I'm 100% on board with these ideas, and I've also been following a lot of these ideas for a while. I'd like to learn more about the startup if possible, my email is in my profile if you don't want to post here.
Likewise, I’d love to learn more about what you’re doing! I’ve found the learning-by-doing paradigm has worked for me (e.g. with learning ML concepts by applying them alongside reading theory, rather than after) and your simulation driven learning using cutting edge tech and applications (like your protein folding example) is a very intriguing extension of that idea. Email also in profile.