Hemetron: The Venture Leader Medtech enabling better treatments through accurate mobile health tests

22.08.2025 11:30, Rita Longobardi

Meet Alex Tanno, CEO of Hemetron. The Medtech startup is transforming chronic disease management with precise, at-home blood testing. In late September, Alex and the other nine Swiss National Medtech Team members will fly to Boston on a business development and investor roadshow.

Name: Alex Tanno
Location: Zürich
Nationality: Swiss
Graduated from: ETH Zürich
Job title: CEO
Number of employees: 5
Money raised: CHF 2.2 million

Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
Hemetron empowers patients with chronic inflammatory conditions — starting with rheumatology — by enabling accurate at-home blood testing. Our solution allows physicians to remotely monitor key biomarkers like CRP, closing the months-long gaps between clinical visits. This leads to more timely and personalized treatment decisions, improving outcomes and reducing costs.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
We're targeting the chronic disease monitoring market, with an initial focus on rheumatology. Globally, over 100 million patients live with inflammatory conditions without access to real-time data. Our platform is scalable across biomarkers and disease areas, positioning us to transform chronic care across multiple indications. This represents a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity.

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
During my PhD in blood testing at ETH Zürich, I realized that while most scientists focus on the fundamental limitations of technologies, factors like price and availability often limit access in the real world. Therefore, to deliver real value to patients, it would be my path to create a new technology that is more accessible and affordable rather than one that only improves test performance.
 

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What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how do you think it will help you achieve your vision?
We see the Venture Leaders roadshow as a springboard for international visibility for strategic partnerships, and investor connections. Engaging with a global network of peers and experts will sharpen our go-to-market strategy and accelerate our path toward clinical validation and regulatory approval.

What are your team’s key achievements to date?
We have successfully developed and technically validated a functioning prototype of our C-reactive protein (CRP) test, demonstrating the feasibility of our core technology. In parallel, we’ve engaged and secured strong interest from key opinion leaders in rheumatology as well as from pharmaceutical partners who recognize the value of remote biomarker monitoring. These milestones validate both the clinical need and commercial relevance of our approach.

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
I believe in innovation as the key to creating sustainable value. Which means finding a way to deliver value to your key stakeholders that exceeds the cost of providing that value by being more innovative than anyone before you.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
I used to think entrepreneurship was mostly about executing factual transactions, closing deals, managing finances, delivering products, satisfying customer needs. But I have come to realize that it is more about building trust-based relationships with the key stakeholders who can truly move you forward. Whether it’s investors, partners, customers, or team members, success often depends on the strength and alignment of these relationships over time.

What is your favorite productivity hack or tool and why?
When looking at a team's overall output, one of the most important factors is the combination of delegation and talent development. Empower your team to take ownership of certain important tasks by providing the right training. This frees up your time to focus on higher-leverage work and increases the team's overall impact.

What was your dream job when you were a child?
I've always been fascinated by the world around us, especially astronomy. This curiosity sparked my dream of becoming a scientist. Along my journey into science, I discovered the field of blood testing, which continues to captivate me to this day, particularly when combined with entrepreneurship.