Program structure

The incubator focuses on applying AI/ML to real-world biomedical research projects, with a particular emphasis on drug discovery for infectious diseases. Participants will develop practical skills to integrate AI/ML into their ongoing research, including data handling, model development, and result interpretation, while advancing their own scientific projects.

The incubator will host 6 selected teams, each working on a defined research project.

Each team will be composed of 2–3 participants, including MSc or PhD students and/or early-career researchers based in Africa, all working in the field of drug discovery.

Teams will be mentored by members of Ersilia. Active participation is expected throughout the program, along with a strong emphasis on collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and mutual support between teams.

Mentorship is structured on a weekly alternating basis:

• One week: meeting with mentors.

• Alternate week: meeting with the Programmes and Partnership Manager (PPM).

This ensures continuous scientific guidance, project follow-up, and strategic support.

AI Incubator 2027

The incubator will begin with two weeks of team preparation, during which teams will meet with Ersilia members to refine their project and prepare their data for the workshop.

Project preparation

2 weeks

The incubator will begin with two weeks of project preparation, during which teams will meet with Ersilia members to refine their project and prepare their data for the workshop.

Workshop

One week

The workshop will be a one-week, in-person session held Monday to Friday full-time in an African country (location to be confirmed), bringing all teams together at the start of the program. It will focus on building foundational AI/ML skills, aligning projects, and fostering collaboration across teams. Participants will also present their work, receive initial feedback, and define clear next steps for the incubator. Assistance is mandatory.

Online work

Work will be conducted online in a continuous format, with different types of weekly meetings. All team members are expected to attend their assigned meetings (their group meeting with mentors or PPM, group meetings, masterclasses, mid-term presentations), with a maximum allowed absence of 20%, and only with justified reasons. In all cases, at least one team member must be present to represent any absent members.

10 biweekly mentoring meetings (1h)

Led by mentors, these meetings are dedicated to scientific guidance and resolving technical or research-related questions.

10 biweekly coordination meetings (1h)

Led by the PPM, these sessions focus on project coordination and preparation of scientific discussions.

3 monthly group meetings (2h)

Two teams present their work in a 15-minute conference-style format, followed by discussion and peer feedback.

One midterm presentation (4h)

A formal conference-style session where all teams present their progress.

5 monthly masterclasses (1h)

Sessions covering scientific or professional topics, delivered by internal team members, alumni, or invited external speakers.

Expert sessions (on demand)

One-on-one sessions providing targeted support for specific technical or scientific challenges.

Personal review meeting (0.5h)

An individual feedback session with the PPM to review progress and provide tailored guidance.

Every Tuesday will be dedicated to the incubator throughout the duration of the program. Each group will have a fixed one-hour slot, alternating weekly between meetings with the mentors and with the Programmes and Partnership Manager (PPM).

On alternating weeks, Tuesday afternoons will be reserved for monthly meetings or masterclasses, as appropriate. If additional meetings with mentors or external experts are requested by participants, they will be scheduled on Tuesdays whenever possible.

Weeks 1 & 3	Meeting with mentors	Meeting with PPM
9:30-10:30h	Group 1	Group 4
10:30-11:30h	Group 2	Group 5
11:30-12:30h	Group 3	Group 6
13:30-14:30/15:30h	Masterclasses/ Group meeting/ Mid-term presentation	Masterclasses/ Group meeting/ Demo-day

Weeks 2 & 4	Meeting with mentors	Meeting with PPM
9:30-10:30h	Group 4	Group 1
10:30-11:30h	Group 5	Group 2
11:30-12:30h	Group 6	Group 3

Demo-day

The Demo Day will be a one-day in-person event where each team presents their work in the form of a short presentation and a poster, in a conference-style format. The goal of this day is not only to showcase the scientific projects, but also to share the overall incubator experience, foster scientific networking, and explore potential collaborations.

Post AI Incubator

Experimental validation

Where possible, and depending on the nature of the work, experimental validation will be pursued.