Two Start-ups at EPFL Raise 14 Million Francs

EPFL spin-offs do well. Kandou developed a technology that drastically improves communication between the components of electronic devices. An investor gave them 10 million francs for production. And Aleva Neurotherapeutics creates deep brain stimulation systems for use particularly against symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. A group of investors gave the start-up 4 million francs.

The system put in place by Kandou significantly reduces the amount of energy required for the data exchange between electronic “buses.” This is a major issue, especially for handheld devices, which require more and more components and functions, often at the cost of autonomy. To do this the start-up had to combine diverse approaches in both hardware and software. The technology increases the speed of communication by almost 400%.

Aleva Neurotherapeutics specializes in treating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Their process involves implanting an electrode into a specific zone of the brain, to stimulate electrically in order to reduce tremors. The start-up improved a method, first developed in the nineties, by miniaturizing the device and adopting materials that virtually eliminate the risk of rejection. In 2011 they earned the confidence of investors by raising 10 million francs in financing—a record for a technology developed as a doctoral dissertation at EPFL.