Dr. Mariam Elgabry
Buildng Nurfy, an AI-powered device that monitors microbiomes, providing personalized health insights through gamification principles. Read more
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Dr. Mariam Elgabry, an entrepreneur, scientist, and athlete with Greek Egyptian heritage, is redefining health culture through Nurfy, the first AI-powered “homeable” device bringing at-home microbiome monitoring and precision health to Gen Z, Millennials, their families, and their furry friends.
As founder and CEO of cyber-biosecurity company Bronic (www.bronic.co) that builds everyday biotech, Dr. Elgabry combines her expertise in biotechnology with her passion for track to create a paradigm shift in how individuals interact with their health. She was previously a Fellow at the John’s Hopkins Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative (ELBI) and a Cyber Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs.
Her research in the future of biotechnology has been recognised by the UK Parliament Joint Committee on National Security, and the United Nations, and has been supported by various organizations such as the EU, London City Hall, UKRI, and EPSRC. Dr. Mariam has a strong entrepreneurial drive and deep-tech expertise as an inventor and researcher with a patent and publication record from leading award-winning projects in industrial settings, at AstraZeneca and Microsoft, and from acquiring competitive innovation funds in start-up environments. She holds a PhD in biotechnology from UCL’s Dawes Centre for Future Crime and the Advanced Biochemical Engineering Centre, and a MSc in Bioinformatics and Theoretical Systems Biology from Imperial College London.
When she's not exploring unconventional research questions or delving into cyber-biosecurity, you can find her riding the waves as an avid kite surfer or on the track competing in 100 meters as a former sprinter for the Greek National Team.
Top Goal
My top goal for this fellowship is to accelerate the development and market readiness of Nurfy, bringing it to the MVP stage and in front of excited users to begin building our database and strengthening our AI algorithm. For market readiness, I aim to learn how to establish a robust manufacturing and supply chain process, streamline product production, and transition from 3D printing to injection molding and mass production.
Project Updates
July 2024
Dr. Mariam Elgabry
To-do list General
- [ ] connect / streamline socials and make plan of content
- [ ] personal updates (written) - eg LinkedIn Polaris to OSV Fellowship New Atlantis, plan for next year, include the socials to follow build of Nurfy, announce raising capital to do X,
- [ ] another interesting journey would be “Return to Athens” as a startup founder..
To-do list infinite book
- [ ] re-read PhD
- [ ] conduct research on trending similar book/s genre/s
- [x] schedule in meeting with Michael Garfield
To-do list infinite podcast
- [x] schedule in meeting with Michael Garfield
- [ ] make list of next speakers - places I could do the podcast: ACS, George’s studio
- [ ] receive feedback from What the BioHack podcast and look at Youtube comments
To-do list Nurfy
- [x] purchase camera for video journal of building Nurfy
- [ ] plan content for videos
- [ ] streamline process for making videos for eg TikTok sharing Nurfy progress
- [x] Nurfy v6 pcb board
- [x] bargain cheaper bulk chips from FREENOVE/ESPRESSIF (esp32)
- [x] correct for warping in 3D resin printing of gears to prevent “sticking”
- [x] re-print cube ring in a larger scale
- [ ] GTM/PMF - explore all avenues and actually test for feedback to inform - see SEPTEMBER GOAL
- [x] IP - protect utility/design? get advise OSV network
- [x] search for manufacturing/distribution partner
- [x] newsletter updates - required if using Notion?
- [ ] update pitch deck (scientifically why such a solution is important and provide a powerful roadmap for GTM/PMF, capture the broader vision) and share with osh network for feedback
- [x] seek OSV network for understanding of health insurance industry
- [x] order components for moving from n=1 to replicating the first 5 Nurfies!
- [ ] work out assembly plan
- [x] schedule meeting to confirm no need for medical regulation
To-do list cultivate Athens startup scene
- [ ] elevate startup scene in Athens, begin to search ecosystem - if non-existent, plan different ways to create it (events, online communities bring IRL, visit co-working spaces, through reccomendations, angels within GR,
- [ ] hacker house** select airbnb and run a hackerhouse in Greece, islands to create hub for startups
- [x] find co-working spaces with startups in Athens
- [x] identify events in Athens / conferences to meet new people
Learnings
- New potential revenue stream / business model in the data (biological) of the used sampling cartridges of Nurfy
- PCB manufacturers also provide manufacturing services on CNC
July 2024
Dr. Mariam Elgabry
To-do list General
- [ ] connect / streamline socials and make plan of content
- [ ] personal updates (written) - eg LinkedIn Polaris to OSV Fellowship New Atlantis, plan for next year, include the socials to follow build of Nurfy, announce raising capital to do X,
- [ ] another interesting journey would be “Return to Athens” as a startup founder..
To-do list infinite book
- [ ] re-read PhD
- [ ] conduct research on trending similar book/s genre/s
- [x] schedule in meeting with Michael Garfield
To-do list infinite podcast
- [x] schedule in meeting with Michael Garfield
- [ ] make list of next speakers - places I could do the podcast: ACS, George’s studio
- [ ] receive feedback from What the BioHack podcast and look at Youtube comments
To-do list Nurfy
- [x] purchase camera for video journal of building Nurfy
- [ ] plan content for videos
- [ ] streamline process for making videos for eg TikTok sharing Nurfy progress
- [x] Nurfy v6 pcb board
- [x] bargain cheaper bulk chips from FREENOVE/ESPRESSIF (esp32)
- [x] correct for warping in 3D resin printing of gears to prevent “sticking”
- [x] re-print cube ring in a larger scale
- [ ] GTM/PMF - explore all avenues and actually test for feedback to inform - see SEPTEMBER GOAL
- [x] IP - protect utility/design? get advise OSV network
- [x] search for manufacturing/distribution partner
- [x] newsletter updates - required if using Notion?
- [ ] update pitch deck (scientifically why such a solution is important and provide a powerful roadmap for GTM/PMF, capture the broader vision) and share with osh network for feedback
- [x] seek OSV network for understanding of health insurance industry
- [x] order components for moving from n=1 to replicating the first 5 Nurfies!
- [ ] work out assembly plan
- [x] schedule meeting to confirm no need for medical regulation
To-do list cultivate Athens startup scene
- [ ] elevate startup scene in Athens, begin to search ecosystem - if non-existent, plan different ways to create it (events, online communities bring IRL, visit co-working spaces, through reccomendations, angels within GR,
- [ ] hacker house** select airbnb and run a hackerhouse in Greece, islands to create hub for startups
- [x] find co-working spaces with startups in Athens
- [x] identify events in Athens / conferences to meet new people
Learnings
- New potential revenue stream / business model in the data (biological) of the used sampling cartridges of Nurfy
- PCB manufacturers also provide manufacturing services on CNC
August 2024
Dr. Mariam Elgabry
Meeting #1 - missed; caught up via video.
Meeting #2 - questions for OSV: Atman Pandya
- connection for understanding health insurance industry - anyone I can pick brains?
- Let me ask around - what specifically are you trying to understand?
- Insurance companies (like vitality in the UK or MassMutual), can offer customers additional value beyond insurance products such as free medical screenings, discounts and rewards for maintaining a healthy and safe lifestyle - vitality for eg provide their customers with Apple watches and gives them both incentives and discounts/offers for maintaing a healthy lifestyle. I want to understand how such a collaboration can be realised - what the process is / how data is really used etc - nurfy could potentially be a product we sell through insurers, a GTM I would like to explore Atman Pandya
- manufacturing/distribution partner
- Any more details you can share?
- currently, i am rapid prototyping, meaning everything i develop with nurfy is using 3d printing and off the shelf electronics. the next natural step would be to look into manufacturability so for example injection molding to stream line the production of the hard case of nurfy (instead of 3d printing) and likewise for the electronics, it would be amazing if we could establish a partnership with the chip manufacturers eg Esspresif or any other electronics/chip manufacturer. A nice collab would be with sony as they also have the gamificaion aspect aligned with nurfy
- input on content ideas for socials - any marketing guru I can be connected to?
- Let me connect with a friend who’s just started his own agency (has led Marketing at other startups before, taking them to millions in users)
- Thanks! Ive emailed and waiting to set up a call - stoked!
- feedback on a pitch deck -
- Please send it to me, Patrick (patrick@osv.llc) and Chris (chris@osv.llc)
- IP lawyer connection
- for this, I wanted to speak to an IP attorney within hardware / AI / Biotech - for utility and design patents on nurfy, ive spoken to a firm before and know that it is patentable but now thinking of proceeding and looking for someone to work with that has a good reputation and is startup-friendly costs :) or even better, someone that might want to get more involved as a mentor or rep of the startup is welcomed too!
Learnings / Achievements
- invited as speaker to Bio3 in Athens, Sept 1st - 5th ; will discover the Greek Biotech scene
- made plan on GTM/ICP interview and discovery process
August 2024
Dr. Mariam Elgabry
Meeting #1 - missed; caught up via video.
Meeting #2 - questions for OSV: Atman Pandya
- connection for understanding health insurance industry - anyone I can pick brains?
- Let me ask around - what specifically are you trying to understand?
- Insurance companies (like vitality in the UK or MassMutual), can offer customers additional value beyond insurance products such as free medical screenings, discounts and rewards for maintaining a healthy and safe lifestyle - vitality for eg provide their customers with Apple watches and gives them both incentives and discounts/offers for maintaing a healthy lifestyle. I want to understand how such a collaboration can be realised - what the process is / how data is really used etc - nurfy could potentially be a product we sell through insurers, a GTM I would like to explore Atman Pandya
- manufacturing/distribution partner
- Any more details you can share?
- currently, i am rapid prototyping, meaning everything i develop with nurfy is using 3d printing and off the shelf electronics. the next natural step would be to look into manufacturability so for example injection molding to stream line the production of the hard case of nurfy (instead of 3d printing) and likewise for the electronics, it would be amazing if we could establish a partnership with the chip manufacturers eg Esspresif or any other electronics/chip manufacturer. A nice collab would be with sony as they also have the gamificaion aspect aligned with nurfy
- input on content ideas for socials - any marketing guru I can be connected to?
- Let me connect with a friend who’s just started his own agency (has led Marketing at other startups before, taking them to millions in users)
- Thanks! Ive emailed and waiting to set up a call - stoked!
- feedback on a pitch deck -
- Please send it to me, Patrick (patrick@osv.llc) and Chris (chris@osv.llc)
- IP lawyer connection
- for this, I wanted to speak to an IP attorney within hardware / AI / Biotech - for utility and design patents on nurfy, ive spoken to a firm before and know that it is patentable but now thinking of proceeding and looking for someone to work with that has a good reputation and is startup-friendly costs :) or even better, someone that might want to get more involved as a mentor or rep of the startup is welcomed too!
Learnings / Achievements
- invited as speaker to Bio3 in Athens, Sept 1st - 5th ; will discover the Greek Biotech scene
- made plan on GTM/ICP interview and discovery process
September 2024
Dr. Mariam Elgabry
To-do list Nurfy
- [ ] once completed, send pitch deck to Patrick (patrick@osv.llc) and Chris (chris@osv.llc)
- [ ] diligent gtm/pmf assessment of cases, n=5 (use as urgency for raising, valuation lower now might change as we assess gtm)
- [ ] fix 3d printer - screen issue error, ordered new LCD screen
- [ ] blurb to distribute for surveys via:
- Contact ppl in ELBI, Africa
- Contact ppl from OSV, for other food industry to speak to
September 2024
Dr. Mariam Elgabry
To-do list Nurfy
- [ ] once completed, send pitch deck to Patrick (patrick@osv.llc) and Chris (chris@osv.llc)
- [ ] diligent gtm/pmf assessment of cases, n=5 (use as urgency for raising, valuation lower now might change as we assess gtm)
- [ ] fix 3d printer - screen issue error, ordered new LCD screen
- [ ] blurb to distribute for surveys via:
- Contact ppl in ELBI, Africa
- Contact ppl from OSV, for other food industry to speak to
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What if you had $100k to pursue your boldest ideas?
What if the only thing standing in your way is an application form and a few calls?
No, this isn’t too good to be true.
This is the O’Shaughnessy Fellowships & Grants. A one-year program that unites the world’s most bold and undiscovered researchers, builders and creatives to find, build and spread new ideas.
In just two years, we’ve scoured over 140 countries to find and fund 55 extraordinary innovators, leading to six companies & non-profits, five documentaries, >2.2 billion views on YouTube, and the blossoming of numerous scientific, creative, and technological projects.
What will YOU do with one year and $100k?
Hear from our Awardees
Our awardees are open-sourcing quantum computing, rescuing endangered languages, empowering the disabled in Zambia, researching brain simulations, filming documentaries about the future of humanity, recording viral music, building mechanical hands for amputees, researching data storage in plants, and MUCH more. Hear from them below.
Jack, is saving dying languages like Navajo.
"OSV is giving me this incredible opportunity to preserve Navajo using AI. I’m humbled and incredibly excited by this opportunity and I thank OSV and Jim personally for funding such important work."
Mariam, is building a real-time gut-microbiome tracker.
"I am beyond excited to be selected for the O'Shaughnessy Fellowship….Grateful to Jim and OSV, and excited to proudly represent and contribute to a community that embraces the idea that you can be a scientist, an athlete, an engineer, an entrepreneur —all summed up as an adventurous “creator.”
Monika, is researching digital data storage in plants to create data forests.
"I am honoured to be among all the amazing creatives, and I hope that this year will pave the way for data storage in plants and organisms research to create a positive impact on the world."
Ian, is creating a DIY mechanical hand for partial hand amputees.
"I'm thankful to Jim O’Shaughnessy for this amazing opportunity that will allow me to, at an accelerated rate, experiment with the delivery method of my project while also improving the lives of a few fellow amputees."
Mykahailo, a Ukrainian software and hardware engineer working on projects that combine technology, art, and human interaction.
“The best part is community (...) It's a lot of really smart people that give you the perspective that you haven't seen before.”
Oghenekevwe, solving the problem of period poverty in rural Nigeria by developing eco-friendly sanitary pads made from banana fiber.
“One example was that (...) with two hours of asking for help, I connected to a Stanford professor who is working on a similar project as mine. This would not have been possible or would have taken weeks if not for OSV.”
Meet our Fellows and Grantees
2025 Application Process Timeline
Stage 1: Early Application Window
To apply, please complete the Fellowships & Grants application form. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis, so the earlier you apply, the earlier your application will be reviewed.
We’ll let you know if you’re shortlisted for the next round as soon as we make a decision, usually in 30 days.
You can view the sample form here.
Extended Application Window
Missed the early application window? Don’t worry. You still have a chance to apply for the Fellowships after March 1st. Fill out the application form, and we’ll add it to our backlog and review it as soon as possible.
Stage 2: Intro Calls With the Team
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a short call with members of the OSV Team. This is your chance to share ideas, demonstrate your curiosity, and solve problems with the rest of the group.
Stage 3: Longer chats with the team
You’ll get to meet and interact with other members of the OSV team and our extended network. Each interaction is a step closer to joining the Fellowship. We’ll let you know the final decision by June 1st, 2025.
Fellowship & Grants Commencement
Buckle up for a life-changing year. We’ll kick off the Fellowships & Grants Programs for all our Fellows and Grantees.
The internet has unleashed a new wave of innovations by making knowledge freely available and allowing collaborations that were once impossible.
COVID has accelerated all of these long-term trends. The rise of remote work has opened up a new wave of opportunities. Geography has become history. Today, a teenage prodigy in rural Karnataka can collaborate with a scientist in Kansas. A researcher in Mombasa can be funded by an eccentric in Manhattan. Seven degrees of separation have collapsed into one; nearly anyone is just a mouse click away.
Credentialism is dying. You are no longer bound by the standard script. The tools are in your hands, a cornucopia of resources at your fingertips. Passion projects are the new résumés. The question is no longer, “Where did you go to university?” but “What have you made?”
Each of our fellows will follow a unique path. Some will research new ideas, some will build new ideas, and some will spread new ideas.
Getting started with something new can be daunting, especially when you have responsibilities.
Innovation requires freedom to tinker, experiment and learn. We believe in the value of original mistakes.
All fellows receive a $100,000 equity-free grant to pursue their projects for one year, post which we will help them raise equity if they choose to do so.
Extraordinary visions demand powerful networks. We connect you directly to investors, partners, and mentors, while welcoming you into our growing community of Fellows and Grantees.
We've seen first-hand how unexpected creative breakthroughs emerge when our network's diverse interests and perspectives collide.
Grants Program
The Grants program helps even more people to unleash their potential.
Alongside our ten Fellowships, up to twenty individuals will each receive a $10,000 grant and access to OSV’s network of founders, investors, and experts to support them in bringing their projects to life.
There is no separate application process for the Grants program. Winners will be selected based on their Fellowship Application form.
Hear from some of our previous Grant winners
Justh
(Grants 2023, Fellowships 2024)
"I was able to make the song the way it is because of the O'Shaughnessy Grants and now the fellowship has been truly transformative for me on many levels. It has broadened my vision, given me the strength to do a lot of inner development and courage to work on my art with a lot of patience. "
Julian Gough
(Grants 2024)
"This is an amazingly well-connected group… "
Justh
(Grants 2024)
"I just have to take a moment to reiterate what an incredible privilege it is to a part of this group. Just look at the raw "getting things done" energy JUST today! You all inspire me to greater things, and I'm pretty stoked on what I'm doing already 😬"
The Fellowships and Grants empower individuals of the highest caliber whose work positively impacts the world, from scientific breakthroughs and technological innovations to enduring artistic and cultural contributions.
If you’re working on something that can improve the world, we want to hear from you.
While our Fellows and Grantees pursue many projects across multiple domains, they all embody certain traits:
Everyone has the power and capability to actively shape their future. We seek individuals who have consistently demonstrated initiative and proactiveness in their work and actions, reflecting a strong sense of personal agency.
Past performance does not necessarily predict future performance, but it offers valuable insights into an individual’s character and capabilities. A history of exemplary work in any domain will serve as a strong indicator of your skills, ability, and potential.
The Fellowships will provide financial aid to get your project off the ground, but how creatively can you use that funding to achieve the maximum impact in the shortest amount of time? We’re looking for people who are determined, have demonstrated good judgment, and can make ingenious use of limited resources to achieve their goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work
The fellowship is open to adults worldwide, regardless of their background. We only require that you have a strong portfolio of proof of work