Optohive

Optohive is a Swiss medtech company that emerged as a spin-off from ETH Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich (USZ), founded in 2024 by Dr. Dominik Wyser, Michael Wyser, Dr. Matteo Pavan, and Marc Willhaus. The company's genesis is rooted in the founders' research, particularly Dr. Dominik Wyser's Ph.D. work at ETH's Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, where the core technology, initially called optoHIVE, was developed and tested. This research was supported by a BRIDGE Proof of Concept grant, demonstrating early confidence in the technology's potential. The firm is tackling the challenge of monitoring neurological disorders, noting that existing tools like fMRI and EEG can be expensive, inaccessible, or lack sufficient accuracy for widespread use.

The core of Optohive's business is a wearable brain imaging system designed for medical and research applications. The system is built upon functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive technique that measures changes in blood oxygenation in the brain to monitor neural activity. This technology is positioned as a portable and user-friendly alternative to traditional methods, allowing for brain monitoring in more natural environments. The company's product suite consists of two main components: 'HiveOne,' a modular and wearable hardware cap with a flexible sensor configuration, and 'OptoLytics,' an AI-powered software platform that processes the raw data into actionable insights for clinicians and researchers. This integrated system is designed to provide high-resolution imaging in real-time.

Optohive targets its solutions at neuroscientists, researchers, and clinicians. The business model centers on selling this integrated hardware and software system, aiming to make advanced brain imaging more affordable and accessible. Key application areas identified by the company include personalizing treatments and monitoring rehabilitation for conditions such as ADHD and stroke. By providing precise, objective brain data, Optohive aims to empower its clients to make breakthroughs in neuroscience, accelerate clinical trials, and ultimately improve patient outcomes through precision medicine. The company is currently in a pre-seed stage, inviting beta users for research projects and seeking partnerships for commercial applications.

Keywords: functional near-infrared spectroscopy, fNIRS, wearable neuroimaging, brain imaging, medical technology, ETH Zurich spin-off, neurorehabilitation, ADHD diagnosis, stroke monitoring, neuroscience research, clinical applications, brain-computer interface, precision medicine, biomarker detection, OptoLytics, HiveOne, wearable sensors, neurotechnology, rehabilitation engineering, cognitive neuroscience, real-time brain monitoring