Congratulations to Prof. Jason Hein and Research Associate Dr. Ivory Zhang, whose IvoryOS project has been selected by the Innovation UBC’s Venture Founder program!
While self-driving labs (SDLs) are promising in accelerating scientific discoveries, high barriers to entry – such as the need for specialized programming expertise and the lack of standardized software – have limited their adoption. IvoryOS, an open-source orchestrator for Python-based SDLs, is revolutionizing how scientists use lab automation by building a no-code ecosystem. Previously published in Nature Communications, IvoryOS features an interactive plug-and-play setup and a natural language interface to make autonomous workflows accessible, scalable, and adaptable.
“Seeing firsthand the challenges researchers from diverse backgrounds face in building and operating SDLs, I created IvoryOS to bridge the gap between the complexities of automation and accelerated science,” said Ivory, lead developer of the project. “Ultimately, my vision is to help scientists and engineers worldwide to unlock a future of AI-powered experimentation and interpretation.”
But the translation of innovations into real-world impacts requires more than technical successes alone. The research team is supported by Fergus Klein, Business Development Manager at the Department of Chemistry, who provides strategic advice and business support. “Being accepted into Venture Founder is an exciting milestone for the team and our department,” said Fergus. “The opportunities to work with expert mentors and tap into UBC’s innovation community will be instrumental as more projects like IvoryOS move to the next phase of growth.”
Get involved with IvoryOS
Learn more: https://ivoryos.ai/
Download IvoryOS: https://github.com/ivoryos-ai
Watch tutorial: https://youtu.be/dFfJv9I2-1g?si=C2kWQlS_-SvNg0Eo
Join IvoryOS community hub: https://ivoryos.ai/hub
About Venture Founder
Venture Founder is a 16-week program that supports UBC’s community of UBC students, faculty, staff and researchers who want to build transformative ventures based on their innovative solutions to critical (and often global) problems. The program offers experiential workshops to define and validate venture opportunities, support from experienced mentors, and covers foundational and operational topics to establish a viable startup company and build capacity in leadership, management and business skills.