Maria has always had a curious mind. As a kid she was mixing up “experiments” at home — growing bacteria cultures, mixing chemicals, marveling at how chemistry, biology, and mathematics could come together. Raised in a family of scientists , Maria’s early fascination with science evolved into studying pharmaceutical chemistry. That journey led her to a PhD — but also to a deeper realization: Science doesn’t live in a vacuum. Real impact happens when research meets real people.
During her PhD studies, Maria discovered another passion: Quality management. She loved that it applied the same rigour and discipline as lab science — but focused on safety, reliability, and trust. So when she saw the opportunity at AMBR Institute, she knew it was perfect: A start-up combining deep science with real-world health impact, where quality and compliance matter every day. Today, as AMBR’s QA Manager, she is at the heart of product safety and quality, steering regulatory compliance, AI-safety, data privacy and overall product reliability.
The Translation Mission: From Theory to Therapy
For Maria, becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t about chasing hype — it was about making science useful. She believes in bringing academic research into the hands of people who truly need it. That drive comes from growing up in a family immersed in scientific thinking, and from the many hours spent in labs as a student, asking “How can this help in real life?”
As she puts it:
“Science inspired me early. I saw that rigorous methods can create trustworthy results. Joining a start-up let me combine that with impact, innovation and continuous growth.”
A life Choice
In stepping into a start-up, Maria chose not only growth and challenge — she chose purpose. For her, every code line, every compliance check, every quality test, matters not just for the product, but for the people who will end up using it.
Advice and Lessons Learned
Maria believes strongly in the power of boldness and self-trust. To women aspiring to build or join tech start-ups she says: “Dare to be bold and play on your strengths as a female. Too often, women in tech feel they need to mimic the aggressive, hyper-competitive styles of their male counterparts to be heard. My advice is to stop trying to fit that mold and instead play to your natural strengths. Your unique perspective isn’t a hurdle; it’s your competitive advantage”
In her experience, one of the biggest challenges is communication — ensuring that everyone interprets a vision or goal the same way. Her approach? Always document decisions and motivations clearly, and progress in small, controlled steps rather than making big, uncertain leaps. That way, projects stay in scope and stay sane.
Maria acknowledges that, while things are improving, start-up ecosystems still tend to be male-dominated. She sees a bias toward profit-over-quality, and a misconception that start-ups must always be high-risk, high-reward. Her belief — and her example — shows otherwise: Start-ups can thrive by taking thoughtful, quality-driven steps.
For Maria, a truly inclusive and supportive tech company is one that:
- Listen to everyone’s ideas, regardless of gender or background.
- Recognizes that unconscious bias may exist — but is willing to call it out.
- Believes that leadership, decision-making and creativity come equally from all genders.
Why This Matters
Maria’s example shows that entrepreneurship in tech doesn’t always start with a grand vision — sometimes it starts with a childhood curiosity, a lab experiment, a desire for quality and real impact. Her story reminds us that science, quality, and empathy belong at the heart of technology that aims to help people.
At AMBR (and within the AI Venture Studio), she represents more than regulatory oversight — she embodies responsibility, care and the conviction that tech should improve people’s lives.
And for any woman reading this, she is living proof: You don’t need to fit a stereotype to make a difference in deep tech. You just need passion, integrity, and courage to turn what you believe in into something real.
