“We build cancer AI that works for everyone, everywhere”

PAICON has set itself an ambitious goal: fair, effective, and global cancer diagnostics using powerful AI, and has impressed the expert jury at the DMEA nova Award 2025. “Many AI models in oncology are based on data from a small population group, and this leads to biased algorithms and unequal treatment outcomes,” explains Dr. Manasi A-Ratnaparkhe, Co-Founder & CEO at PAICON.

The startup addresses this problem with an innovative approach: a globally diverse cancer data lake with over 820 terabytes of data from more than 60 countries, combined with robust AI models for early detection, diagnosis, and personalized therapy. “We cover the entire value chain from data collection and curation to clinical application,” says Manasi. “This ensures that AI-supported healthcare is not only innovative, but also inclusive, effective, and ready for use.”

From research to founding: The moment of realization

The idea for PAICON arose from an “aha” moment in cancer research at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ): The treatment proposals developed there were mainly based on Caucasian data from white populations – they did not work in German biopsies. “That was a key moment. We realized that even within Caucasian populations, treatments do not work uniformly – so how could they work for the rest of the world?” recalls Manasi.

This thought stayed with the team. “We asked ourselves: What happens when cancer AI models are based on only a small portion of the world? What about people in Asia, Africa, or the Middle East, whose genetic diversity is hardly represented in medical datasets?” This consideration became a mission: “We are creating AI-powered cancer diagnostics that work for everyone. Today, 16% of the world’s population, which is Caucasian, represents 82% of AI training data. We champion the Remaining84, the underrepresented 84%of humanity in cancer datasets. Our goal is to build for 100% of the world, starting with the 84%, so that tomorrow’s medicine is inclusive, effective, and globally representative.”

DMEA Nova Award as a door opener to the industry

PAICON was at DMEA in 2024 and learned about the nova Award there. The startup recognized it as a valuable platform to showcase its own vision. Manasi describes the pitch rounds as inspiring: “It was great to present our mission to an expert audience that understands the urgency and complexity of AI in medicine.” The audience's involvement was particularly moving: “The fact that our message reached not only the jury but also the audience was a great confirmation.”

Winning the award quickly had an impact: “Our visibility has increased, especially on social media, and we are having promising conversations with new contacts in the industry,” reports Manasi. PAICON used the prize money strategically: to participate in the Spanish Genomics Conference in Madrid to establish new partnerships in the field of genomics, specifically with a view to Hispanic populations, which are also severely underrepresented in cancer data.

Research – Start-up – Digital Health Solution

What began as data-based cancer research developed into a clear digital health mission at PAICON. “We realized how much medical knowledge is hidden in unstructured data,” says Manasi. With digital technologies – especially artificial intelligence – this knowledge can be translated into concrete diagnostic tools.

Her advice to startups planning to apply in 2026: “Have a clear message that shows why your solution is relevant – not just technologically, but socially. And show what a difference your innovation can make.”

PAICON is leading the way – with a vision that goes far beyond technical innovation: tomorrow's medicine that works for everyone.