For this week's episode Founder CEOI had the honor of speaking with Cyriac Roeding, co-founder of Earla company on the cutting edge of cancer research. Together with his brilliant co-founders – Dr. David Suhy, an expert in synthetic biology and the late Dr. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, a pioneer of cancer research at Stanford – Cyriac is on a mission to make cancer detectable and treatable earlier than ever before.

Their story is a testament to the power of combining science, technology and entrepreneurial skills to tackle humanity's toughest challenges.

Meet the Founders

• Cyriac Roeding: A serial entrepreneur and Silicon Valley veteran, Cyriac is best known for founding Shop assistantan app that revolutionized retail engagement. After selling Shopkick for $250 million, Cyriac sought a new challenge—one that would impact lives on a deeper level. He brought business acumen, startup experience and relentless vision to Earli.

• Dr. David Suhy: With decades of experience in synthetic biology and gene therapy, David serves as Earli's Chief Scientific Officer. Known for his pioneering work in creating new genetic platforms, David brought the technical expertise needed to turn Earl's bold idea into reality.

• Dr. Sanjeev Sam Gambhir: A globally recognized cancer researcher and visionary at Stanford University, Sam had dedicated his life to the early detection and treatment of cancer. His groundbreaking contributions to molecular imaging inspired Earli's foundational technology. Sam's personal loss—the loss of his teenage son to cancer—made the mission deeply personal to him.

Birth of Earl

In 2016, Cyriac read a magazine article about Sam Gambhir's work and his heartbreaking story of losing his son to cancer. Deeply moved, he contacted Sam, leading to a series of conversations about the condition of the cancer discovery and how it could be improved. The two soon teamed up with David Suhy, whose expertise in synthetic biology added the final piece to the puzzle.

The shared vision of the trio? To stop chasing natural cancer mutations and instead engineer synthetic biomarkers that make cancer easier to detect and treat.

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Rewriting the rules of cancer

Earli's technology is a game changer. Instead of relying on nature's biomarkers—an approach that has struggled with persistent cancer mutations—early engineers engineered synthetic biomarkers directly inside cancer cells. This revolutionary platform can detect cancer earlier and more accurately, turning even tumors into therapeutic targets.

“It's like flipping a switch inside cancer,” Cyriac explained. “We tell the cancer what to do—whether it's to be detected for imaging or to produce proteins that prompt the immune system to attack it.”

This dual application for diagnosis and therapy makes Earli a unique innovation in cancer care.

Overcoming Challenges

The road to building Earl's platform was not easy. It took six years of rigorous research, testing and collaboration to refine their synthetic biomarker system.

The team analyzed over 20,000 cancer samples, conducted thousands of experiments and navigated countless hurdles. Their breakthrough moment came when they shifted the focus from specific genetic mutations to the ultimate effects of cancer, such as rapid cell proliferation. With this approach, they achieved 98% accuracy in detecting lung cancer and distinguishing it from benign growths.

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But there was more to the trip than just science. After losing Sam to cancer in 2020, the mission became even more personal. “Sam's legacy is at the heart of what we do,” Cyriac said. “We're not just building a company—we're taking his vision forward.”

What's next for Earl?

With $60 million in funding and innovative technology, Earli is gearing up for human clinical trials, starting with lung cancer – the deadliest form of cancer worldwide. The team also plans to expand their platform to other types of cancer and explore its therapeutic applications.

David Suhy is leading efforts to optimize the genetic platform, while Cyriac focuses on scaling the company and securing partnerships. “This is not just about a disease,” Cyriac said. “It's about testing a new way to fight cancer and opening the door to solutions for other diseases as well.”

Lessons in Leadership and Persistence

For Cyriac, Earl's leadership has been as much a personal journey as a professional one. “I've learned that the best leaders aren't the ones who have all the answers — they're the ones who ask the right questions,” he said.

His advice to entrepreneurs? “Work on what matters most. It's easy to follow trends, but real impact comes from solving problems that seem impossible. And always surround yourself with people smarter than you.”

Earli is more than a company; it's a promise. A promise to Sam, to David and to every cancer patient and family. “If Earl wins, everyone wins,” Cyriac said. “Because cancer doesn't just affect patients, it affects all of us.”

The Power of Cooperation

The story of Cyriac Roeding, David Suhy and Sanjiv Gambhir is proof that collaboration, innovation and relentless effort can change the world. Earli is poised to make one of the most significant advances in cancer care in decades, and their journey reminds us that no challenge is too big when you have the right team and the right mission.

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Their work is a powerful reminder that science and perseverance, when combined with a human touch, can truly transform lives.