Neurosoft Bioelectronics wins CHF 150,000 to develop a new generation of implantable electrode
28.01.2021
Geneva-based EPFL spin-off Neurosoft Bioelectronics engineers elastic thin-film materials to manufacture implantable electrodes that are softer and more flexible than existing clinical neural implants. The startup’s electrodes can seamlessly interact with a patient’s nervous system and record or stimulate the brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves to monitor or treat neurological disorders. Neurosoft Bioelectronics will use the CHF 150,000 to advance the verification and validation of their first product.
 Neurosoft Bioelectronics’ co-founders (from left to right): Dr. Ludovic Serex (COO), Dr. Nicolas Vachicouras (CEO), and Dr. Florian Fallegger (CTO)
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Neural implants can be used to diagnose and treat neurological diseases by recording or electrically stimulating neural tissues. However, the long-term success of current neural interfaces is limited by the mechanical mismatch between stiff electronics and soft living tissues. This mismatch causes poor contact between the implant and the underlying tissue and leads to incorrect stimulation, inaccurate recordings, and scarring.
Neurosoft Bioelectronics transforms the future of implantable electrical interfaces. The medtech startup has developed a new generation of neural implants made of soft materials that seamlessly interface with the nervous system, promoting the long-term bio-integration of the devices in the body. Their soft electrodes can be folded into regions of the brain that would otherwise be impossible to access surgically without damaging blood vessels and causing severe complications. The SOFT ECoG, Neurosoft Bioelectronics’ first product, is a brain implant used to monitor drug-resistant epilepsy patients or to guide surgical resection of brain tumors. The startup’s technology platform addresses the multi-billion-dollar market of brain-computer interfaces and provides therapies for other severe neurological disorders, such as allowing locked-in patients to interact with their environment.
Neurosoft Bioelectronics was co-founded in 2020 by Dr. Nicolas Vachicouras (CEO), Dr. Ludovic Serex (COO), Dr. Florian Fallegger (CTO), and Prof. Stéphanie Lacour (scientific advisor). The startup will use the CHF 150,000 to verify and validate the SOFT ECoG, which is the last step before testing the technology in the clinic. The company also works on closing its Series A fundraising round by this summer. “Venture Kick has encouraged us to interact with all stakeholders, including medical doctors, industry partners, and investors. These interactions have proven tremendously valuable for the company and have helped us to keep our focus on the main priorities for the startup,” said Nicolas Vachicouras, Neurosoft Bioelectronics co-founder and CEO.
Neurosoft Bioelectronics transforms the future of implantable electrical interfaces. The medtech startup has developed a new generation of neural implants made of soft materials that seamlessly interface with the nervous system, promoting the long-term bio-integration of the devices in the body. Their soft electrodes can be folded into regions of the brain that would otherwise be impossible to access surgically without damaging blood vessels and causing severe complications. The SOFT ECoG, Neurosoft Bioelectronics’ first product, is a brain implant used to monitor drug-resistant epilepsy patients or to guide surgical resection of brain tumors. The startup’s technology platform addresses the multi-billion-dollar market of brain-computer interfaces and provides therapies for other severe neurological disorders, such as allowing locked-in patients to interact with their environment.
Neurosoft Bioelectronics was co-founded in 2020 by Dr. Nicolas Vachicouras (CEO), Dr. Ludovic Serex (COO), Dr. Florian Fallegger (CTO), and Prof. Stéphanie Lacour (scientific advisor). The startup will use the CHF 150,000 to verify and validate the SOFT ECoG, which is the last step before testing the technology in the clinic. The company also works on closing its Series A fundraising round by this summer. “Venture Kick has encouraged us to interact with all stakeholders, including medical doctors, industry partners, and investors. These interactions have proven tremendously valuable for the company and have helped us to keep our focus on the main priorities for the startup,” said Nicolas Vachicouras, Neurosoft Bioelectronics co-founder and CEO.