We Are ETH

Did you know that toxic pollutants can even be found in some water bottles? Fajer Mushtaq, co-founder and CEO of Oxyle, an ETH spin-off, has developed a breakthrough technology that removes toxic PFAS from water through chemical oxidation, resulting in cleaner and safer drinking water. Fajer talks about her personal journey, how she left her home country at the age of 17 to study mechanical engine...

Stefanie Flückiger, co-founder and CEO of Tolremo Therapeutics, is transforming cancer treatment with her innovative biotech company. Discover how Tolremo, an ETH spinoff, is tackling non-genetic drug resistance with cutting-edge technology. Hear about Stefanie's unique journey from academia to entrepreneurship, the impact of diversity in driving innovation, and the intriguing science behind cance...

Transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship, Nicole Kleger co-founded Sallea, a startup focused on pioneering sustainable solutions in the cultivated meat industry, driven by her passion for impactful science. Nicole Kleger transitioned from academic research to entrepreneurship, co-founding the startup Sallea to create scaffolds for cultivated meat, focusing on sustainability and ethical food...

Suzanne Thoma, Sulzer’s executive president and ETH Zurich alumna, discusses her career journey, the power of engineering education, and her role in transforming the Swiss industry. Dr. Suzanne Thoma, executive president of the Sulzer Group, is widely recognized as one of the most influential women in Swiss industry. In this episode, she opens up about her remarkable career path, shedding light on...

Remy Buser's journey from studying at ETH to founding Bloom Biorenewables and how he emphasises the need to defossilise materials and find sustainable alternatives. Remy Buseris on a mission to replace fossil carbon with renewable carbon in the chemical industry! The CEO and co-founder of Bloom Biorenewables explains how the use of petrochemicals has shaped our world and the need to defossilise ma...

Wim Thiery, a climate scientist and associate professor at the University of Brussels, revealed during his recent visit at ETH Zurich, that children born in 2020 will face significantly more extreme weather events than previous generations. Wim Thiery, climate scientist and Associate Professor at the University of Brussels, talks about the urgent need for robust mitigation and adaptation strategie...

Oriana Kraft, entrepreneur and founder of the FemTechnology Summit explains the need for gender-specific care in medicine and the potential of FemTech to revolutionise healthcare. In this episode, Oriana Kraft, founder of Fem Technology, delves into the gender data health gap and the burgeoning field of FemTech. Fem Technology specialises in solutions that improve women's healthcare in the areas o...

Meet Christophe Chautems, CTO of Nanoflex Robotics, bridging Mars rover expertise to medical robotics, revolutionising stroke treatment with magnetic technology. Christophe Chautems, CTO of Nanoflex Robotics, talks about the breakthrough medical robotics technology that uses magnets to navigate catheters in the treatment of strokes. With 15 years of experience in robotics, including at NASA, Chris...

Join us on an inspiring journey with Etienne Jeoffroy, CEO of ETH spin-off FENX, as he shares insights into sustainable materials innovation and its potential impact on reducing carbon footprints. Etienne Jeoffroy, co-founder and CEO of FENX, talks to Susan Kish about his journey in sustainable materials innovation. He recalls how his grandmother, a farmer, instilled in him a deep appreciation for...

According to ETH Alumni Daniel Naeff, it is important to strike a balance between leveraging the positive aspects of AI and understanding the potential challenges. In this episode, Susan Kish interviews Daniel Naeff, an entrepreneur and one of the leads at the ETH AI Center. They discuss angel investing, the inspiration behind starting companies, and Switzerland's potential in AI. They also touch...

Here’s how to put the ‘fabric’ into fabricate, as ETH Zurich alumna and TU Delft Assistant Professor of Digital Fabrication Mariana Popescu explains.   Could a knitting machine revolutionise construction?  For her PhD, ETH Zurich alumna Mariana Popescu worked with the Block Research Group to show that it’s possible to use lightweight knitted textiles as a mold for concrete. Mariana...

ETH Alumna Sandra Herrmann is an oceanographer, a geologist, a paleontologist, a pilot… and member of NASA's Analog Astronauts. Sandra Herrmann studied geology and palaeontology at TU Bergakademie Freiberg and completed her doctorate in natural sciences at ETH Zurich. She subsequently emigrated to the USA and spent 12 years working for the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) in vario...

Anne Scherer, co-founder of Delta Labs AG and author of the book You and AI, explains why trust and comfort are crucial in human-machine interaction. The development of AI has sparked a lot of interest and enthusiasm, and Anne Scherer thinks its rate of development is expected to continue to surprise us. Anne is co-founder of Delta Labs AG and author of the book You and AI, in which she tries...

Olivier de Weck is a leading systems engineering expert, which he describes as “the art and science of building, implementing, and operating complex systems.” Born in Switzerland, he holds degrees in industrial engineering from ETH Zurich (1993) and aerospace systems engineering from MIT (2001), where is now Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems. In this episode of the...

Georg Polzer went straight from completing his studies at ETH Zurich to co-founding Teralytics, an official Spin-Off company of ETH Zurich. An AI-powered platform providing mobility data solutions, Teralytics collects and analyzes large amounts of location data to improve transportation efficiency and equity. Georg highlights&nb...

ETH Zurich alumna and NASA JPL engineer Mariko Burgin discusses her passion for space exploration. Mariko transitioned from ETH Zurich to the University of Michigan before joining NASA, where she works on mission formulation: the journey from a mere idea, to a project for space exploration complete with scientific objectives, cost constraints, and technological feasibility, which can take several...

Pascal Mathis, co-founder of Get Your Guide and Wingman Ventures, shares his journey as an entrepreneur and angel investor. Starting as an entrepreneur, Pascal Mathis co-founded Get Your Guide, ETH Zurich's first tech unicorn, and later transitioned to angel investing and co-founding Wingman Ventures. Pascal believes that Switzerland has the potential to become the next Silicon Valley due to...

For Patricia Schramm, former president of the American Swiss Foundation, learning the classics at ETH’s neighbour, the University of Zurich, was invaluable. From using Latin to learn English, and now working as a consultant for the Alumni Association of ETH Zurich, education has been the core of her career.  Patricia talks about following your passions wherever they lead, how an unexpected mo...

For Michela Puddu, ETH Zurich alumna and Co-Founder of Haelixa Ltd, giving fabrics their own DNA enhancestraceability for consumers and retailers.   Moving from Rome to study at ETH Zurich, Michela Puddu’s PhD experience inspired her to become an entrepreneur. Her work has been recognized with several awards, and she is a regular speaker...

Biodiversity expert and former ETH faculty Lian Pin Koh is a pioneer in the use of drones in conservation. As an ex-nominated MP in Singapore, and a professor at the National University of Singapore, Lian Pin’s impact extends to different areas of policy and education.  We hear about the nexus of nature and technology, the creation of conservation drones, and his love of Star Wars. This is hi...

For Petra Ehmann, ETH Zurich alumna and Chief Innovation Officer of Ringier AG, innovation truly is everything. From product development to encouraging more people into STEM, Petra wants her work to have an impact in every possible area. She is passionate about driving innovation at every level, and credits ETH Zurich with helping her achieve the type of structured thinking required...

For ETH Zurich alumna Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi, integrating small sustainability practices into our everyday lives can make the topic less complicated. Nicoletta is keen to highlight that, in spite of having a long career in a single company, she was able to seize the opportunities that came her way. That notably led her to heading the technology and sustainability part of Dow’s partnership with th...

Architect Renata von Tscharner discusses how women in Switzerland got the vote, the importance of swimming in rivers, and learning to play the accordion.  Renata’s fascinating life was shaped by the events she witnessed in Paris in May 1968, when a student revolt became a general strike that ground the French economy to a halt. She speaks with host Susan Kish about campaigning to get women th...

Synthetic biologist and ETH Alumna Sonja Billerbeck discusses microbiology, mushrooms, and metabolisms – as well as the threat and promise of AI in research. From discovering that microbes breathe oxygen and eat sugar, Sonja became enthralled in the world of microorganisms and understanding their applications in agriculture and healthcare. Through stints at ETH Zurich and Columbia University, Sonj...

Vincent Bédat thinks it’s time to take robotics to the next level. After successful applications in industrial and manufacturing settings, robots need to find a place in our homes. Vincent’s journey has taken him from Switzerland to Germany and now the US. He studied Mechanical Engineering at ETH Zurich, and went on to do an MBA at MIT. About moving back to Europe, Vincent says he’ll stay in Calif...