technology.

Beyond the technical validation, our approach was fuelled by relentless curiosity. We continuously asked questions, sought feedback from experts, and remained open to learning. This persistence not only strengthened our technology but also helped us effectively communicate our value to investors, paving the way for successful fundraising.  

Has there been a mentor that has helped you in your entrepreneurship journey? 

Rather than having a single mentor, I’ve found value in asking questions and genuinely learning from the experiences of more senior entrepreneurs and scientific leaders. Their insights have been invaluable, helping me navigate some of the most significant challenges we’ve faced at Turbine. These conversations often provided perspectives I hadn’t considered and even inspired pivotal decisions that shaped our growth journey. Being open to learning from others has been one of the most impactful parts of my entrepreneurial experience.  

Outside of degrees/qualifications, what other skills or support do you think is vital for success as an entrepreneur in this sector? 

Beyond formal qualifications, I think one of the most critical skills for success in this sector is the ability to tackle complex, non-obvious problems as a team. Working alongside people from diverse backgrounds to find solutions when there is no clear answer is a skill that needs to be constantly developed. Additionally, managing each other under pressure and maintaining motivation through challenging times is vital.

Lastly, learning how to tell a compelling story instead of focusing solely on technical details is crucial, especially in fundraising and sales. Communicating the ‘why’ behind what we do helps others connect with our mission and see the real-world impact of our work.  

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the future of your business?

Looking ahead, one of our most ambitious goals is to become Hungary’s first unicorn and achieve an exit through an IPO. Doing so would not only be a milestone for Turbine but could also transform the startup ecosystem in Hungary. It would put entrepreneurship and startup careers on the map in a country where these paths are not yet fully embraced.

Additionally, such an achievement would create a group of people with valuable experience and the financial means to launch new ventures, mentor future founders, and further strengthen the ecosystem. At Turbine, we’re giving this our best shot, not just for our success, but to pave the way for a more vibrant, dynamic entrepreneurial community in Hungary.  

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs in this sector? 

My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs in techbio or applying AI to biopharma R&D is to understand that this is a challenging industry to sell technology to. The ultimate goal – a drug that genuinely helps patients – is far removed from the immediate output of an AI model. No single model can create a drug on its own, so it’s crucial to approach this field with a realistic understanding of the limitations and complexities.

As a sector, we need to get better at proving real ROI to pharmaceutical partners instead of relying solely on the promise of technology. Demonstrating tangible value and bridging the gap between tech capabilities and patient outcomes is key to success.  

Interested in this series? Read on…