Fit 4 Start alumni: The power of mentorship and diversity

Trace Crystal’s journey began in the lab, where professors Jan Lagerwall and Gabriele Lenzini, together with their team, developed a unique material for item authentication. Monica Arenas joined the team in 2020, and in June 2024 she co-founded Trace Crystal alongside Jan Lagerwall, Gabriele Lenzini and Hakam Agha.

We can bring trust, transparency and security to supply chains.” 

Monica Arenas, Trace Crystal

“The idea of creating a startup had been there for several years,” Ms Arenas explains. However, moving from academic research to the applied side was a leap into the unknown. The transition proved challenging but rewarding, especially with the support of the University of Luxembourg incubator, which connected Trace Crystal to its first demo client, a pharmaceutical company in India.

Trace Crystal’s ambition is clear: “We want our authentication technology to become a standard across multiple sectors, from pharmaceutical to luxury goods and clothing; basically, any industry where counterfeiting or fraud is a serious threat.”

Accelerating science into business

Participating in Fit 4 Start was a transformative experience. “We had outstanding mentors and a lot of trainings that helped us understand the industrial mindset,” Ms Arenas says. The mentors helped the team grasp a key success factor for startups, especially those rooted in academia: “We need to go and build a network, to interact and see what is needed in the market in order to transform the research idea into a profitable business.” 

As a result, Ms Arenas’ advice for future Fit 4 Start applicants is practical: “While the technology behind it is essential, clearly explaining the core idea and telling a compelling narrative are equally crucial for engaging the jury and, ultimately, investors.” 

Once accepted, she is convinced that making the most of the experience is key: “Attending all the sessions, with different mentors focused on the financial part on the one hand and business development on the other, was great. Preparing for mentoring sessions and taking advantage of trainings is crucial to make things become real.”

Navigating tech as a woman

Ms Arenas’ personal motivation for entering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) was clear from childhood: “I developed a fascination for mathematics and how things worked. It has never been a problem for me that there are more men than women in my field of expertise in general, but I recognise that it needs to change.”

Her achievements include winning the Women Tech EU grant, supported by the European Innovation Council and EIT Manufacturing. “The programme is inspiring, because it’s composed of training sessions and mentoring, most of them given by women. I truly feel welcomed and understood,” she shares. Ms Arenas and her co-founders also secured funding from the Seeds of Bravery programme and an Industrial Fellowship, allowing her to work full-time at Trace Crystal from January 2026.

While there are still more men than women in STEM subjects overall, Ms Arenas has worked in a university research group led by Gabriele Lenzini, who has made consistent efforts to maintain a gender-balanced team and actively supports gender equality initiatives. Her experience as a woman in tech has shaped her approach: “Sometimes we show our insecurities more than men, but we can bring different skills and a different perspective.”