I first came across Elysia Bioscience and its co-founder Émilie Obre while exploring innovative French biotech companies with a vision that resonated with me. For some time, I followed her journey on LinkedIn, interested in the way she combines life sciences with a strong commitment to making them accessible for all. When we finally connected, our exchange confirmed my impression: her story is one that deserves to be shared. I am delighted that she agreed to take part in my Scientific Marketing Blog Series and to open up about her path from cancer research to biotech entrepreneurship.
- You started in cancer cell biology and now lead a biotech company working at the intersection of proteomics, cosmetics, and agroscience. Where did your interest in science begin, and how did your journey lead you to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by science. As a child, I never missed an episode of the cartoon Once Upon a Time… Life, and I dreamed of understanding how a cell works.
By middle school, I already knew that I wanted to pursue a PhD in cell biology.
In 2014, I defended my thesis on proteins in cancer cells. Afterwards, I worked as Operations Manager at the Technology Transfer Office of the University of Bordeaux. During this experience, I realized that academia holds many solutions to industrial challenges, yet the two worlds often struggle to understand each other.
Academia gave me invaluable knowledge and expertise, but I also felt an overwhelming slowness in the system. I needed to give my scientific work a more concrete meaning, beyond writing articles with limited impact.
That is why I co-founded Elysia Bioscience, with the ambition of making science accessible to everyone and directly applicable to concrete challenges.
- What led you to co-found Elysia Bioscience, and what gap were you hoping to fill in the scientific or industrial world?
Noticing that industry was seeking solutions already available in academia inspired me to co-found Elysia Bioscience, as an accelerator to make high-quality science more accessible and understandable so that both worlds can actually communicate with one another. I feel very drawn to the industrial world, which is constantly evolving.
- Your technology helps translate complex cellular data into insights for cosmetics and plant care. What kind of challenges does this solve and why does it matter to you personally?
I discovered proteomic analysis during my PhD and was immediately struck by its power, but also by its main difficulty: interpreting the data. The results often take the form of a table with hundreds of columns and tens of thousands of rows.
By running a proteomic analysis on a product, we can understand its direct effects and gain an overall picture. In cosmetics, our solution highlights potential applications such as anti-aging, regeneration, or vitality. In agriculture, it helps to unravel how alternatives to conventional pesticides work and accelerates their development.
Our ambition is to make science accessible to all, in a simple and understandable way, to speed up the market entry of products that are respectful of both health and the environment. Making science useful and accessible is what drives me every day.
- What’s been the toughest scientific or technical challenge in your work so far, and how did you approach it?
One of the main challenges has been automating data interpretation in order to minimize the amount of human time required for analysis. To address this, we developed ElyOm ©, a software capable of automatically processing proteomic data while integrating verification mechanisms to ensure the accuracy of interpretations.
We also built in a data visualization component, making results more intuitive and accessible, even for non-scientific audiences. To achieve this, we brought together a team of experienced bioinformaticians.
- Looking back, what kind of support—people, resources, mindset—made the biggest difference in your journey?
I am partnered with Su Melser. Working as a team of two allows us to exchange ideas constructively and benefit from complementary personalities, which is a real strength. We also surrounded ourselves with business leaders from Réseau Entreprendre Aquitaine, who helped us structure our organization, refine our commercial offer, and make strategic decisions crucial to the sustainability of Elysia Bioscience. A huge thank you to the members of Réseau Entreprendre Aquitaine, who have truly become mentors to us.
We continue to rely on consultants who support our development, and our team itself is a precious resource, bringing strong added value to the company. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Bpifrance, and BNP Paribas also provided decisive financial support to carry out our R&D projects, especially the development of ElyOm ©.
In truth, it has been a series of encounters over the past six years that has allowed Elysia Bioscience to grow. On a more personal note, the unwavering support of my husband has also been essential, helping me through difficult moments. Because, far from the often idealised image portrayed on social media, the real life of an entrepreneur is full of highs but also of lows that must be overcome.
- Is there something you wish you had known earlier when transitioning from the academic world to building a biotech company?
I wish my academic path had included training in entrepreneurship, with basics in accounting, law, human resources, and fundraising. In reality, we learned everything along the way. It has been a journey of trial, error, and resilience: you fall, you get back up, and you keep moving forward.
- You’re a mom, researcher, CEO, and public speaker. How do you manage to balance professional responsibilities with personal life?
Finding balance is difficult, there is no denying it. I have two young children, and for each of them, my maternity leave only existed on paper. I was with my baby while still working on the company or from home during nap times. I share quality moments with them, but not in sufficient quantity. My daughter often reminds me of this, and it is hard, because she is still too young to understand why I am absent: for her, mom simply isn’t there. Learning to live with this guilt is a real challenge.
Luckily, my husband is very present and provides daily support, which is essential to managing the mental load. I know I can count on him in all circumstances. At the same time, the company has to move forward, because everything is connected: if it were to close, it would mean both a personal failure and the loss of our financial stability. That too is the reality of being an entrepreneur. And yet, paradoxically, I would not trade this job for anything, because it is so intellectually stimulating.
- What advice would you give to someone who wants to take the next step from research to entrepreneurship?
Believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who are both competent and supportive. Dare to take the leap, rather than living with regrets for the rest of your life.
Sky is the limit!
- And finally: Scientific innovation is, for you, above all about…
Scientific innovation is about turning knowledge into action to protect our planet, and therefore our children.