The Opto-Brain project brought together private businesses and research institutions from Switzerland, Austria and Germany. It took 24 months and was completed in 2014. The system makes it possible to optimally monitor stroke victims and patients with brain injuries, cardiac arrest and sleep apnea. Clinical decisions can therefore be taken earlier, more accurately and safely, thus avoiding secondary brain injuries.

The international jury selected the Opto-Brain project as the winner in the ‘Innovators of Tomorrow’ category following a multi-stage process. The award comes with EUR 6,000 in prize money. The jury praised the way in which the project was coordinated and its high degree of innovation in the areas of miniaturisation, material science and system integration. The project also offers great potential for developing diverse business models for participating partners.

The EUREKA Innovation Award was introduced following an initiative by Norway and Switzerland. EUREKA, the European network for cross-border projects in market-oriented research and development, is currently chaired by Sweden. Switzerland held the one-year chairmanship in 2014/2015 and is still represented in the troika until the summer 2016.

In 1985, 17 states set up EUREKA as a multilateral organisation in the form of an association. Switzerland was one of those founding states. Today the network has 41 members and 3 associate members from outside Europe. It encourages transnational market-oriented research and innovation projects, developed and conducted on a bottom-up basis. Since 2010 an average of 400 new projects have been launched each year.

Swiss spin-off company wins international award