This bridge is already being built in Freiburg. CorTec GmbH is a prime example of the innovative strength of the location and shows how life-changing technologies are created from excellent research.
CorTec was created in the scientific environment of Freiburg. The initial spark came from the laboratory at the University of Freiburg. Dr Jörn Rickert and Dr Martin Schüttler founded the company on the basis of their expertise in neurobiology and neurotechnology, which they pooled as part of the Brain Machine Interface Initiative (BMII ). Their goal was the clinical application of neurotechnology.
The spin-off from 2010 developed into a specialised company with 56 employees that established international standards. The move to the Neue Messplatz in 2019 was a major step forward: CorTec integrated 400 m² of its own cleanrooms directly into the office space, directly linking development and high-tech production.
CorTec's technological flagship is the Brain Interchange System. As a fully implantable, bidirectional brain-computer interface, it enables long-term communication with the central nervous system. The system can not only record neuronal activities, but also stimulate them in a targeted manner - it has "read and write access" to the brain, so to speak.
This innovation forms the basis for:
For CorTec, Freiburg is much more than just an address on the letterhead. The city offers an "innovation-friendly climate" that is characterised by short distances to partners, clinics and funding institutions.
This success is based on a deeply rooted local ecosystem in which science and business go hand in hand:
Freiburg combines economic dynamism with a quality of life that retains motivated teams in the long term. It is this special mixture of a "sunny climate, proximity to nature and a relaxed atmosphere" that enriches the company's everyday life. A special "Freiburg moment" was the inauguration of the new site, which was also attended by Lord Mayor Martin Horn - a strong signal of the bond between the city and the company.
CorTec impressively demonstrates that in Freiburg, ideas are not just created at a desk, but in a community that has the courage to actively shape the future of medicine.
