Inside the Tech Hacking Brain Health - Interview with the CEO & Co-Founder of Neuroelectrics

Why It Matters

A validated non‑invasive epilepsy therapy could replace costly drugs for millions, while remote EEG diagnostics expand specialist care to regions lacking neurologists.

Key Takeaways

• Neuroelectrics developed non‑invasive EEG cap for brain monitoring
• Phase‑III trial shows 50% seizure reduction in epilepsy
• FDA approval enables home‑use remote neurotherapy during pandemic
• Company sells diagnostics in 75 countries, targeting underserved regions
• Expansion challenges differ across US, Europe, Asia, and Africa

Summary

The EU Startups podcast featured Anna Marquez, CEO and co‑founder of Neuroelectrics, a Barcelona‑origin deep‑tech firm that builds non‑invasive brain‑monitoring and stimulation devices. Founded in 2011 as a spin‑off from the Starlab research centre, the company now targets neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s while expanding from Europe into the United States, China and emerging markets.

Neuroelectrics’ flagship product is a lightweight neoprene cap equipped with dry electrodes that records EEG and delivers targeted electrical currents. After a four‑year, $25 million Phase‑III trial in the US and Europe, the device achieved a 50 % reduction in seizure frequency after just ten days of 20‑minute daily sessions, positioning it as the first FDA‑cleared non‑invasive therapy for drug‑resistant epilepsy. The same platform is sold as a fast‑EEG diagnostic tool in 75 countries, enabling remote assessments in emergency rooms, rural clinics and even African villages.

Marquez highlighted collaborations that illustrate the technology’s breadth: NASA used the cap to study astronaut fatigue on long‑duration flights, while artists and musicians explored brain responses to digital art and sound. She also noted that the pandemic accelerated tele‑medicine adoption, allowing patients to receive home‑based neurostimulation under remote clinician supervision.

If the upcoming readout confirms the trial results, Neuroelectrics could reshape epilepsy care and open new revenue streams, while its diagnostic reach promises to democratize neuro‑health services in underserved regions. The company’s multi‑continent expansion underscores the regulatory and market‑access hurdles that deep‑tech startups must navigate to bring breakthrough medical devices to global patients.

Original Description

This episode features Ana Maiques, CEO and co-founder of Neuroelectrics, a Barcelona-based neurotechnology company pioneering non-invasive brain stimulation for neurological and psychiatric conditions. Founded in 2011 as a spin-off from Starlab, Neuroelectrics has grown into a global digital brain health company operating in over 74 countries, with a presence in both Barcelona and Boston since 2014.

Their tech enables clinicians to both read and influence brain activity in real time, offering applications in epilepsy, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and anxiety disorders.

The conversation explores how the neurotechnology landscape has evolved over the past decade - from a niche research field into a rapidly growing sector attracting significant investment. Maiques also discusses Neuroelectrics’ collaboration with NASA, where its technology has been used to measure cognitive fatigue in pilots.

The interview examines the structural challenges of scaling DeepTech companies in Europe versus the US, including access to capital, talent, and regulatory pathways. Maiques shares insights from her role as President of EsTech, an organisation representing leading Spanish scale-ups.

Key Points:

- Why Neuroelectrics was founded to address the lack of personalised, effective brain disorder treatments

- How non-invasive brain stimulation works and why it offers advantages over surgical approaches

- How COVID-19 accelerated adoption of remote brain treatment and telemedicine solutions

- Challenges of scaling DeepTech companies in Europe and the funding gap compared to the US

- The current state of gender diversity in STEM and where progress is still needed

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

1:30 - Sponsor

2:43 - Interview