Bearmind, an EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne) startup and winner of the Zühlke Product Scale-Up Coaching program, specialises in brain injury prevention and performance monitoring through helmet sensors and software. Faced with the challenge of scaling their product for global markets, they partnered with Zühlke to pave the way for product industrialisation and certification. This collaboration enabled them to bring a pre-certified, market-ready product to North America and Europe, while significantly cutting time and costs.

Bearmind's vision is to improve safety and performance for athletes through their innovative helmet sensors and software, which monitor head impacts and help evaluate the risks of injuries. However, bringing such a cutting-edge product to market posed significant challenges.

First, the startup needed to industrialise their product quickly to meet the growing demand in North American and European markets. Ensuring scalability was critical to keeping costs down and enabling large-scale production.

Second, the certification process for their product was complex, with stringent regulations to meet in the EU, US, and Canada. Without deep expertise in regulatory compliance, Bearmind faced the risk of delays and additional costs.

Finally, the company needed to ensure that the product would be reliable, durable, and cost-effective to produce. With limited internal resources, they sought a partner who could accelerate the process while maintaining high standards of quality and safety.

Zühlke worked closely with Bearmind to address these challenges and bring their vision to life. First, our team focused on designing robust electronic boards that enhanced the product's reliability and functionality. These design improvements not only made the solution more feature-rich but also ensured they were ready for large-scale production, optimising costs along the way.

We also helped Bearmind expedite their product’s certification process. By leveraging our extensive knowledge of regulatory standards, we ensured that the product met all the necessary requirements in the EU, US, and Canada. This significantly reduced the time required for approvals and enabled a smooth path to market entry.

Finally, we supported Bearmind in optimising the product industrialisation. Our work included optimising electronics and refining mechanics for scalable production and long-term durability, as well as realising a cost-effective design, facilitating affordable manufacturing and simplified maintenance. By focusing on long-term serviceability, we helped Bearmind build a product that could easily be maintained and updated, ensuring it would stand the test of time.

This partnership between Bearmind and Zühlke demonstrates the power of combining strategic expertise and collaboration. By accelerating the industrialisation process and ensuring compliance, Zühlke helped Bearmind bring their innovative products to market in record time. This not only enabled Bearmind to move closer to their vision of improving athlete safety but also provided their customers with a reliable, high-quality product that meets the most stringent industry standards.

The success of this project highlights Zühlke’s ability to deliver added value by cutting costs, optimising product scalability, and reducing time to market, positioning Bearmind for long-term growth and success in a highly competitive market.