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Dear readers,
As artificial intelligence continues to transform industries around the world, we are excited to dedicate this issue to some of the innovators driving that change from within the EPFL ecosystem. We are delighted to share an exclusive interview with Pierre Baqué, founder and CEO of Neural Concept, one of EPFL’s leading AI companies, who reflects on the journey from academic research to building a global technology business and discusses the opportunities and challenges of innovating in one of the fastest-moving fields today. We also celebrate another exciting milestone for our startup community, with Neurosoft Bioelectronics announcing a $7.5 million oversubscribed seed round to advance its novel brain-computer interface technology.

 

The TTO Team

 
 
 

Neural Concept's AI Engineering Redefining Modern Industry

 

 
 
 
 

An Interview with Pierre Baqué

 
 
 
 
 
 

In this interview, Pierre Baqué reflects on the journey of Neural Concept, the evolution of AI-powered engineering, and the ambition to help engineers design complex products faster and more intelligently.

Read the article

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Featured news

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
  • DePoly's new plant sparks high demand
    Swiss recycling startup DePoly has secured CHF 50 million in commercial agreements ahead of the launch of its demonstration plant in Monthey, Valais, validating strong international demand for its plastic recycling technology. Scheduled to begin operations this summer, the facility will be Switzerland’s first plastic monomer recycling plant, capable of processing up to 500 tonnes of PET/polyester waste annually, including mixed and difficult-to-recycle waste streams.

  • Following the breakthrough of the Eggsorter, Bionomous launches its second product
    Swiss life sciences company Bionomous has launched Sortivo, an AI-powered benchtop platform that automates the screening, sorting, and plating of complex biological samples such as zebrafish embryos and organoids, reducing the need for labor-intensive manual workflows. Building on the success of its EggSorter, with more than 30 units deployed globally, Sortivo aims to accelerate the adoption of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) by enabling scalable, reproducible research in academic, pharmaceutical, and CRO laboratories.

  • Swiss Biotech Report confirms the sector’s strong performance
    Switzerland’s biotech sector achieved record results in 2025, with private companies raising CHF 1.15 billion in funding and total industry revenues reaching CHF 7.5 billion, driven by growing numbers of commercial-stage companies and strong demand for specialized biotech services. The Swiss Biotech Report 2026 also highlights a shift away from IPOs toward partnerships and asset-based acquisitions, creating new opportunities for biotech companies to reach commercialization while remaining independent.

  • Stanford AI Index 2026: Switzerland ranks first in AI talent
    Switzerland ranked first globally for AI researchers and developers per capita in 2025, according to Stanford University's 2026 AI Index Report, highlighting the country's exceptional concentration of AI talent and strong adoption of AI technologies across businesses and the workforce. However, despite its talent advantage, Switzerland trails leading countries in AI startup investment and company creation, underscoring the need for greater capital investment to fully capitalize on its innovation potential.

  • CHF 15M to Accelerate Daphne Technology Methane Abatement System Sales
    Swiss industrial decarbonization company Daphne Technology has secured the first close of a new funding round led by sustainability investor Taranis, with support from existing investors including Shell Ventures and Trafigura. The funding will accelerate U.S. manufacturing and deployment of SlipPure™, Daphne’s methane-abatement technology that can reduce methane emissions from natural gas engines by up to 90%, helping operators meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

  • 2026 European Deep Tech Report: ETH Zurich and EPFL Lead the World in Deep Tech Founder and Spinout CreationSwitzerland has cemented its position as Europe’s leading deep tech hub, with ETH Zurich ranked first globally for alumni-founded deep tech startups since 2020 and EPFL placing second in Europe, according to the 2026 European Deep Tech Report. The report highlights the Zurich–Lausanne corridor as a powerhouse of innovation, combining world-class research, startup creation, and value generation to outperform much larger ecosystems across the continent.

  • ONWARD Medical raises over EUR 40 Million in capital increase
    ONWARD Medical has raised EUR 40.6 million through a private placement with institutional investors, including a EUR 25 million investment from EQT Life Sciences, extending its cash runway into Q1 2028. The funding will support commercialization of its ARC-EX neurostimulation system and advance development of its implantable ARC-IM platform, which aims to restore function and address complications such as blood pressure instability in people with spinal cord injuries.

  • La Suisse championne des demandes de brevets avec près de 10'000 dépôts en 2025
    Switzerland remained one of the world’s most innovative countries in 2025, filing nearly 10,000 patent applications and ranking first globally for patents per capita, with 1,096 applications per million inhabitants, according to the European Patent Office. The country’s innovation strength continues to be driven by life sciences and medical technology, while Zurich, the Lake Geneva region, and Basel remain the leading hubs for patent activity.

  • Oversubscribed $7M Series A to boost Xsensio biosensing clinical deployment
    Swiss deep-tech company Xsensio has raised an oversubscribed $7 million Series A round to accelerate development and clinical validation of its Lab-on-Skin platform, a wearable biosensing technology that enables continuous, real-time biochemical monitoring. The company also announced a strategic collaboration with Texas Instruments to support the scalable manufacturing of its next-generation healthcare platform, which aims to transform patient monitoring through continuous biochemical insights.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Latest licensing opportunities

 
 
 
 
  • Vortex-Mitigating Flow Control Structure
    A novel passive flow-control technology reduces vortex shedding in hydraulic and aerodynamic systems through an integrated network of tortuous internal channels that disrupt vortex formation without requiring external energy. Applicable to turbines, pumps, propellers, marine systems, and industrial machinery, the solution can reduce drag, vibration, noise, and energy losses while remaining lightweight, robust, and compatible with additive manufacturing.
     
  • Solar Thermophotovoltaic Device
    This advanced solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) technology is designed to exceed the efficiency limits of conventional silicon solar cells by converting concentrated sunlight into optimized thermal radiation for electricity generation. Featuring an innovative microchannel-based heat management system, the solution offers improved energy conversion efficiency, compatibility with existing PV technologies, and scalable applications ranging from utility-scale solar power and industrial heat recovery to off-grid and space-based energy systems.
     
  • Compliant Morphing Robot for multi-modal locomotion
    GOAT (Good Over All Terrains) is a bio-inspired, shape-shifting robot that can seamlessly transition between driving, rolling, swimming, and squeezing through confined spaces, enabling efficient operation across diverse and challenging environments. By combining active morphological reconfiguration with passive mechanical adaptability, the technology offers robust, energy-efficient mobility for applications such as search and rescue, environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, and planetary exploration.
     
  • Fluid-Based Thermo-Optic Effect- Manipulatable Optical Waveguide
    This innovative optical fiber sensing technology enables intrinsically temperature-independent strain measurement through a passive compensation mechanism that eliminates the need for complex calibration algorithms or additional sensing systems. By using gas-filled photonic crystal fibers to counteract thermal drift, the solution offers a low-cost, highly stable platform for applications in structural health monitoring, telecommunications, precision timing, fiber lasers, and integrated photonics.
     
  • Biomarkers for early detection of a GVHD disease
    This diagnostic technology enables the early prediction of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation by monitoring specific immune-cell biomarkers in blood samples before clinical symptoms appear. The approach supports proactive risk stratification, personalized treatment decisions, and longitudinal immune monitoring, with potential applications in clinical diagnostics, cell therapy quality control, and companion diagnostics for targeted therapies.
     
  • Products and methods for promoting myogenesis
    This biotechnology innovation leverages the long non-coding RNA Cytor to promote skeletal muscle growth, regeneration, and functional performance by enhancing the formation of fast-twitch muscle fibers. With demonstrated potential to improve muscle strength and counteract age-related muscle decline, the technology offers promising applications in treating sarcopenia, muscle-wasting diseases, neuromuscular disorders, and recovery following injury or surgery.
     
  • Solid-State Electrolytes for High- Performance Lithium Batteries
    This next-generation solid-state electrolyte technology enables safer, higher-capacity lithium batteries by combining exceptional room-temperature ionic conductivity with strong thermal and electrochemical stability. Compatible with lithium metal anodes, the innovation has the potential to improve the performance, safety, and energy density of batteries used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, grid storage, aerospace systems, and medical devices.

Discover all EPFL licensing opportunities

 
 
 

 Innovation Events

 
 
   
 

Advanced Science Building

8 July 2026 - Neptune Room

 
 

Annual summer BBQ

24 August 2026, Outside Puur Restaurant

 
 

Expanding Your MedTech Business into the U.S.

17 June 2026 - Online

 
 
 
 

Find more EPFL Innovation Park events

 
 
 

Get in touch?

​ info.tto@epfl.ch

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