qCella: The Venture Leader Cleantech reshaping heating with sustainable solutions

22.09.2025 10:00, Rita Longobardi

Meet Murielle Schreck, CEO of qCella. The Cleantech startup is disrupting the well-established and high-potential market of electrically powered heated products. In November, Murielle and the other nine Swiss National Cleantech Team members will travel to Munich on a business development and investor roadshow.

Name: Murielle Schreck
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Nationality: Swiss
Graduated from: ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Job title: CEO & Co-Founder
Number of employees: 7
Money raised: CHF 1.3M in dilutive funding, CHF 1.6 M in non-dilutive funding (total: CHF 2.8M)
 

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Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
Our product helps manufacturers of heated products across multiple industries; from car and airplane seat makers, to producers of heated clothing, medical devices, and industrial machinery. Unlike conventional wire-based heating, our qCella heating mats provide thin, flexible, and fully customizable heating that is more energy efficient. Customers can cut the mats into any shape or size, integrate them easily into their products, and achieve uniform heating without bulky upholstery layers or heat loss. This reduces both production costs and energy consumption.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
We are addressing the rapidly growing global market for electric heating elements, which already exceeds CHF 8 billion and is projected to more than double to CHF 18 billion by 2035. With rising demand for heated wearables, medical devices, and the shift to electric vehicles (which require efficient electric heating), the potential is huge. 

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
The idea originated during my PhD at ETH Zurich, and quite unexpectedly. While working on an unrelated project, I accidentally impregnated cellulose fibers with copper. Instead of discarding it as a failed experiment, I became curious about its potential. I realized this new hybrid material had unique properties for heating: flexible, thin, efficient, and highly adaptable. That discovery became the foundation of qCella.
 
What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how do you think it will help you achieve your vision?
We see Venture Leaders as a catalyst for our internationalization strategy. We want to connect with strategic partners in the automotive and mobility sectors, engage early with international investors ahead of our seed round in 2026, and refine our go-to-market strategy with feedback from global industry experts. Participation will also help build credibility for qCella abroad, accelerate pilot opportunities, and prepare us for scale-up.

What are your team’s key achievements to date?
We have secured many Letters of Intent, launched paid pilot projects with leading companies, and generated several 100k in early sales. We successfully scaled our fiber synthesis and mat fabrication processes in-house and are now working with outsourcing partners. On the recognition side, we won Venture Kick in 2023, were winners at >>venture>> in 2024, and were named among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups for 2024 and 2025. We’ve also raised CHF 1.3 M in equity and CHF 1.6 M in non-dilutive grants.

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
I try to build a company that I would want to work at myself. That means focusing on clear communication, fair processes, and a collaborative environment. I want people to like working at qCella, because they feel valued as well as validated and are therefore motivated. Only with a strong and dedicated team we can create a great product and shape qCella into a successful company.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
It is all about the team. A great idea alone isn’t enough, success depends on having the right people, bringing together diverse perspectives, and fostering collaboration. Strong teams turn challenges into solutions, accelerate innovation, and make scaling a startup possible. I am extremely proud of our team!

What is your favorite productivity hack or tool and why?
In our team, we work with ClickUp. It helps us breaking down big, intimidating tasks into small, actionable steps. It reduces procrastination and keeps momentum going. Instead of waiting for the “perfect plan,” we focus on progress; one small win at a time.

What was your dream job when you were a child?
Until I became an entrepreneur, I never really knew what I wanted to be. As a child, I dreamed of being an astronaut or an explorer, fascinated by the idea of discovery. Later, during my PhD, I considered staying in academia, but then I stumbled upon the material we now use for our heating mats. That discovery pulled me into the entrepreneurial world, and I have loved every minute of it since.