Meet CEO Vincent Martinez and learn how Nanoleq will become the Gore-Tex of e-textiles

05.06.2020 10:45, Isabelle Mitchell

Dr. Vincent Martinez is the founder and CEO of Zurich-based engineering startup Nanoleq, which brings the next generation of elastic conductors to the textile industry. Learn more about where Vincent finds new inspiration for his startup and what Stanley Kubrick movies have to do with Nanoleq's successful future.

In October, the Venture Leaders Technology 2020 will embark on their week-long roadshow to accelerate their expansion into the US market and build a business network through meetings with top-notch investors and industry leaders in Silicon Valley. To shorten the waiting time, we will introduce you to the members of the Swiss National Startup Team. We asked each entrepreneur to complete a short profile and choose four questions from a questionnaire about their personal and professional life. First up: 

Name: Vincent Martinez
Job title: CEO of Nanoleq
Location:  Zurich
Nationality: French
Graduated from: ETH Zurich
Number of employees: 9 (as of 06/2020) 
First touchpoint with Venturelab: Venturelab startup course in 2017 

“At Nanoleq, our ambition is to enable the mass market of e-textiles by providing the full, textile-compatible, connectivity, and sensor solutions for sports, workwear, and medical applications.”

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?  
As most ETH spin-offs, we started in 2017 with a technology, but we had a limited understanding of the market. Based on our expertise with stretchable electronics at ETH, we had developed cables with an exceptionally high flex lifetime. After screening for different applications, we received a strong market pull when we talked to companies in the field of electronics textiles or e-textiles. We were asked to develop fully stretchable cables and dry electrodes for the monitoring of vital signs that survive washing and stretching.  

Looking ahead, we aim to establish ourselves as the connectivity standard for e-textiles and become “the Gore-Tex of e-textiles.” We believe in the large potential of this market, and we want to drive it to the next stage. 
 
What do you expect from the Venture Leaders Technology roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision?
We are ambitious, and we are looking for ambitious investors and advisors. Silicon Valley is the place where everything is possible. We hope to find investors who have experience in hardware and industrialization and are based in the US to join our Series A, planned for Q1 2021. And by extension, we hope to be challenged on our vision and our ambitions.

How and where do you clear your mind? 
In Switzerland, we are lucky to be surrounded by beautiful nature. I like to go hiking whenever I can. This time is useful to disconnect and to take a step back. I try hard to rethink what my ideal is for our company and what our vision is for the future. Because when we are caught up in the everyday work, we tend to just react, so I find it important to take the time to self-reflect on what I really want.

What is the best advice you have ever received and from whom?  
The CEO of a large brand joined the board of Nanoleq last week (and we are looking forward to making this information public soon!). He helps us to put the emphasis on the benefits of our products for the end-customers, although we are a B2B company. We realized how important this is in order to build a solid and long-lasting community around Nanoleq and the world of e-textiles.

What is your favorite movie and why? 
I am a big fan of Kubrick. He addressed every genre of cinema and succeeded in making a classic movie for each kind. What I find fascinating is that he always wanted to stay curious and learn. I feel like I always know too little, and this is also one of the aspects that keeps me alive and stimulated with the startup venture.

What are you most proud of? 
The team in our company. I know that I can trust them. When I am feeling low or when I need to go on holiday, I can fully rely on them. And now, I am proud of our products, which can really have a positive impact on the lives of people. 

Last but not least, could you show us your workspace? 


For more information and updates on Nanoleq and the Venture Leaders Technology, follow the Venture Leaders Technology 2020 team with #VleadersTech on social media or subscribe to our newsletter. 

This year’s Venture Leaders Technology roadshow to Silicon Valley is supported by DPD, Kellerhals Carrard, Rothschild & Co Bank, Canton de Vaud, EPF Lausanne, and ETH Zurich.