In the era of advancing technology and increasing concerns over data privacy, OASYS NOW has emerged as a revolutionary company in the field of Personalized Medicine. Co-founders Nima Salami and Sara Okhuijsen won The Erasmus University Challenge in 2022, a testament to their innovative and ground-breaking idea of empowering individuals with ownership of their DNA data. This blog post delves into their journey, insights, and their advice to the participants of the upcoming challenge.
Embrace Learning & Overcome Challenges
Essential insights and advice for participants of the upcoming Erasmus University Challenge was shared by Nima where he emphasizes the importance of seeking help and reaching out to people in an open and honest communication when building your startup. He holds collaboration and teamwork as vital aspects of success, “Finding team members who will support and navigate the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey with you is crucial for your success, find those and you will reach heights.”
Nima, also talks about the many challenges they faced at the event, the most prominent one included; talking to potential customers. “To overcome this obstacle, we started by reaching out to the people we already had some connections with at the event, which made it easier for us to open up and indulge in meaningful conversation.” He highlights the importance of warm introductions, which enabled his team to establish valuable relationships with customers and stakeholders who provided crucial feedback to them. Additionally, he encourages individuals with just a mere idea to take that first crucial step, recognizing that every person around them is ready and willing to help. “Everyone is present to help and support you, just reach out to them.” He encourages participants to approach opportunities with a learning mindset, highlighting that expertise is not a prerequisite for starting. “Having a clear mission and vision, combined with a willingness to learn along the way, is what truly matters.” – Nima Salami
Impact on Startup Development:
The co-founder of the company shares how participating in The Erasmus University Challenge provided him and his team with great connections and networking with experts, customers, advisors, and investors. “This exposure and access to a supportive ecosystem enabled us to refine ideas and further strengthen OASYS NOW’s position in the industry.” Last year, after winning the Erasmus University Challenge Prototyping Award worth 6,000 euros, they qualified for the stage two of the pan-European competition. There, they partnered up with the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship to compete against the top startups from renowned institutions. They travelled to Berlin with triumph in mind and amazed the judges, receiving a sizeable 100,000 euros from Earlybird Venture Capital.
“Participating in the Erasmus University Challenge proved instrumental for our development, we were able to get acquainted with great connections and this gave us immense exposure to be heard, the challenge led us to many different opportunities” – Nima Salami
Current Vision for OASYS NOW:
The vision for OASYS NOW is to make personalized medicine accessible for everyone globally. By providing individuals with ownership of their DNA data, OASYS NOW wants to empower people to make informed decisions about their healthcare. Within the next five years, Nima and his team envisions that OASYS NOW will have already served millions of citizens worldwide, facilitating more personalized and targeted treatments for better health outcomes. “We want to make personalized medicine accessible for everyone globally. Within 5 years, we plan to have already served millions of citizens worldwide to serve them with more personalized and targeted treatments.” – Nima Salami
Nima encourages students to seize every opportunity and participate in the next year’s Erasmus University Challenge 2024 and wishes good luck to everyone who is taking part in this year’s challenge as it is a tremendous learning opportunity where you can learn from other startups and gain insights into the world of entrepreneurship. “Certainly, participating in the challenge provides continuous learning, where every step taken contributes to personal growth and development, it is a great learning experience, I’d say to anyone, just do it!”
Unlock the full potential of your entrepreneurial spirit. Mark your calendars for the grand finale of The Erasmus University Challenge on 21 September 2023, and embark on a transformative journey, discovering profound purpose of startups and discover what it means to be an entrepreneur!
