Meet Gianvito Grasso, CEO of InVirtuoLabs

Tell us more about InVirtuoLabs.
We accelerate drug discovery through AI-powered molecular design. The core of drug discovery is identifying molecules that can interact with crucial target proteins implicated in disease pathogenesis. This process can be compared to the precision required to match a key with its corresponding lock. At InVirtuoLabs, our mission is to identify and develop these molecular “keys” with unprecedented speed and accuracy. By coupling physics-based simulations with in-house developed generative models for chemistry, InVirtuoLabs can navigate the complexity of molecular design like never before.

Please give some more details of your startup story: what was the “aha” moment that led to the idea for your startup?
InVirtuoLabs was founded in Lugano in July 2024 to address one of the biggest challenges in modern drug development: the astronomical cost, long timelines, and low success rates of bringing new drugs to market. We realized that despite the hype around AI in drug discovery, most solutions were either incomplete or disconnected from pharmaceutical realities. Our founding team—made up of experts in biomedical engineering, computational science, and pharma commercialization—set out to build a company that integrates AI, generative chemistry, and physics-based simulations into a unified drug discovery platform. Today, we are a team of seven FTEs and expanding rapidly.

So, what’s next for you—what’s a bold goal you’re chasing right now?
Our first milestone this year was the launch of our discovery platform in Q2 2025. Moving forward, we are focused on consolidating our platform technology, advancing our lead drug discovery programs, and delivering services to early partners. Our long-term vision is to become a global leader in AI-driven drug discovery—creating novel therapies and out-licensing them through strategic pharma partnerships. Ultimately, we aim to redefine how medicines are discovered by making the process faster, cheaper, and more successful. If we succeed, we will contribute to transforming healthcare through AI-driven innovation.

Which decision (big or small) had the most unexpected positive impact on your startup?
From day one, we chose not only to build a technological platform but to design it around the real needs of applied drug discovery projects—both proprietary and in collaboration with biotech and pharma partners. This created valuable synergies: aligning our technology with actual discovery needs gave us credibility with partners, while working with partners informed what mattered most for platform development. The interconnected nature of these activities has become a significant competitive advantage.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? What are your biggest learnings?
We would have focused more on building strategic partnerships rather than trying to do everything in-house. In the beginning, we had a strong “we can build it better ourselves” mentality, but we’ve learned that leveraging existing relationships and capabilities can accelerate progress significantly. Our biggest learning: in biotech, collaboration often beats competition. The ecosystem is built on partnerships, and embracing that reality earlier would have opened more doors and shortened development timelines.

Building a startup requires resilience, how do you stay focused during tough times?
Honestly, we lean on each other. A startup is really just a community of people, and when one person is having a rough day, someone else steps up. We’ve found that challenges bring the team closer together—whether that means picking up extra work, brainstorming solutions, or simply listening. We also remind ourselves that every startup faces these moments, and often the breakthrough comes just after the point you feel stretched the most. That shared sense of “we’re all in this together” makes tough periods much more manageable.

One piece of advice for someone who is just starting out with their startup?
There’s a Paul Graham quote I love: the best startups are verbs, not nouns. Don’t just build a product—solve a problem that matters deeply. In biotech, this means understanding not only the science, but also the business model, the regulatory landscape, and the market needs. Build a multidisciplinary team early and validate your assumptions with real stakeholders.

What value do you see in being part of the Swiss Startup Association?
Personally, being part of the Swiss Startup Association connects us to a vibrant and supportive community of innovators who share our passion and challenges. Professionally, it provides visibility, credibility, and access to resources, mentoring, and networking opportunities that can accelerate our growth.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the community?
For biotech and pharma companies looking to accelerate their discovery programs, we’d welcome the chance to discuss how our platform can address your challenges—feel free to reach out to explore potential collaborations. More broadly, we’d encourage the community to explore how AI and biotech can converge in meaningful ways—not as a buzzword, but through integrated platforms grounded in pharmaceutical science. The future of medicine depends on bold, interdisciplinary thinking, and we’re excited to be part of a community that supports that journey.

Check out Gianvito‘s LinkedIn here!

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