6 Questions with Sofia Giampaoli, CEO of London-based Alt Atlas

It was our pleasure to catch up with Sofia Giampaoli, CEO of Alt Atlas, which is developing an AI digital manufacturing platform to unlock the potential of cell cultivation.

Can you give us an overview of your background and how you started Alt Atlas?

As an engineer I am passionate about converting technological innovation into actionable business strategies and comprehensive roadmaps to address global challenges. I founded the first cultivated meat StartUp from LatinAmerica and, based on lessons learned, I transitioned to this new venture Alt Atlas.

We are developing an innovative AI-toolkit to assess cell health in large-scale manufacturing. This toolkit uniquely integrates multi-omics data with cell morphology, identifying new variables to predict cell behavior efficiently, reducing commercial R&D time and avoiding millions in batch losses.

What is something about the stem cell industry that might surprise people?

Stem cells have the potential to disrupt not only regenerative medicine and disease treatment but also agriculture and food production. Stem cell technology is currently being explored to produce cultivated meat or cultured meat. This emerging field utilizes stem cells from animals to grow muscle tissues in vitro, offering a sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional livestock farming.

This technology has the potential to revolutionize the food industry by providing meat products with significantly reduced environmental impact, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption compared to conventional meat production methods.

What tips can you give to entrepreneurs considering starting a business in London?

Coming from Latin America, London has proven to be the ideal ecosystem for my company. The city offers abundant opportunities; building a network with fellow founders and participating in accelerator programs are straightforward ways to open doors.

London's global connectivity ensures access to essential people and resources for your entrepreneurial journey. Additionally, I recommend exploring Innovate UK's mentorship support and their equity-free programs, which are highly valuable.

What's a great tool or hack you've discovered recently?

Two main things:

1. Iterate your product in the market as early as possible: conduct customer discovery, gather insights to understand industry needs, and refine your value proposition.

2. Focus on acquiring customers with your MVP and collaborations rather than chasing VCs. If you are successful with that, VCs will come to you.

What can we expect to see coming out of Alt Atlas in the near future?

We will soon launch a web application designed to assess cell health. Teams in academia and SMEs will have access to certain features for free to streamline their cell culture R&D. Reach out and stay tuned!