Neural Concept: Meet the Venture Leader Technology leveraging deep-learning algorithms to optimize design processes

Meet Pierre Baqué, CEO of Neural Concept. Meeting the challenges faced by today's engineering organizations requires making computer-based intelligence the central paradigm of design processes. Neural Concept's software exploits the power of deep learning to assist leading engineering teams in designing outstanding products more quickly. Pierre will be joining nine other tech innovators on an investor and business development roadshow in Silicon Valley this month.

Name: Pierre Baqué
Location: Lausanne
Nationality: French
Education: EPFL, Ph.D. in Computer Science, 2018
Job title: CEO
Number of employees: 35
Money raised: ~CHF 10 million
First touchpoint with Venturelab: Venture Kick, 2018
 

Whom does your product or solution help, and how?
Engineers need radically new capabilities, including more effective ways to harness our computational resources. To this end, Neural Concept exploits the power of deep learning to assist engineers to more quickly evaluate man-made designs and to guide them to more performing solutions. Our algorithms act as a force multiplier to humans' creativity and help them come up more quickly with innovative designs that meet a variety of complex requirements.

How did you come up with the idea for your startup?
In 2016/2017, my doctoral team was developing new methods in the domain of 3D deep learning. Through personal contacts, I found a need that could be filled by this new tech in the domain of engineering simulation. I did some tests on the side, which seemed promising, and started diving into this application 100%.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
We are addressing the advanced manufacturing market, starting from auto, aerospace, and electronics.

What excites you most about your work right now?
The feeling of freedom and opportunity.

How did you go about building your team?
A lot of personal connections from the team.

What are your team's key achievements to date?
We have established our company as category leader in our domain.

How did you come up with the name of your startup?
I brainstormed with friends for 10 minutes in my Ph.D. office.

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
We have defined five core values as featured here.

Which startup do you wish you had founded and why?
I think that Deep Mind is the most inspiring story and a definite role model.

What did you want to do with your life at age 12?
Fighter jet pilot. But I progressively realized that I wanted to build the jet instead of piloting it. And then realized that I wanted to build the algorithms that build the jets. And then realized that I wanted to build the team that builds the algorithms that build the jet.

What is your favorite book and why?
I really love Stefan Zweig’s Magellan. It's about the equivalent of venture capitalism in the 16th century, about what it means to be a leader that can lead other people to the end of the world, and what real tenacity is.

 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Venture Leaders Technology 2023 were chosen from over 150 applications by a jury of investors and technology experts. The roadshow in Silicon Valley, one of the world's most important tech hubs, provides a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to accelerate their startups' expansion in the US while expanding their professional network and profiting from workshops with investors and industry leaders. This year's Venture Leaders Technology is co-organized by Venturelab and supported by Canton of Vaud, Canton of Zürich, EPFL, ETH Zürich, Kellerhals Carrard, and Rothschild & Co.