May 2026: USZ Startup Label, Publications & SmartVNS Demos

29 May 2026
USZ Startup Label awarded to Skaaltec by University Hospital Zurich's Health Innovation Hub

May 2026 brought two peer-reviewed publications accepted, the award of the USZ Startup Label, high profile demos of SmartVNS, and appearances at some of Switzerland’s most exciting startup events. Here is a recap.

Two Peer-Reviewed Publications Accepted

Two of our scientific papers have been accepted for publication this month:

  • Our neurophysiology study has been accepted by the Journal of Neuroscience, advancing the mechanistic understanding behind transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation.
  • Our clinical feasibility study has been accepted by the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation.

Together, these publications strengthen the scientific foundation underpinning SmartVNS, from the underlying neurophysiology to its real-world clinical use.

Awarded the USZ Startup Label

Skaaltec has been accepted into the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) Health Innovation Hub and awarded the USZ Startup Label and funding. This recognition opens the door to deeper collaboration with one of Europe’s leading university hospitals and reinforces the clinical relevance of our work. Read more on LinkedIn.

ETH Fair of Technology at Balgrist

At the ETH Fair of Technology hosted at Balgrist University Hospital, SmartVNS was demonstrated to clinicians, therapists, researchers, and students. The event brought together innovators from across the ETH ecosystem and gave us a wonderful platform to share our latest progress.

Startup Days 2026

Skaaltec returned to Startup Days, Switzerland’s largest startup gathering. It was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with the Swiss founder community, meet new investors, and share our progress with partners across the ecosystem.

Spark Night Pitch

The Skaaltec story took to the stage at Spark Night, where our team delivered a pitch to a vibrant audience of founders, investors, and innovation enthusiasts. Thank you to the organisers for putting together such an energising evening.

Singapore Minister Visits RELab ETH Zürich

It was a true honour to welcome Minister Masagos Zulkifli, Singapore’s Minister for Social and Family Development, to the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory (RELab) at ETH Zürich, where Skaaltec’s technology was originally developed. SmartVNS was demoed to the Minister and his delegation, alongside discussions on the future of neurorehabilitation technology and its potential global impact. Read more on LinkedIn.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this month possible: our clinical partners, the ETH and USZ communities, the event organisers, and our investors and supporters. The pace is picking up, and we are excited for what comes next. Get in touch if you would like to learn more or collaborate.