From Türkiye to Forbes 30 Under 30: Ilayda Samilgil’s journey in deep-tech innovation

Ilayda Samilgil, a 28-year-old Turkish entrepreneur, has built a successful technology startup in the United States.

She is the co-founder and CEO of Organic Robotics, a company specializing in wearable sensors under its brand Llume.

She has overcome challenges in a male-dominated industry, secured major investments, and earned a place on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

From winning global physics competitions to launching a deep-tech startup

Samilgil gained recognition in 2014 when she won the First Step to the Nobel Prize in Physics competition.

Her project, a system that measures water content in liquids using magnets, had been previously rejected by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK).

She later moved to the United States and started studying at Cornell University. Following that, she was offered a chance to contribute to NASA’s Mars project while continuing her studies.

At Cornell, she studied mechanical engineering with a minor in entrepreneurship. While there, she worked on sensor technology, which became the foundation of organic robotics.

In 2019, Samilgil co-founded the company with Professor Robert Shepherd. Initially, their focus was on developing “feeling robots,” but they later shifted toward wearable sensor technology, leading to the launch of Llume.

Samilgil’s challenges: Becoming an entrepreneur in a foreign country

Samilgil described her early entrepreneurial journey as challenging.

Being away from my family and friends in my early 20s was especially tough, and I didn’t have anyone around who had done this before. But looking back, I achieved everything I set out to do.

Ilayda Samilgil explained

Being a young woman in the tech industry came with additional obstacles. “At first, people often mistook me for a student and didn’t take me seriously,” she said.

Despite this, she persevered and secured funding from major institutions, including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Army. Organic Robotics has raised over $8 million through grants, seed investments, and innovation funds.

Advancing wearable sensor technology for athletes, military

Samilgil’s company, Organic Robotics, is transforming wearable sensor technology with its fiber-optic sensors, offering new solutions for athletes and military research.

• For athletes: Traditional VO2 max tests require wearing a mask while running or rowing, which is uncomfortable and restrictive.
• The innovation: Llume’s fiber-optic sensor belt tracks breathing patterns, eliminating the need for masks.
• Military applications: Researchers are testing the sensors to study the long-term health effects of explosion exposure.

What’s next?

“Since we are a sensor company, we might return to robotics applications in the future,” Samilgil said, referring to Organic Robotics’ original goal of enhancing robots’ sense of touch. For now, the company remains focused on wearable technology.

How Saligil manages company while navigating financial challenges

Samilgil’s role evolved from engineering to managing human resources, finance, and taxation as the company grew. “Making sure everyone is happy and motivated is important. If there is a problem, it is my job to fix it, and that can take a lot of time,” she said.

She acknowledged that early financial fluctuations were difficult to handle.

During the lows, I struggled emotionally, wondering why the company wasn’t growing or why we weren’t getting investments. Now, I know these ups and downs are part of the process. We can overcome them by trying new things.

Ilayda Samilgil said

Who is Ilayda Samilgil?

• Born in 1997 in Istanbul to a nurse mother and a doctor father, she grew up in a household that encouraged scientific exploration.
• High school breakthrough: She developed a system that measures water content in liquids using magnets.
• TUBITAK setback: Her project did not place among the top entries in Türkiye’s national science competition.
• International success: In 2014, she won first place in the prestigious “First Step to Nobel Prize” in the Physics competition, competing against participants from 80 countries.
• Higher education: She studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University and minored in entrepreneurship.
• NASA experience: While at Cornell, she contributed to a Mars-related project.
• Startup journey: In 2019, after graduating, she co-founded Organic Robotics with Professor Robert Shepherd. Initially, the company focused on robotics sensors but later pivoted to wearable technology under the Llume brand.

Leadership and recognition:

• Samilgil is now the CEO of Organic Robotics.
• In 2025, she was named to Forbes‘ 30 Under 30 for her work in wearable sensor innovation.