The idea – how did the product and company come to be?

The Zrenners had been working on an idea for a number of years. Dr. Brigitte Zrenner, a specialist in neurology and psychiatry, conducts research on the translational development of individualised brain stimulation protocols and on the mechanisms of pathophysiology in major depressive disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Neurologist Dr. Christoph Zrenner researches brain-state-dependent brain stimulation and uses real-time electroencephalograms (EEGs) to investigate oscillatory brain-states with the goal of identifying “temporal targets” for neuromodulatory interventions. In brain stimulation, the aim is to find the perfect point in time that will determine how effective the planned treatment will be. Together, the researchers struck on the idea of developing special hardware and software and then marketing it as a product. sync2brain was born.

The Zrenners are actually following in something of a family tradition. The Medical Innovations Incubator, which is part of the Tübingen-based Stiftung für Medizininnovationen (Foundation for Medical Innovations) and helps start-ups in the medical technology sector on their journey to success, was established by Prof. Eberhart Zrenner. Evidently, Prof. Zrenner, who is a former member of the German Science and Humanities Council, Senior Professor of ophthalmology at the University of Tübingen and himself a company founder, has passed on his entrepreneurial genes to his son Christoph. As the father and son see it, carrying out basic research and then developing your results into products are two activities that go hand in hand. Brigitte and Christoph Zrenner don’t see their personal relationship as an obstacle. In fact, it is a bonus – being a team at work and at home and pursuing the same goals means that these parents can support each other perfectly as they raise their four young children.

The fact that Dr. Samba was able to take over the running of the company proved to be a stroke of luck for the two founders, as she is now “on her own” with the growing team at its home in Tübingen. Shortly after founding their business, Brigitte and Christoph Zrenner took up an offer to work at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Canada. The Zrenners are now expanding their studies on brain interventions using TMS at one of the biggest research centres for clinical studies in psychiatry. However, the physical distance between Tübingen and Toronto has had no impact on the development of their business back home. Ultimately, business partners no longer need to be in the same building to run a company together. They are also shattering all the usual stereotypes associated with working in a start-up – never being at home, living in the lab, having no children or relationships, being totally devoted to “the cause”. Dr. Samba, who herself has three children, strikes the right balance and sees “being the boss” as only a good thing. She decides how important her parental commitments are and doesn’t need to ask permission to take time off. She is also happy to clear up misconceptions about the mythical “genius loner”, so often pictured working tirelessly in their garage on their idea for global success. The right mix for a successful start-up consists of scientists who have visionary ideas paired with practical people who can get things done and take care of organisation and management.