Exobiosphere Wins EY Startup World Cup Luxembourg 2025, Heads to Global Finals in San Francisco

Luxembourg – 27 May 2025 – Exobiosphere, the world’s first space-based contract research organization, has been named the winner of the EY Startup World Cup Luxembourg 2025, earning the opportunity to represent the country at the global finals in San Francisco later this year. 

The competition, organized and hosted by EY Luxembourg, brought together ten of the country’s most promising startups across sectors, including fintech, space, AI, and life sciences. Exobiosphere’s winning pitch showcased its pioneering orbital high-throughput screening platform, designed to accelerate drug discovery by leveraging the unique advantages of microgravity. 

“We’re proud to represent Luxembourg on the global stage,” said Kyle Acierno, CEO and co-founder of Exobiosphere. “This recognition is a testament to our team, the vision, and the incredible support from our investors and the Luxembourg Space Agency.   

Exobiosphere will now advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale, hosted by Pegasus Tech Ventures, where winners from around the world will compete for a $1 million investment prize. 

The company’s platform—currently preparing for its first orbital launch in 2026 — offers pharmaceutical and biotech partners a new way to test drugs in space, with thousands of more tests, greater biological accuracy, and faster timelines than Earth-based methods. The system is the size of a carry-on suitcase, fully automated, and sends results back to Earth in real-time. 

With this win, Exobiosphere builds on its momentum previously announcing its first contract with the Luxembourg Space Agency, a €2M seed round, and first launch with VAST. Stay tuned for more updates!  

(Photo: Emilio Naud/Maison Moderne)