Swissquote, an EPFL Success Story

The magazine for EPFL graduates

Winter 2018-2019 No 9

PROFILE Swissquote, an EPFL success story

EPFL celebrates its Teaching machines 50th anniversary || p.11 to learn || p.26

Alumnist Intro Edito

Dear alumni,

I'm delighted to present you with the latest Ringing in the end of 2018 is the perfect issue of Alumnist, which we’ve enjoyed occasion to thank the many graduates putting together to bring you the latest who have been involved in the com- news from your school and network. munity, who contribute to building the relationship of mutual support First things first, we’ve put the spotlight that is so valuable to us all. I’m referring on excellence, with an exclusive interview at the presidents of our EPFL Alumni featuring two of our “star” alumni, Marc chapters and their committees, which Bürki (EL’87) and Paolo Buzzi (MT’88), keep the network active in Switzerland the co-founders of Swissquote, a real and worldwide. I’d also like to thank the success story straight out of EPFL. We’ve many mentors who have guided startups also covered the highlights from the 2018 and career development. More specifically, Leïla Ojjeh (CH’94), “Magistrale”, which has brought another the 138 alumni who volunteered to the Director of EPFL Alumni 1,043 graduates into our community. Forum EPFL mentoring programme. It was a beautiful celebration where two From May to October, these alumni talented alumnae, Pauline Baumgartner- shared their precious time with gra- Harris (CH’97) and Déborah Heintze duating students to help them land an (SV’12) received an Alumni Award and internship, a job or precious advice in where Daniel Borel (PH’73) captivated choosing their career path, creating the audience with the exciting tale of special bonds and genuine success. how he set up Logitech. The holidays are a time to recharge our Technology and innovation are also batteries. We’ll need that energy to take key themes in this issue, with a special on 2019, which promises to be an exciting report on machine learning. Pivotal in the year. The school will celebrate its 50th digital revolution, machine learning has anniversary, with a key date already become an important focus in teaching set. Saturday November 9th will be the EPFL’s future talent and is an area where “Alumni 50th”, a day devoted to us, to some of you play an essential role in your reconnect with your campus, section and organisation. You can also read about friends, all in the presence of prestigious Hyperloop, the new mode of transporta- guests, whose names will be revealed to tion that is inspiring all sorts of emotions, you shortly. Please save the date! even right here on our campus. The EPFL team that worked on the project landed Until we have the pleasure of seeing an impressive third place in the latest you again, the entire EPFL Alumni team Hyperloop Pod Competition in California. and I want to wish you all great success, And finally, startups founded by EPFL happiness and health for 2019. graduates are more than ever making their mark. Between revolutionary technologies and outstanding fundraising campaigns, Alumnist covers some of the biggest triumphs in recent months.

2018 was an intense and vibrant year for our network, with more than 180 events that brought you together in Switzerland and throughout the world. The feature events, such as Startup Champions Seed Night, the Garden Party and International Women's Day, were celebrated alongside the launch of new career workshops and a number of talks such as the well attended “Blockchain in the Real World” conference at Campus Biotech in Geneva last October.

3 Alumnist Intro Contents ALUMNI FEATURES

17 Fred Merz Fred

NETWORK NEWS 17 Swissquote, an EPFL success story 06 Alumni in the media 22 2018 Alumni Awards 07 News from EPFL Alumni chapters 24 Docteur Gab’s: success on draught

WHAT'S NEW ON CAMPUS IMPACTFUL TECHNOLOGIES

08 26 Christian Brun

08 Magistrale 2018 26 Teaching machines to learn 10 Campus news 32 Hyperloop, transportation of the future? 11 EPFL celebrates its 50th anniversary

CAREER BOOSTERS UPCOMING STARTUPS

14 37 EPFL Guillaume Perret

14 EPFL Forum mentoring program 36 Improving the medical experience for millions of women 16 MBTI assessment, a tool for your career 37 Startup news

4 Asset Management Wealth Management Asset Services

Banque Pictet & Cie S.A. Route des Acacias 60 1211 Geneva 73 Tel. 058 323 23 23 group.pictet

2031588_Yacht_EPFL_310x215_FR_ENG.indd 1 31/05/2018 12:19 Alumnist Network

ALUMNI IN THE MEDIA

GHISLAIN BARDOUT (GM’09) EXPLORING THE DEEP.

Since 2015 Ghislain Bardout (GM’09), accompanied by his wife and their two children, has been exploring some of the planet’s hardest to reach places on the ocean floor. Their project, Under the Pole, is helping advance scientific research by studying underwater sea life. Ghislain Bardout is even the first person to dive deeper than 100 m under the sea ice. He is preparing a new expedition for 2019 to explore the coral reefs over 50 m below the water’s surface, an environment about which little is known in the scientific community. The media has been tracking the project passionately, especially in France. For example, the television channel Arte broadcast a documentary about Under the Pole. In June 2016, Alumnist magazine published a feature article about

Ghislain Bardout (see Alumnist No. 4). 2014 - Greenland Santucci / Under The Pole Lucas

CHRISTOPH AESCHLIMANN TRIBUTE TO RENÉ METIN ARDITI (PH’68) (IN’01), NEW HEAD OF LE COULTRE (GM’41) NAMED COMMANDER IT AT SWISSCOM OF ARTS AND LETTERS René Le Coultre earned his degree back The current CEO of the software in 1941, when EPFL was still called École An EPFL graduate who earned his degree engineering company ERNI, Christoph d’ingénieurs de l’Université de Lausanne. in physics in 1968, Metin Arditi has over Aeschlimann will become head of the IT, The inventor of the quartz watch first the past several years devoted himself to Network & Infrastructure Group division came up with the idea of using the mineral writing. He has received numerous literary at Swisscom and member of the in the design of wristwatches in 1957. awards for his books, including L’Enfant Swisscom Group Executive Board in He was appointed head of research and qui mesurait le monde, which won the Prix February 2019. In its press release development at Rolex in 1971 before Méditerranée and Prix Richelieu for French announcing his appointment, the founding the Swiss Center for Electronics literature in 2017. In October 2018, he was telecommunications giant highlighted and Microtechnology in 1981. René Le appointed Commander of France’s Order Christoph Aeschlimann’s “digitisation Coultre, who passed away in August 2018 of Arts and Letters by the French Minister expertise” and “ability to anticipate mar- at the age of 100, was honoured in Swiss of Culture, Franck Riester. Published in ket developments”. publications such as RTS, Le Temps and August 2018, the latest novel by Metin swissinfo, all hailing the Swiss engineer as Arditi, Carnaval Noir, takes the reader on a visionary. a journey through Venice, the Vatican and Geneva, deep into the origins of political and religious fanaticism. SEIKO/DR Matin Dimanche / Le Genevay Yvain Swisscom

EPFL GRADUATES INCLUDED EPFL ALUMNI NAMED DIGITAL IN FORBES 30 UNDER 30 SHAPERS BY LE TEMPS

Forbes magazine released its 30 Under 30 list for China. This In September, the daily newspaper Le Temps revealed its list of selection spotlights talented Chinese individuals under age 30, Switzerland’s 100 Digital Shapers for 2018. The selection featured destined to become the leaders of the future. Three EPFL graduates many EPFL alumni, including André Kudelski (PH’84), chairman made the Class of 2018: Dr. Zhuang Hao (PhD SC’17), CEO of HuaRui, of Kudelski Group, active in electronic security; Raphaël Gindrat which provides artificial intelligence solutions to enhance its (GC’14), co-founder of Bestmile, which develops a fleet manage- customers’ products and services; Dr. Feng Jiandong (PhD SV’16), ment system for autonomous vehicles; Grace Torrellas (EMBA’12), whose articles were honoured in the scientific journal Nature; blockchain expert and co-founder of the Blockchain4Humanity and Zhai Yujia (MT’13), founder of Swissmic, a company that helps programme; and Grégoire Ribordy (PH’95), CEO of ID Quantique, businesses upgrade their manufacturing systems. In Switzerland, specialised in data encryption. The full list is available on Déborah Heintze (SV’12), co-founder and COO of Lunaphore, Le Temps website. also featured on the Forbes list (see feature p.23).

6 Alumnist Network

IN A CITY NEAR YOU

PRESIDENTS OF ALUMNI VISITING NEIGHBORHUB CHAPTERS BACK ON IN FRIBOURG CAMPUS SEPTEMBER 19TH NOVEMBER 5TH Following its success at the international The presidents of international EPFL Solar Decathlon 2017 competition in Alumni chapters stopped by their alma Denver, United States, NeighborHub came mater in early November 2018. They back to life in Fribourg. The Swiss solar- gathered to discuss how to develop and powered house designed by students and coordinate the network on an international professors from four top schools (EPFL, level. The time and energy they dedicate DR HEIA-FR, HEAD and UNIFR) was rebuilt at to the community as volunteers drives the smart living lab. NeighborHub offers the 27 chapters set up in nearly 20 EPFL STUDENTS MEET alternatives to our everyday habits countries. Chapter presidents play a si- SILICON VALLEY ALUMNI and urges neighbourhoods to make gnificant part in the 180 events organised AUGUST 2018 sustainable choices. To apply these best every year by EPFL Alumni worldwide. practices, the BE-FR-NE-JU chapter of The XGrants programme is designed to EPFL Alumni organised a visit to the solar- bring out the entrepreneurial talent of EPFL powered house on September 19th 2018. students with a firm business project. They benefit from financial support of up to CHF 10,000 and the opportunity to meet alumni around the world. In the summer of 2018, they met in San Francisco to visit LinkedIn thanks to Igor Perisic (MA’91), the company’s chief data officer, and Checkr, where they met CEO Daniel Yanisse (MT’12). Programme participants also had the opportunity to benefit from a business booster camp and from swissnex offices to work on their projects. EPFL Alumni Stemtz/NeighborHub FCasas Emmanuelle Yanguas

THE EASTERN SWITZERLAND CHAPTER INNOVATION EVENT MARKS ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY IN PARIS AUGUST 26TH SEPTEMBER 6TH

EPFL Alumni’s Eastern Switzerland chapter has been celebrating EPFL Alumni organised a special event attended by Professor its 90th anniversary in 2018. Nine decades of friendly, cultural and Marc Gruber, vice president for innovation at EPFL; Jean-Philippe of course scientific events – a perfect anniversary to celebrate! Lallement, managing director of EPFL Innovation Park; and Lan For the event, more than 60 alumni met at Schartenfels Castle in Zuo Gillet, programme director at Innosuisse. Innovation leaders Wettingen, the very spot where the EPFL Alumni Eastern Switzerland gathered to listen to pitches by four startups, three of which chapter was founded in 1928. Graduates participated in workshops were from EPFL. The event also provided the opportunity for to celebrate the highlights in the chapter’s history and watched alumni to get back in touch and resume activity at the Paris videos specially produced for the occasion. The chapter's future chapter, led by a fresh committee. More events in Paris and the activities were also on the agenda at the event, where alumni were region coming soon! able to chat and socialise. Happy anniversary!

7 Alumnist Campus EPFL celebrates its 1,043 new graduates

The 2018 graduation ceremony honoured the School’s alumni. In addition to celebrating 1,043 fresh graduates, EPFL presented Alumni Awards to Pauline Baumgartner-Harris (CH’97) and Déborah Heintze (SV’12). Notable alumnus Daniel Borel (PH’73), co-founder of Logitech, shared Text: EPFL his experience and viewpoints with the audience.

hey had been waiting for five Swiss Federal Councillor Guy years! Finally the day came on Parmelin closed the ceremony with a TOctober 6th 2018, when 1,043 speech. He stressed the importance of students received their Master’s the continuous pursuit of knowledge, degrees. Held at the SwissTech bearing in mind that pleasure is a Convention Center, the event was powerful driver in a career and that attended by some 3,000 guests. EPFL “science is a form of personal com- President Martin Vetterli took the mitment to serving the community”. || opportunity to stress how young graduates have the power to influence the world we live in. “We are innovators and risk takers and knowledge entrepreneurs,” he said. “With your degree in your back pocket,the world is at your feet. But never forget: the planet is in your hands.”

The ceremony honoured students with outstanding academic perfor- mances, as well as their teachers. Two doctor honoris causae were also presented. The first was handed to Martine Clozel, executive vice president of Idorsia, a company that develops molecules used in innovative therapeutic treatments. The other went to Yann LeCun, head of artificial intelligence at Facebook, who is responsible for significant advances in machine learning (see report, p.26).

ALUMNI TAKE CENTRE STAGE EPFL graduates also took the spotlight with Alumni Awards given to recognise the admirable achievements of two of the school’s former students: Pauline Baumgartner-Harris (CH’97), head of intellectual property at Firmenich, and Déborah Heintze (SV’12), co-founder and COO of Lunaphore Technologies (see profiles, p.22). Another prestigious alumnus, Daniel Borel (PH’73), engaged the audience with the story of the creation of Logitech a few years after receiving his degree. He encouraged the young graduates not to be afraid to follow their passions, and to view their failures as opportunities to The audience at the SwissTech continue their paths with the valuable Convention Center applauds the experience they have acquired. 1,043 new graduates, standing.

8 Alumnist Campus

INSTAGRAM CONTEST On the big day, graduates were invited to participate in an Instagram contest with

Jamani Caillet the hashtag #MagistraleEPFL. They were asked to take a photo that best captured their experience of the event. The three happy winners were thrilled, and delighted with their brand new EPFL hoodies. Well done ladies!

Pauline Baumgartner-Harris (CH’97) and Déborah Heintze (SV’12) receive 2018 Alumni Awards.

Diana De Vogel (AR’18) and friends. Jamani Caillet

Heiva Le Blay (PH’18)

Daniel Borel (PH’73), co-founder of Logitech, reflects back on his career. EPFL - Christian Brun

Mathilde de Perrot (MX’18)

9 Alumnist Campus

CAMPUS NEWS

PARAPLEGIC PATIENTS REGAIN CONTROL OF THEIR MUSCLES

Three patients who suffered from spinal cord injuries years ago were able to walk again thanks to a wireless implant that triggers precise electrical stimulation. In rehabilitation sessions, the three people were able to walk using body weight support for more than a kilometre, without using their hands. In a dual study published in Nature and Nature Neuroscience, Swiss scientists Grégoire Courtine (EPFL and CHUV/UNIL) and Jocelyne Bloch (CHUV/UNIL) showed that after a few months of training, patients could control muscles in their legs even without electrical stimulation. The breakthrough was covered by major media outlets worldwide. Jamani Caillet

SCIENTASTIC KINDLES DIGITAL DAY AT EPFL CLASS OF 1973 GOES THE PUBLIC’S INTEREST BACK TO SCHOOL IN SCIENCE On October 25th 2018, locations throughout Switzerland – from train stations to The Physics class of 1973 (photo) was How can we make digital technology easier universities to town squares transformed back on campus for an event on October to understand? On November 10 and 11th into meeting spaces – joined in the digital 27th. Logitech welcomed the alumni at 2018, EPFL opened its doors to the public experience for the second edition of Swiss its offices inside the Innovation Park, with demonstrations, exhibitions, talks Digital Day, an initiative coordinated by which was made possible by Daniel Borel, and workshops on the inner workings of digitalswitzerland. EPFL, as a partner to himself a PH’73 alumnus. The day began the high-tech, connected world around the event, organised free activities open with talks from class graduates, with us. This fifth edition of the Scientastic to the public. The Rolex Learning Center topics ranging from particle physics festival set out to help people make sense at the Lausanne campus was teeming with to the use of statistics in science. The of the technology available today. Talks stands, workshops, scientific demons- event provided the opportunity to tour covered areas ranging from cryptography trations and an exhibition on Data Detox. the campus, a radically different place and molecule modelling to the use of Two round tables on digitalisation in from their old stomping grounds as digital technology to make skis. The event teaching took place in the late afternoon. students. Attendees were also able to was a huge success, drawing some 17,000 Notable attendees included Swiss Federal visit the Rolex Learning Center and Swiss people to the campus. Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann and Plasma Center. A few weeks before the State Councillors Cesla Amarelle (Vaud), event, Civil Engineering graduates from Christophe Darbellay (Valais) and Manuele the same year enjoyed a similar on-cam- Bertoli (Ticino). pus reunion to rekindle contact with their university and former classmates. Murielle Gerber Alain Herzog Alain Herzog

EPFL OPENS AN EDUCATIONAL EPFL INNOVATION PARK CELEBRATES SCIENCE CENTRE ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Opened in October 2018, the LEARN centre promotes innovation Opened in 1993, the EPFL Innovation Park celebrated 25 years in in teaching to respond the challenges brought by the digital operation this year. Former EPFL President Bernard Vittoz was a pio- transformation. Headed by Francesco Mondada (MT’91 and PhD neer back in 1991 when he launched the Innovation Park Foundation. IN’97), professor at EPFL’s Robotic Systems Laboratory and engineer His plan was to create an environment designed to stimulate behind the Thymio teaching robot, the centre aims to stimulate innovation and the transfer of technology by bringing startups and research and create new synergies. “With the spectacular advances companies close to the university campus. And his idea has been in digital technology, what we teach and how we teach it have a tremendous success. Today, the site has over 2,250 employees, to adapt,” says Pierre Vandergheynst, EPFL’s vice president for and is home to 26 large companies, 116 startups and more than 75 Education. “The purpose of LEARN is to experiment with new tea- entrepreneurial projects at the incubator stage – all this right next ching techniques, demonstrate their impact and transform them door to a campus teeming with some 350 laboratories. into innovative educational practices.” The people at the LEARN centre work at all levels of learning, from compulsory schooling to higher education.

10 Alumnist Campus “Celebrating our school’s 50th anniversary and making alumni the key to its future”

EPFL President Martin Vetterli sends a message to alumni on the eve of the school’s 50th anniversary. In the spotlight are the school’s achievements and the pivotal role graduates will play in its future.

ur school is celebrating its 50th for example with bioengineering, at EPFL needs you, its alumni. You are anniversary. Within a mere half- the crossroads of engineering science its life force. Your participation in the O century, the École Polytechnique and life science. Research is carried out school’s key projects, by dedicating your Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has at our 350 laboratories and through expertise, time or investment, is crucial to gone from a traditional engineering out EPFL's sites beyond Lausanne: making them a reality. school to a world-renowned institute of Campus Biotech in Geneva, Microcity technology. Annual higher education in Neuchâtel, EPFL Valais Wallis in Sion, I look forward to seeing you very soon rankings are evidence of that. EPFL’s and the Smart Living Lab in Fribourg. on your campus and would like to take peers include some of the world’s top We are also teaming up more with other this opportunity to wish you a happy universities, which have been around establishments in our region, including and healthy 2019. || much longer than 50 years. That is quite Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), an achievement for our school, which and establishments outside Switzerland. is a teenager in comparison to some of its peers! The school’s youth is its great Finally, innovation, to promote and strength and helps us tackle the future transfer the technology developed at our Nick Hunger with agility and make important ad- laboratories to the real economy and vances towards its three core missions. society. Led by a long line of visionary presidents and its Innovation Park The first is education. We teach students created 25 years ago, EPFL has become to become not only top scientists and a unique innovation hub. It allows engineers but also responsible leaders. young companies to flourish and thrive MARTIN VETTERLI | PRESIDENT OF EPFL Like you, they will take on key roles. while developing closer ties between This talent must contribute to turning the school and the companies operating technological revolution into a positive on-site. The strength of this ecosystem revolution in a society in the midst shows in the numbers. The Lake Geneva of digital transformation. And as part region continues to attract investors, as of the digital transformation, it is our its startups alone currently raise nearly duty to adapt our teaching methods, 50% of Switzerland’s venture capital. to continue to innovate and to act as a forerunner. One way we are doing that This 50th anniversary celebrates the is by developing MOOCs, with more federalisation of EPFL. That is no small than 2 million people enrolled in EPFL’s detail, as more than 90% of our budget Massive Open Online Courses. We comes from federal funding. As a public have also created the Extension School institution, we have a responsibility to and recently opened the LEARN centre each taxpayer, and our excellence is the focusing on innovation at all levels of best way to step up to that responsibility. education. Furthermore, project-based New challenges await us, and the school teaching is increasingly integrated into must enhance its positive role in social our programmes. Projects such as the change brought about by technology. Solar Decathlon and Hyperloop Pod Competition are fantastic ways for our Celebrating our school’s 50th anniver- students to learn, while enhancing the sary also means celebrating its alumni, school’s reputation worldwide. because you carry within you EPFL’s DNA. Nothing will break that tie. You are Our second mission is research. its best ambassadors and spokespeople. Research draws on and must continue The quality of your careers and diversity to draw on talent from around the of your experiences contribute to the very world, while building on two pillars: image of EPFL throughout the world. solid expertise in basic science and Amid all the celebration, a special day will interdisciplinary collaboration whenever be set aside just for you. It is essential for possible. This will be our school’s main us to join one another in celebrating our strength. An interdisciplinary approach past successes and building the future is now an integral part of our school, together. To achieve its full potential,

11 Alumnist Campus 1969–2019: EPFL’s stellar trajectory

Originally set up under a private initiative in 1853, the École Polytechnique de l’Université de Lausanne (EPUL) Text: Anne-Muriel Brouet became a federal institute of technology in 1969.

second industrial revolution – which 8th 1968. EPFL was officially created on saw the development of electricity and January 1st 1969. modern chemistry – would have to go to France or Germany to study enginee- The school’s federal status paved the ring. The new school gave out its first way to an expansion programme, degrees in 1855. new buildings and the relocation to Ecublens. Each EPFL president left his AN OLD IDEA mark along the way. And the school “We saw that everyone needed new labs grew to encompass more than just and modern research equipment,” said engineering. After having already added Maurice Cosandey. “I figured we would architecture in 1946, it eventually tacked never have the resources to compete on computer science, microengineering,

Alain Herzog unless we became a federal institution.” communication systems, life sciences In 1934, the school tried to obtain loans and two colleges. The school has also from the Swiss federal government, to spread its roots in French-speaking hen Maurice Cosandey took over no avail. With Cantonal Councillor Jean- Switzerland with new sites in Geneva, as head of what was then the Pierre Pradervand, Maurice Cosandey Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Valais. W École Polytechnique de l’Uni- gave it another try and headed to Bern. versité de Lausanne (EPUL) on 1 April They met with Federal Councillor Hans Digging through the archives, you 1963, he had a firm goal: “To turn our Peter Tschudi. He listened to their can’t help but notice that many of the cantonal engineering school into a federal proposal and replied: “I’ll back your idea key issues the school faces are still the institute.” And that goal was reached six because of the excellence of your school.” same: encouraging women in technical years later when EPUL became EPFL, fields, engineers’ social responsibility the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de A HISTORIC MOMENT with regard to new technology, ethics, Lausanne – Switzerland’s second federal In 1968, both houses of Switzerland’s how the school is positioned relative to institute of technology after ETH Zurich. parliament voted unanimously to create ETH Zurich, relations with the industry, EPFL will be officially celebrating its a second federal institute of technology. public- and private-sector financing, 50th anniversary in 2019, but our history That same year, the Vaud parliament cooperation, fundamental research, the actually stretches back to the mid-19th unanimously approved the transfer of role of science and engineering in our century. We mark the school’s jubilee the school to the federal level. “The main society, supporting our region’s social with a retrospective look at what’s chan- thing we feel at that historic moment is and economic development... ged – and what hasn’t. pride. Even though EPFL – its new name – will no longer be a Vaud cantonal The more things change, the more they In 1853, the five founders of the “École school, it will remain based in Lausanne. stay the same. And one thing has held Spéciale de Lausanne” already had their And looking at ETH Zurich, it’s clear that constant throughout the school’s five dif- sights set beyond the city. They wanted the school has been a key driver of the ferent names and 16 different presidents: to “train excellent engineers right here in city’s development. I’d be surprised if a drive for excellence and to expand its Switzerland”. That’s because otherwise the same didn’t hold true for Lausanne,” reach beyond its local borders. || young people growing up during the wrote the Gazette de Lausanne on May

ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE EPFL

1978 1991 1993 2002 2010 2019

Inauguration of the ﬁ rst Foundation of the Innovation Park Innovation Park’s A EPFL’s “departments” are Inauguration of the 1969 buildings in É cublens in Écublens Building inauguration now “schools” Rolex Learning Center Creation of the Communication Creation of the School of Systems section Life Sciences

1992 2000 2017

Maurice Bernard Jean-Claude Patrick Martin Cosandey Vittoz Badoux Aebischer Vetterli Engineering Physics Engineering Neurosciences Computer science 1986 2001 2009 2015 1,000 students 3,000 students 5,000 students 7,000 students 10,000 students

12 Alumnist Campus Schedule: Alumni 50th and other events

The Alumni 50th celebration will be held on November 9th 2019. Don’t miss this day entirely devoted to you for EPFL’s 50th anniversary. Other important events will mark out this year of celebration, starting with the EPFL Open House in September.

A whole day to see your friends 17.05 | EDUCATION DAY again, re-experience your Find out more about major developments favourite amphitheatres, find in teaching, new educational solutions and out what’s new on campus, innovative learning processes (MOOCs, etc.). attend exciting talks featuring This event addresses educators throughout renowned speakers, and Switzerland. celebrate in style at the gala. Sounds like a dream? EPFL 10-14.09 | DAYS OF RESEARCH Alumni is making it happen so The event aims to bring together key political, that you can join together in academic and industrial partners of the sur- celebration of your school and rounding area of each EPFL site around a key those who have contributed to research subject of the site. The objective its top-notch reputation: you, is to show the benefits that, with political NOVEMBER 9TH its alumni. All information support and industry collaboration, research and a detailed schedule will be ALUMNI 50TH has for the local community.

EPFL available shortly. 18.10 | OPEN SCIENCE DAY EPFL invites a group of world-class researchers and policy-makers and asks them to share their expert opinion on how to best deal with the current transition to open science, and what scientific research may look like in the future.

19.11 | INDUSTRY DAY MARCH 8TH SEPTEMBER 14-15TH Business leaders will discuss how innovation

50 YEARS OF WOMEN ALUMNAE Alain Herzog EPFL OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND happens in their respective organisations, Murielle Gerber industries and markets. They will also For International Women's Day, EPFL Uncover the secrets of EPFL laboratories, discuss the collaboration and relations they Alumni celebrates 50 years of the visit its new infrastructure and show maintain with EPFL, and how the school school’s women graduates. A panel of your campus to your loved ones over helps them innovate. alumnae representing every decade this exceptional weekend. The two-day in EPFL’s history, who play a key role programme will feature the 2019 editions 20.11 | INVESTOR DAY in business, entrepreneurship and of two major on-campus events, Drone Investor Day brings together a selection of research, will discuss the challenges and Days and Scientastic. Eminent guests investors to learn more about EPFL’s startups, issues they have faced over their careers. will also be there, including Frédéric that will each pitch their innovative ideas. Courant, “Fred” from the television Ranging across all sectors (medtech, energy, show C’est pas Sorcier, and Aleksi Briclot, drones…), 100 to 120 startups will be featured. illustrator from Marvel comics, invited in partnership with La Maison d’Ailleurs. Further information on celebration.epfl.ch.

ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE EPFL

1978 1991 1993 2002 2010 2019

1992 2000 2017

13 Alumnist Career Alumni advise students in preparing for Forum EPFL

With more than 170 companies and 70 startups, Forum EPFL is one of the biggest recruitment fairs in Europe. That makes it a key event for those just starting out on their professional career. EPFL Text: EPFL Alumni graduates now act as mentors to help them prepare for it.

hat career and what industry should I choose? Should I do a W PhD? What would an experience abroad bring me? These questions, and countless others, are asked by a large number of EPFL students. The experience of alumni with careers in full swing can be of immense value in answering them. Knowledge sharing helps students better understand the industry they have chosen and gain more accurate insight into what companies expect from candidates. EPFL Alumni and Forum EPFL decided to harness that potential by creating a new mentoring programme in 2018, which ran from May to the beginning of the fair EPFL in October. The aim of the programme Nearly 75% of the mentors lived in is higher than the proportion of women was to strengthen the culture of helping Switzerland, but the programme did not out of the total number of students. As others within the school and give alumni stop at the country’s borders. Several a volunteer-based programme, parti- the opportunity to contribute directly to mentors were based in other European cipants could manage how often they students’ success. countries, as well as Asia and even contacted each other. In all, 584 hours of Oceania. Business sectors ranged from mentoring took place, which comes out SPRINGBOARD INTO THE JOB MARKET finance research to computer science, to 24 days! The survey conducted fol- In addition to mentorship, the programme architecture and civil engineering, lowing Forum EPFL showed that alumni provided occasions for bringing the EPFL thereby responding to the various needs and students alike were satisfied with community together. Students met their of students, who came from all EPFL the programme, and 90% would recom- mentor for the first time at the launch sections. Many leading companies were mend it. This first edition will certainly party in May for example. And the closing represented, including Nestlé, Facebook, lead to more. See you in 2019! || event in early November at the Montreux Swisscom, McKinsey, and many more. Jazz Café was a time to celebrate and share experiences shortly after the end of the Eighty-five percent of the students in the Forum. A total of 177 alumnus-student programme were working towards their relationships were set up, which brought master’s degree. The programme was precious advice and, in many cases, popular with female students, as 36% of landed a trainee programme or first job. mentees were women. That percentage

Sectors and sections

ALUMNI STUDENTS R&D Sales, Marketing, Bus. Dev School of Engineering Life Sciences 21% 9% 35% 7% Management Project Management Computer and Management of Technology 17% 9% Communication Sciences 5% 21% Supply Chain Finance EPFL Middle East 12% 7% Basic Sciences 1% 18% Consulting Civil Engineering 10% 4% Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering Entrepreneurship Other 13% 9% 2%

14 Alumnist Career

The mentor’s point of view The mentee’s point of view

MA’03 PH’18 Christophe-Pierre Philippe Lobisommer Wampler Team Head Portfolio Management Quantitative Analyst Swisscanto Invest by Zürcher Kantonalbank MBS Capital Advice

“Finding a job in finance is a challenge, especially “To achieve my professional goal, I needed to learn when your studies aren’t finance-related, as was the more about the world of finance. Before meeting case with Philippe. But that was the ultimate goal of Christophe-Pierre, I had already started looking, but our mentorship programme. To achieve that goal, we employers from the finance industry were reluctant defined a three-part strategy: learn about the world due to my background in physics. I needed to acquire of finance through its basic models and principles, some basic knowledge about the industry and learn understand the different businesses in the industry, the specific vocabulary that would help me be more know who the main players are, and then be able to comfortable when talking to companies. In the end, I promote yourself as a candidate. Using that strategy, got my first job as a quantitative analyst at MBS Capital Philippe grew into a valid candidate for the sector he Advice, where I began my career on November 1st 2018. aimed to work in. Plus, we reached our objective, as he found a job in market finance. I’m very grateful to Christophe-Pierre for his time and his advice. The programme was a valuable experience, This type of mentoring offers real added value. It both in respect of the knowledge I gained and on a per- would have been very useful to me as a student to sonal level. I highly recommend it to all EPFL students, gain a footing in the working world. Aside from the especially those whose professional aspirations differ mentoring aspect, the programme is a great way to from the typical paths taken in their sections.” meet new people, as we also became friends over the months we worked together.”

Your Innovation Journey at the SwissTech Convention Center

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15 Alumnist Career Discover your personality type with the MBTI assessment

EPFL Alumni regularly offers graduates to take the MBTI (Myers- Briggs Type Indicator) assessment. The MBTI is used to better understand how people prefer to operate and relate to others, especially in the working world. EPFL graduate Yvan Galeuchet (PH’87, PhD PH’91) and certified MBTI practitioner Text: Arnaud Aubelle joins us to present and explain the tool.

DR such as the detailed description of preferences or the Action Types approach, Biography which is based on each individual’s mo- tor skills and in which the body indicates Yvan Galeuchet earned his Master’s what our MBTI preferences are. The degree at EPFL in Physics in 1987 and second objective is to explore the MBTI’s his PhD in 1991. After starting out in re- 16 personality types in depth, to learn search, he shifted towards management how to identify them and better adapt to consulting at McKinsey & Co. before the person you are interacting with. joining the Pictet bank. There, he held positions such as chief financial officer How can the MBTI assessment be useful of the Wealth Management Division and Yvan Galeuchet, EPFL graduate (PH’87, senior vice president learning & develop- PhD PH’91) and certified MBTI practitioner. for your career? YG – Developing a better understanding ment. He has also been a certified MBTI of our own operating mode and beco- practitioner since 2003. Yvan Galeuchet What is the MBTI assessment? ming aware of how others prefer to ope- is currently self-employed and has foun- Yvan Galeuchet – We all have natural rate can help create smoother relation- ded his own personal and professional preferences in the way we process ships within an organisation. Moreover, development consulting firm. information, make decisions, organise your personality profile suggests the our life and focus our energy. The MBTI type of profession or activity that would assessment provides a way of identifying best align with your preferences, at the these preferences and exploring your per- beginning of a career or during a profes- Your next career workshops sonality profile through 16 existing types. sional transition. However, it is crucial to remember that your preferences and January 24th This psychometric tool was developed your skills are two different things. You Boost your career with LinkedIn and in the 1940s by two researchers in psy- can still excel in a job, even if it does not social media, with Philippe Pache. chology, Katharine Cook Briggs and her match your personality profile. It just daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, based on takes more effort to adapt. || February 5th (Zurich) the theory of psychological types deve- and February 6th (Lausanne) loped by Carl Gustav Jung, the father of Explore your personality type with the analytical psychology. With 3 million MBTI assessment, with Yvan Galeuchet. people taking the MBTI assessment every year, it is the most commonly used March 9th psychometric test in the world. Career management and job research, with Daniel Porot. What is your approach in the workshops you give for EPFL graduates? April 4th YG – Before the workshop, participants Managing your career after 40, with are asked to complete the MBTI ques- Daniel Porot. tionnaire on the official website of the Myers-Briggs Company. Then, I send May 16th them, by email, the results that highlight Explore your personality type with the the profile they seem to fit, with some MBTI assessment, with Yvan Galeuchet. additional clarification if necessary. The main objective of the workshop is for each participant to leave having clearly identified and validated his profile. Following the online test, some preferences may indeed remain unclear. Other tools used during the workshop can help determine them more clearly,

16 Alumnist Profile Swissquote, an EPFL success story

Swissquote is not like other banks. The online financial services company Text: Peggy Frey has been posting outstanding results since 1997. Driven by EPFL alumni Marc Bürki and Paolo Buzzi, Swissquote has Photos: Fred Merz always relied on innovation to stay on top.

n Thursdays, it’s Swissquote’s turn to treat everyone to after- O noon snacks! Pastries in hand, employees wander through the sleekly designed offices of Switzerland’s leading online bank. The dress code is casual, with staff decked out in skinny jeans and designer trainers. The atmosphere is different from the typically stiff world of Swiss finance. Even the bank’s location – near the train tracks in an industrial park in Gland in the canton of Vaud – breaks from tradition for a bank.

But the relaxed atmosphere doesn’t affect productivity. With revenue of CHF 187.5 million in 2017, i.e. 25% growth on 2016, its performance is actually outstanding. Fuelling that success are Swissquote’s shareholders and founders, Marc Bürki and Paolo Buzzi, who have been working together for nearly 30 years. Partners in business and friends outside work, the duo has preserved its entrepreneurial flair by keeping their minds on constant alert. Their answers in the interview are smooth, suggesting they’ve been through the process before. But something about their remarks reveals a touch of fantasy, unexpected for people who look like regular bankers. In 2017, Swissquote had 309,286 customer accounts (up 2.2% on 2016). In a record Interview with these EPFL alumni, who year, the company’s revenue increased have remained engineers at heart and 25% to CHF 187.5 million (CHF 150 million dedicated themselves to innovation to in 2016). For 2018, the bank aims for 10% bring banking services to all. growth in revenue and net profit.

17 Alumnist Profile

Timeline Swissquote is Switzerland’s leading hoped. But Swissquote had to become a online bank. How would you define bank. We applied for a licence with the your business philosophy? Swiss Federal Banking Commission. I remember files full of explanations to Marc Bürki Curiosity, creativity, intui- study. And one key requirement: we 1986 tion and technological inventiveness. needed capitalisation of CHF 20 million At a party at EPFL, Paolo Buzzi Innovation has been in our DNA since to obtain a licence. Swissquote launched tried – unsuccessfully – to charm Swissquote opened in 1997. With our an IPO to raise that money. Going public Marc Bürki’s girlfriend. That was digital banking solutions and software, meant that the company had to justify the beginning of a friendship and we make finance more understandable its strategic decisions to its investors. professional relationship that has and accessible to all our customers. That wasn’t easy for people like us, lasted 30 years. who are used to just charging forward. Paolo Buzzi We also make it more trans- However, we met lots of new partners parent and more flexible. That’s what when we floated the company. responsible investors want today. The ultimate achievement is to become the The Swissquote adventure owes a lot to world’s most pioneering and intuitive Marvel Communications, your first finan- online bank. We’re working hard to cial information software company. Why get there! did you get into that business in 1990?

Flashback – how did the concept MB Banks use a lot of software. They for Swissquote come about? needed software to be connected to real- time stock prices and information feeds. We created that specific tool to present 1990 MB The digitisation of stock exchanges in 1994 gave bankers access to information it to different investors who might be Launch of Marvel Communications, in real time, which had until then remai- willing to support our project. That’s specialised in financial information ned unavailable to the general public. when we met Jean Pfau, the former boss software. Our idea was to democratise that data, of Charmilles Technologies. and make it visible for everyone to see, for free. PB A passionate physicist, he didn’t just invest in our company, he became our PB The idea of opening the tightly-locked business angel. His advice and support door to the stock exchange didn’t sit taught us the ins and outs of entrepre- well with everyone. What saved us was neurship. I remember a discussion we the immediate success of our website. once had driving between Zurich and Demand was so high that the platform Lausanne. Jean asked us to sum up exploded. Our rapid ascension caught our strategy in one sentence. We were the attention of the media. Our reputation caught off guard by the question and is what protected us. With our website, incapable of answering. We got a good our customers could track stock prices roasting for that. That episode has since in real time. All bankers had left to do served as a lesson. Companies that was place orders. succeed are those that can sum up their strategy in a few words. For the next logical steps, Swissquote became a bank and went public in 2000. You were also a pioneer in creating websites. PB Stock exchanges charged us high fees for access to their information. We never PB In the early 1990s, after selling our could have reached financial balance financial information downloading 1996 with advertising income alone. We had software throughout Europe, the Creation of websites. Redesign to find other innovative tools to meet segment was swallowed up by internet of the International Olympic our customers’ expectations while trying service providers. They could easily Committee’s web portal. to be profitable. We sensed the potential do without our service once the stock of the internet and our ideas to develop exchange went digital in 1994. That’s 1997 online trading. The enthusiasm of our when our financial reserves were wiped Launch of the financial platform customers, those small private share- out. We had to reinvent ourselves and do Swissquote.ch. holders so present in Switzerland, was something new. palpable. Even modest portfolio holders 1998 wanted to understand the online trading MB The world wide web was just emer- universe and have easy access to it. Our ging, but we knew the internet would Creation of Swissquote Trade SA, services brought them that. play a crucial role in all areas. We went the brokerage division. to Internet World in Boston in 1996, and MB For us to achieve balance and hope it was like an electric shock to push us to be profitable, we had to charge for our in a new direction. The big names, like real-time information service. We also Amazon, Yahoo and others, were there 2000 added new services, letting customers to present the possibilities of the Net. Swissquote Group Holding SA place stock market orders themselves on That infinite universe fascinated us, and was listed on the Swiss stock our Swissquote Trade platform launched we started creating websites. exchange. The company obtai- in 1998. As only banks are authorised to ned a banking licence. carry out these trades, we teamed up with With your usual success. Your customers the Zurich-based private bank Rüd Blass. included some leaders in the Swiss 2001 With trading, we could be paid a small fee economy. for each order, which was always much First online-only bank in lower than the fees charged by banks. MB Yes, Peugeot Switzerland, Nespresso Switzerland. Access to the US and others put their trust in us. The stock exchanges NYSE, NASDAQ PB This partnership worked well and business world could tell that the internet and AMEX. allowed us to develop the way we’d was going to be the way of the future.

18 Alumnist Profile

But the pivotal moment came when we met Franklin Servan-Schreiber, communications director for the International Born in Tunisia in 1961. Olympic Committee (IOC). He contacted • Settled in the canton of Vaud. us by email one evening at 10 p.m. At the time, we were working day and night, and His family was originally we answered him right away, suggesting • from German-speaking we meet the next day. He too is an engi- Switzerland. Markus – his real neer. We hit it off, and he brought us on name – spent his childhood board to redesign the IOC’s websites. and teenage years in Tunisia and Morocco before returning PB In the middle of the 1990s, after several to Switzerland to study. scandals, the organisation needed to enhance its image. With its planetary aura, Marc Bürki Electrical engineering degree the internet seemed like the ideal network • from EPFL in 1987. Founder and CEO of Swissquote for boosting the committee’s communication. For us, it was a huge, exciting chal- Member of the Council of lenge. Landing that $3.5 million contract • Switzerland’s polytechnical helped us bounce back. Meanwhile, the schools since 2017. Swissquote adventure was still in the works. Our objective remained to launch With a passion for aviation, an online brokerage service. • he holds a pilot’s licence.

Swissquote’s growth has been almost constant. How would you explain that success?

MB We have posted growth every year since 2003. Rising 25% compared with Born in Basel in 1961 to a 2016, 2017 revenue was almost CHF 188 • family from Ticino. Settled in million, with profits of CHF 39.2 million. the canton of Vaud. For 2018, we aim for growth of 10%. Paolo spent his childhood in But beyond those figures, we owe our • French-speaking Switzerland. success to a number of chance encoun- ters, which each, in its own way, played Microtechnology engineering an important role in our development. • degree from EPFL in 1988. We’ve often met someone, talked about a project and said, “Ok, let’s do Member of EPFL’s Strategy it!”. Working with existing banks, esta- • Council. blishing strong partnerships and brin- Paolo Buzzi ging in a skilled team are also some of Founder and CTO of Swissquote With a passion for aviation, the keys to the success of our company. • he holds a pilot’s licence obtained with Marc in Missouri, PB Since it was founded, our platform in the US. has continuously been enhanced. We’re in a business that is constantly revolu- tionised and brought to an ever wider public. As engineers, we automate and digitise everything we possibly can to minimise costs. Keen intuition, creativity and constant innovation to provide services at very competitive prices are the secret to our success. We also listen carefully to our customers to remain attentive to the needs of this new generation of hyper-connected consumers. Online banks are the norm for them.

This success has led you to develop “Companies that succeed outside Switzerland and acquire other companies. are those that can sum up MB Switzerland is a small country, so we their strategy in a few words” have to develop abroad. Today, we have offices in Malta, London, Dubai and Paolo Buzzi Hong Kong. These entities give us access to the world’s main markets, while diver- sifying our business and broadening our customer base. The acquisition of other companies, such as Advanced Currency Market (ACM) in 2010 and MIG Bank in 2013, expanded our range of services, especially in forex trading. More recently, partnerships with Swiss banks have opened doors to the derivatives and mortgage markets.

19 Alumnist Profile

2002 Takeover of Consors SA “Innovation has been in our DNA (Switzerland). since Swissquote opened in 1997” 2003 Marc Bürki First profitable year. Swissquote had nearly 35,000 online customers. Membership of the Swiss Bankers Association.

PB In parallel with this geographical deve- or the hangar that we’d repainted, of lopment, we continually test new, more Marvel Communications. efficient tools and new services. Staying on the cutting edge of technology is our What ties have you kept with EPFL? trademark. It sets us apart from our com- petitors and gives us a lead over them. MB We’ve remained very close to the school. Some areas of research that EPFL 2008 So, what are your latest innovations and laboratories are involved in are very im- Despite the financial crisis, how do you see the future of fintech? portant for our development. Moreover, Swissquote attracted investors. our experience and the behaviour of our MB We’re already in the future of fintech. customers are interesting research topics Since July 2017, our customers have been for EPFL students. 2009 able to invest in cryptocurrencies and use their trading account to trade against In addition to working with PhD Creation of a research chair in PB euros or dollars. They not only have students and internship programmes, quantitative finance at EPFL. access to Bitcoin but also Bitcoin Cash, we’ve hired many engineers who gra- Ether, Litecoin and Ripple, the top five duated from EPFL. Out of the 200 engi- 2010 virtual currencies on the market. We also neers currently working at Swissquote, Acquisition of the currency recently launched a multi-currency credit about 40 are from the school. Hiring the trader Advanced Currency card to let globetrotters pay in 12 curren- wrong candidate is costly, as it takes two Markets (ACM). cies without fees. At the end of October, years to make it profitable to train engi- Launch of robo-advisory services. we began offering digital tokens issued neers. An EPFL education provides us by the startup LakeDiamond, a high-tech with some guarantees. Graduates have diamond producer. With these tokens, solid expertise, know how to learn and 2011 investors buy units of the company’s find information to innovate. Launch of an online mortgage machine operating time. service. Who are Marc Bürki and Paolo Buzzi Have you experienced any periods of today? Engineers or bankers? 2012 struggle in your success story? PB A bit of both! In meetings, cantonal Creation of Swiss DOTS, a trading PB Of course. But we learnt valuable les- banks sit on one side of the table and pri- platform for derivative products. sons. Before the financial crash of 2008, vate banks on the other. As nobody knows our company hit a growth crisis at the quite where to put us, we sit in the middle. very beginning of the 2000s. High on our 2013 success, we grew too fast and our revenue MB It took us a long time to get accepted Acquisition of MIG Bank and didn’t follow. We restructured in 2001, in the banking world. Now it’s the oppo- access to the international forex reducing our staff from 180 to 80 people. site! With digitisation and the privileged market. Today we employ over 600 people. position of engineers in finance, bankers frequently come to us for advice. 2014 You’re both EPFL engineers. What Strategic partnership with qualities and values did you gain Over all these years, your friendship PostFinance. through your studies? seems intact. Working together hasn’t changed your relationship? 2015 MB Entrepreneurial drive! At the end of our engineering studies in the mid-1980s, PB No, quite the opposite! Marc has Launch of Themes Trading to opti- we had no doubt about wanting to start become a brother to me. We love sharing mise fintech investments. our own company. On top of a general our thoughts, putting new projects toge- Partnership with the Manchester and more technical education, EPFL gives ther and facing new challenges. Basically, United football team. students that motivation, that desire to we still dream about changing the world. innovate and become entrepreneurs. MB We’ve kept this close friendship, PB We were big dreamers at the time! which we’ve had since we were students. Before creating our company, we For 28 years, we’ve shared the same 2017 wanted to travel and work at large firms. office, which is essential for keeping the First bank in Europe to provide Marc Bürki went to the Netherlands to strong ties that have allowed us to create cryptocurrency trading services. work as an engineer at the European this great company. Space Research and Technology Centre. 2018 And I got into software development Takeover of the Luxembourg bank at a company in Silicon Valley. Despite Internaxx. the distance, our plans to set up our own company evolved. So much so that Swissquote customers have when I returned from the United States access to ICOs. in 1990, I moved straight into the offices,

20 Alumnist Profile

What advice would you give to recent EPFL graduates today?

MB Intuition and innovation are vital in finance. To be innovative, you have to stay modest. You have to be able to listen to young people coming in, use their ideas to capture tomorrow’s trends and always stay a step ahead.

PB You have to dare entrepreneurship. When you’re young, it’s worth taking the risk to set up a company. Through innovation and bringing a fresh viewpoint, we create value and stand out from the rest. EPFL gives us good grounding to do that. ||

Marc Bürki (left) and Paolo Buzzi met as students at EPFL. The two engineers have been working together since 1990 and founded Swissquote in 1997.

Alumni at Swissquote By Tiago Pires

Cécile Grometto (IN’12) Software Architect

“I’m of Japanese descent, and the internet enables me stay in contact with my family. This relationship is so important to me that I wanted to understand how this network, Marius Konwicki (IN’03) Raphaël Marthe (MT’02) and more generally computer science, operates. So I enrolled in EPFL’s Computer Trading Platforms Manager Head Securities Trading Platform Science programme in 2006.

“I’d always wondered how a long set of “Swissquote is where I grew up! I didn’t Most importantly, the school taught us how 1s and 0s could generate all the complex have much experience in the working world to learn, to understand what we’re doing applications we have today. To understand before joining the company. It gives me the and why we do it. That ability can then be that, I enrolled in EPFL’s Computer Science opportunity to learn and improve. I work at applied to all areas, even those that are programme in 1998. The school taught me a bank that’s different from others in many not directly related to our initial education. how to approach complex problems in order ways. There is no dress code here. Everyone For example, I knew nothing about finance to solve them. is casual and in an open workspace. This before working at Swissquote. policy brings employees together and makes When I joined Swissquote in 2008, I disco- managers more accessible. But I find that notion of understanding and vered the freedom of creating. I like the sort analysis working with the Financial Data of startup feel at the company. We have The open-minded approach is also reflected team in Product Development. We analyse to solve complex problems by applying our in the way we work. To manage the upgrade the technical aspects of projects and pro- logic, business knowledge and technical maintenance of trading platforms, we vide libraries of software needed by other expertise. Far from the ways of a traditional have to find elegant software solutions to teams. Day to day, we have the freedom to bank, Swissquote fosters a friendly, family optimise our services for our customers. If think about everything we do and contri- spirit. Staff members address each other an employee has an idea or wants to develop bute to any current projects. informally. These values help us work in a solutions, Swissquote leaves him or her relaxed atmosphere typical of fintech firms. some scope to take action. The family spirit at Swissquote can be felt Lots of meeting spaces are available for em- every day, both in how we help each other ployees, like the pub at our cafeteria, which This freedom pushes us to excel. A bit like and at events organised by the company. is open every day and even in the evening, during my microengineering studies at EPFL: For example, every September, manage- the terrace with a barbecue, and a fitness professors instilled in us the drive to learn ment presents how the company is doing room just a few hundred metres away.” by continuously challenging us." and invites all employees to a meal.”

21 Alumnist Profile Pauline Baumgartner-Harris and Déborah Heintze win the 2018 Alumni Awards

Every year, EPFL’s graduation ceremony provides the opportunity to honour former students who have led inspiring careers. The 2018 Alumni Awards recognised two alumnae, Pauline Baumgartner-Harris (CH’97) Text: Arnaud Aubelle and Déborah Heintze (SV’12), as outstanding leaders in

Photos: industry and entrepreneurship. What they share is passion and Thierry Parel uncompromising standards.

PAULINE BAUMGARTNER-HARRIS CH’97

On receiving her Alumni Award at the 2018 graduation ceremony, Pauline Baumgartner-Harris expressed how proud she was to be honoured by a school that has always managed to reinvent itself. This ability to adapt is precisely what has marked her own career, as she obtained her European Patent Attorney qualification in 2002, just five years after her engineering degree at EPFL. After earning this second title, her profile at the intersection between chemistry and law was a perfect match for Firmenich, where she had been working since 1998.

Her natural curiosity led her to expand the focus of her work and she joined the business development team of the flavours division, in a position combining marketing, sales and innovation. That experience gave her a better understanding of business objectives. When she decided to return to intellectual property in 2008, she went to work for Nestlé at its headquarters in Vevey, in the very competitive environment of ice cream.

In 2013, Firmenich, whose legal department joined the group responsible for patents, thought of her to support its fragrance division. Her expertise and business insight served her well in an environment increasingly based on open innovation, building on partnerships with academic institutions, including KEY DATES EPFL, and client companies. This successful experience led Firmenich to offer her a key position as vice president head of intellectual property in 2016. 1997 EPFL degree in Chemistry In this role, Pauline Baumgartner-Harris has imple- mented her strategic vision while aiming to promote 1998 Joined Firmenich innovation through intellectual property.

2002 European Patent Attorney qualification Before the school’s 1,043 new graduates at the 2018 graduation ceremony (see p.8), she stressed the im- 2008 Joined Nestlé portance of the education they had just completed. “With this degree, you hold something of great value. 2013 Returned to Firmenich It can open doors for you to an incredible number of professional opportunities,” she said. Proud of 2016 Appointed Vice President Head of Intellectual her education, as was her father, who also graduated Property from EPFL, she concluded with smile, “I hope one day my children will be lucky enough to be where you are sitting today.”

22 Alumnist Profile

DÉBORAH HEINTZE SV’12

“Entrepreneurship is a constant source of challenges,” Déborah Heintze said at the 2018 graduation ceremony. And, as the co-founder and chief operations officer of Lunaphore, she knows what she's talking about. Her many responsibilities include regulations, operations, marketing, business development and managing a team of 25 people.

When she graduated from EPFL in 2012, after a year at Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Institute, Déborah Heintze had two options for beginning her career. The first was for a comfortable, well-paid position with a large international biomedical firm and the second was to co-found a startup with no long-term guarantees. She chose the option offering less security but that was more in line with what she wanted to do. Hence the Lunaphore adventure began.

What is Lunaphore about? Nothing less than a medical revolution. Its new microfluidic technology reduces the time needed to diagnose cancerous tissue from hours to minutes. The technique could impact both routine checks and checks performed during surgery, meaning that surgical procedures would not have to be interrupted while waiting for a diagnosis and therefore meaning fewer procedures overall.

Its technology has put Lunaphore in the industry spotlight, especially with its recent fundraising round when it secured CHF 5.3 million. Awards came rolling in during 2018 both for the company, which ranked third among the Top 100 best Swiss startups, and for Déborah Heintze, who had the honour of being selected for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Switzerland. She may be standing centre stage now, but Déborah Heintze emphasises the importance of teamwork in the development of Lunaphore and highlights the vital roles played by the company’s other two co-founders – Ata Tuna Ciftlik (PhD MT’13) and Diego Gabriel Dupouy (PhD MT’16) – and the 25 company employees, a steadily growing team.

Although a number of steps remain, the first of which is the market launch of Lunaphore’s first devices in 2019, the path taken by Déborah Heintze, just six years after obtaining her engineering degree from EPFL, is already a source of inspiration for all alumni. And that offers proof that decisions are made not only with the head but also with the heart. ||

KEY DATES

2011 Development of a microfluidic platform at Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Institute

2012 EPFL degree in Life Sciences

2014 Co-founds Lunaphore and becomes COO

2018 Included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Lunaphore takes third place in the ranking of Swiss startups.

23 Alumnist Profile Docteur Gab’s: success on draught

In 2001, long before today’s microbrewery craze, Reto Engler (SIE’09) and his co-founders created Docteur Gab’s. After starting out in their parents’ kitchen, the beverage has gone on to become a Text: staple on tables throughout French-speaking Switzerland Arnaud Aubelle and is now the banner brand for craft beer in the Vaud Photo: Thierry Parel region. Here is a look back at how the adventure started.

he offbeat logo – the stemmed PROMISING NICHE the St Prex glass manufacturer, Docteur beer glass-shaped, winking face of Reto Engler took advantage of his time Gab’s demonstrates that it is firmly T a doctor sporting a mirror reflec- at EPFL to have his classmates taste grounded in its roots. “We also try to be tor – is now well-known throughout his creations. Docteur Gab’s became a as responsible as possible in our produc- French-speaking Switzerland. From must at class dinners and moved into tion processes. We send our production EPFL’s student bar, Satellite, to the most the campus bar, Satellite. “It was one of waste to a local farmer who uses it for popular bars in Lausanne, Geneva and the first bars to sell our beers. It’s still methanation. He produces the elec- Neuchâtel, Docteur Gab’s beers and available on draught there today, and we tricity that we then use at the factory.” their funny, authentic style have become regularly hold tastings.” Moreover, SIE students from EPFL come omnipresent in the region. This astoun- every year to visit the factory as part of ding rise among the region’s brews was When they graduated in 2010, Reto their industrial ecology courses. built on the friendship between Reto Engler and the other Docteur Gab’s Engler, an EPFL graduate who earned his co-founders gave themselves a year The company currently generates annual degree in Environmental Sciences and to test the viability of their business. revenue of nearly CHF 10 million, and its Engineering (SIE) in 2009, and his two They continued to develop the range of strategy focuses on diversification. Its first co-founders, David Paraskevopoulos authentic, unique beers. It turned out to step was to develop a lager, Swaf. Lighter and Gabriel Hasler. be the right strategic decision in a mar- than the brand’s trademark brews, Swaf ket currently dominated by giants, but in is made to compete with market giants, GARAGE BREWERY which microbreweries are experiencing the likes of Heineken and Carlsberg. The In 2001, the three secondary-school frien- the strongest growth. next step is to move into new products, ds shared not only their love for beer, but such as cider, also made in the local spirit also a strong penchant for entrepreneur- The three co-founders took a coa- using apples from the region. The com- ship and experimentation. “From develo- ching programme and secured their first pany has also begun selling its products ping the range, production, and marketing financing from private investors, which in supermarkets and is using its strong strategy, to bottling and delivery, etc., we allowed them to structure the com- foothold in French-speaking Switzerland were doing absolutely everything our- pany and come up with a medium-term as a springboard to tackle the country’s selves,” Reto Engler reminisces. business plan. Showing just how much German-speaking market. potential their entrepreneurial venture The first beers were brewed in the had, in 2012 Docteur Gab’s won the PERL But, above all, Docteur Gab’s remains kitchen of one of the boys’ parents, who Jury’s Award, which is generally handed faithful to its identity and initial philo- were bewildered but supportive about to technology startups. sophy of nurturing its close relationship the undertaking. Following the model with the brand’s fans. “The first Docteur of successful Silicon Valley startups, LOCAL, RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION Gab’s bar has recently opened on Rue de the adventure moved into the garage in Roles formed naturally among the Bourg in Lausanne,” Reto Engler says. 2002. Reto Engler’s parents’ garage was team members. Reto Engler applies his That way, people can have a good time where the first vats were kept, and where education in engineering as head of and explore this incredible success story the trio toiled evenings and weekends. production. But more surprisingly, he of French-speaking Switzerland. || also handles the company’s marketing Then the first customers began pou- and communication. “From the outset I ring in. To meet demand, production worked a lot on the logo, slogans, brand increased, and the premises, now too image and the positive values that we small, grew. The brewers moved again in wanted to convey. I like this part of the 2004, this time setting up in Epalinges. business, showing that we have a strong “This move brought new obligations. We identity over and beyond our products.” now had a rent to pay and debt taken out to buy brewing equipment, meaning The brand’s identity is built on real obligations in terms of business authenticity, and that is reflected in its performance.” Unusual obligations for production methods. By prioritising young adults just starting university. local products, for example bottles from

24 Alumnist Profile

By using local products, Docteur Gab’s shows that it is firmly grounded in its roots and is a responsible business.

25 Alumnist Techno TEACHING MACHINES TO LEARN Still primarily driven by empirical findings, machine learning is rewriting society’s game rules. Advances are mind-boggling, infiltrating every area of human activity.

Text: Jean-Christophe Piot

here’s Wally? Many children are gaming. However, since IBM’s super- MOVING CLOSER TO HUMAN INTELLIGENCE familiar with the character in the computer Deep Blue defeated Garry Machine learning and artificial intelli- W red and white striped shirt. They Kasparov at chess in 1997, the potential gence. These two terms are often used try to spot him as fast as they can in the uses for this technology have evolved indifferently, and the lines between middle of illustrations featuring busy significantly. Online, Facebook teaches them blurred. “One is the means, scenes and colourful crowds. However its algorithms how to identify false infor- the other is the consequence,” says well humans may score, chances are mation to reduce the number of people Marcel Salathé, professor at the Digital There’s Waldo, the robot designed by the exposed to fake news. In California, Epidemiology Lab and creator of the American creative agency Redpepper, oceanographers from Scripps Institution EPFL Extension School. “Machine will outdo them. In 4.45 seconds, the of Oceanography use machine learning learning is the process that develops computer – equipped with a camera, to analyse some 52 million echolocation artificial intelligence.” In more concrete robotic arm and solid training in image clicks made by whales and dolphins, terms, it involves designing programmes recognition – can find Wally. allowing scientists to better track their that allow a system to learn how to movement through the oceans. In every perform tasks such as identifying, Far more than an anecdote, this example area, computer systems are accom- classifying, and predicting movement reminds us that the most famous plishing tasks that seemed far-fetched and other factors, without human machine learning applications are in not long ago. intervention.

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Machine learning techniques fall into three main categories. First, reinforce- ment learning. Over time, the machine learns to detect the good decisions and “The most revolutionary thing repeat them. The second is supervised learning. This technique uses human is that we don’t really know yet intervention to teach a software programme to tell a cat from a dog or a how it works!” fork by feeding it millions of images of cats, and labelling them as cats. Finally Marcel Salathé the third and most complex technique – unsupervised learning – goes a step further. The system is not told what type of images are provided. This type of learning is closest to living intelligence dealing with a world whose rules it gradually discovers. But machine learning is still a world away from the artificial intelligence depicted in science fiction. “Behaving intelligently in the real at a given time and within a given space. world is more complex than telling the We understand where they’re coming difference between cats and dogs,” says from, where they’re going and by what Martin Jaggi, assistant professor and means.” That means that the algorithm researcher with the Machine Learning currently being tested in several cities, and Optimization Laboratory at EPFL. including Geneva and Montreux, is learning to differentiate between passengers Are we at the dawn of another technolo- on a train and people travelling by car. gical revolution? Yes and no, Professor Martin Jaggi says. “We’re undeniably And that is precious information for seeing impressive progress in machine government officials. “Until now, learning. But there’s no reason to give travel was measured using question- into sensationalism. We’re far from naires to users. But the sample is small understanding how and why the techno- and the studies expensive. Swisscom’s logy works.” This lack of understanding solution enlarges the scope of the intrigues Marcel Salathé. “The most survey. We achieve more reliable and revolutionary thing is precisely that more dynamic results, at a lower cost.” we don’t really know yet how it works!” In transport, this method is ideal for helping local authorities make the right HELPING COMMUNITIES MAKE DECISIONS decisions, for example, whether to close Thanks to the collective expertise at a street, change its direction, build a EPFL, graduates are working to improve tunnel or increase the number of trains. the overall performance of multinatio- nals such as Amazon, Cisco, Google and PICKING OUT A GRAIN OF RICE Uber. At Swisscom, the leading telecoms For several years, EPFL has been sen- operator in Switzerland, they help ding an important message. Machine local authorities more effectively grasp learning is not just for tech giants. “Only mobility by analysing the data collected using it with big data is a mistake,” says from its subscribers. Nothing could be Olivier Verscheure (PhD SC’99), execu- simpler in theory, says Mohammed tive director of the Swiss Data Science Kakfsi (PhD SC’15), a data scientist with Center (SDSC) based in Lausanne and Swisscom’s Mobility Insights team. “By Zurich. He prefers the term “smart data”. monitoring the interaction between “Machine learning is perfectly possible mobile phones and cell towers, we gain using a relatively small data set, as long information on how people move about as the data is accurately defined.”

This is not the first time that the giant structure and objectives of each project. EPFL AND GOOGLE: from Mountain View and the Swiss Research and testing can then be conducted school have teamed up. More than 30 at EPFL, Google or both. “Working with Google A SPECIAL joint initiatives have been launched highlights the value of our work published at since 2010, including in machine conferences and in scientific journals. That PARTNERSHIP learning. The MSRA simply provides a means we can develop concrete solutions framework that is more appropriate for capable of responding to current needs,” says In April 2018, EPFL and Google signed a certain projects. “For example, we need James Larus, Dean of the School of Computer Master Sponsored Research Agreement a special agreement to cover intellec- and Communication Sciences (IC) at EPFL. (MSRA) to get joint projects off the tual property rights in the case of spon- These projects can also result in the develop- ground. “Outside the United States, sored research,” Olivier Bousquet says. ment of open software or online databases. our largest engineering centre is in Switzerland,” says Olivier Bousquet, The purpose of these joint initiatives is to head of machine learning at Google draw on EPFL’s strengths, such as optimisa- Research in Zurich. “EPFL employs some tion of machine learning algorithms, innova- of the world’s best scientists in areas tive computer architectures and computer that also interest us.” vision. Together, EPFL and Google define the

27 Alumnist Techno STARTUPS THAT APPLY MACHINE 3 LEARNING

Neural Concept Picterra L2F

Deep learning and fluid dynamics Artificial intelligence in aerial Steering machine learning away and satellite imaging from empirical insight

The precise shape of a car, aircraft wing, or The success of Drone Days held at EPFL in L2F, a spin-off from EPFL’s mathematics wind turbine blade is the result of complex August 2018 was evidence. Switzerland is department, has clear goals in machine calculations designed to streamline air a haven for drones, with some 3,000 jobs learning, and more specifically predictive flow. Manufacturers of these structures created within the space of a few years analysis. “We want to make machine then carry out a battery of tests that is at 80 companies, including Picterra. Co- learning models, most of which remain long and costly, especially when each founded in 2016 by an EPFL graduate, Frank empirically driven, stronger and more change requires additional testing. de Morsier (PhD EL’14), who is now its CTO, robust. By using algebraic topology to the young company based at the Innovation reinforce predictive analysis, we can That is how Pierre Baqué (PhD IN’18) Park currently employs six people. improve learning processes and create came up with the idea for his project. more efficient tools that can lead to After completing his PhD, he founded the Its goal is to use artificial intelligence to better decision-making,” say the startup’s startup Neural Concept with two friends. analyse and interpret aerial images. Aiming CTO Martin Nicoletti (Ba PH’15) and Chief His intention was to “use deep learning to to serve both private and professional Scientist Maxime Gabella (PH’07). determine the most aerodynamic shape customers, Picterra can either use satellite of an object. And to do that, we train our images, such as those from the European The technology can be applied to a vast algorithm using several thousand existing Space Agency’s programme, Sentinel, or number of sectors, including finance, shapes and simulations that have already analyse user-sourced photos, typically banking, insurance, logistics and energy been studied.” Not only can the solution taken by drones. The solution uses a set of consumption. Launched in 2017, L2F now run, within fractions of a second, tests dedicated tools called Smart Focus, desi- has about 20 employees, a third of whom that would have taken a whole day in a gned by Frank de Morsier. After learning engage in fundamental research in wind tunnel, but it is also more effective how to recognise objects that it is asked collaboration with EPFL’s mathematics with designs that are 5% to 20% more to identify (buildings, vegetation...), Smart department. The rest of the team works aerodynamic. After testing his algorithm Focus follows them in time and space. very closely with several companies based on the body of an aerodynamic bike, “Similar platforms exist, but Picterra is in Switzerland and beyond. “We don’t Neural Concept works with the automotive the only one that lets users build their invariably provide the same catch-all and aviation industry to validate the own solution and expand on it,” Frank de software,” Martin Nicoletti says. “Instead, industrial applications of his concept. Morsier says. Users create their own shape we develop powerful, specialised products In the meantime, the startup continues detectors and apply them to their photo- that are adapted to each partner’s data, to advance fundamental research with graphs. This knowledge gradually enhances needs and objectives.” This high-end EPFL laboratories. Smart Focus and makes it more efficient.” consulting has attracted attention. In The applications are infinite, spanning September 2017, L2F’s founders won hands areas including agriculture, defence, road down, out of 1,200 participants from some traffic, logistics and land use. After rallying of the world’s largest companies, a pre- an initial group of investors, Picterra plans dictive analysis and modelling competition a second funding round in 2019 to support organised by the Kaggle platform. The self- its growth. financed startup is preparing to raise CHF 5 million from local partners to continue its development.

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SELF-DRIVING CARS BECOMING A REALITY IN TORONTO

In 2017, Uber opened the Advanced Technologies Group, a centre set up to make self-driving cars safer by using machine learning. It is headed by Raquel Urtasun (PhD IN’06), a professor at the University of Toronto. Interview.

How is machine learning used to develop self-driving cars?

Raquel Urtasun - A driverless car must continuously assess a multitude of parameters to detect free space, the types of vehicles surrounding it, their behaviour, and so on. By using only traditional technology, a driverless car cannot react correctly to the changes in its environment. Safety is our pri- mary concern when it comes to self-driving cars. To teach vehicles how to understand and solve a set of problems so that they can travel about free While EPFL works with giants such as of risk, it’s easier to use deep learning. Google, the SDSC focuses on companies that do not work directly in digital businesses. It singles out companies that are being upended by digital technology You joined Uber 18 months ago. and fear missing out on the opportunity. What is the focus of your research? “Ninety percent of the companies we work with operate in the traditional Urtasun - The team is made up of about 15 resear- economy. They definitely realise that chers who focus on three key areas. The first is they need to learn how to manage perception, or how our vehicles “see” their direct and use the data they’ve collected environment and identify signs, obstacles and, of but don’t know how to go about it,” course, other cars. This perception involves analy- Olivier Verscheure says. sing data collected by embedded sensors: cameras, remote sensing systems using radars, GPS, etc. The With its 25 researchers from around second focus of their work pertains to predictive the world, the multidisciplinary team analysis. That refers to anticipating the behaviour at SDSC helps them capitalise on their of pedestrians, animals, lorries, cars or anyone and business expertise and experience anything close to the vehicle. The third area is plan- to successfully navigate their digital ning and control, using this information so that the transition. “Their experience should car can make safe decisions about what to do next. be used to govern a machine learning At the same time, we work on localisation and high- process applied to their business that definition mapping to allow vehicles to determine can optimise their operations,” Olivier their position within their environment. Verscheure says, citing the example of the work achieved with the Swiss food processing group Bühler. The algorithm developed by the SDSC has enabled When will self-driving cars be a norm? the firm’s customers to better detect unwanted items in machines that sort Urtasun - We have made considerable progress rice, coffee or grains. Launched in 2017, in a year and a half. However, we’ll have to wait the learning process involved analysing a few more years before Uber has a real fleet of the large amount of data collected by self-driving cars. It will take even longer before we taking images of millions of grains. see driverless cars everywhere. But the technology The test sample boosted the machine’s will eventually change the way we live in cities by performance by 20%, while reducing reducing traffic jams and making travel easier. the amount of waste by two-thirds. The experiment’s success has promp- ted Bühler to apply the process to its machines worldwide.

IDENTIFYING PEOPLE Although machine learning is in its early stages, concrete and creative applications are already popping up in certain industries. Amazon Go, an experimental supermarket in Seattle, in the United States, has no cashiers but instead video cameras that work with computer vision algorithms to identify the items

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customers are buying. Drawing on deep learning techniques that can identify MACHINE LEARNING DAYS people and products, the system has got rid of employees scanning those good Merely in its third year, it is already a headline old bar codes. In New Mexico, also in event. A success with 500 participants in 2017, the United States, researchers from Los 1,200 in 2018 and most likely twice that in January Alamos National Laboratory use ma- 2019, the Applied Machine Learning Days event – chine learning to predict earthquakes. created by Marcel Salathé, Martin Jaggi and Robert But other uses have raised social and West – shows the ever growing interest of resear- ethical concerns. By 2020, 420 million chers, companies and the general public in machine surveillance cameras built with facial learning. The 2019 programme will feature four days recognition technology will be monito- of talks, tutorials, workshops and networking. And ring streets, train stations and airports a big-name guest speaker is already in the line-up: in China. The authorities make no secret Garry Kasparov, the world chess champion who lost about their aim of creating a vast system to Deep Blue in 1997. to control its people.

January 26 to 29th, SwissTech Convention Gaming is another area where machine Center, EPFL Innovation Park. learning has tremendous potential. “Many issues that society grapples with www.appliedmldays.org can be fed into a computer like a game – for example designing a city or transportation network, creating a healthcare system, responding to a disaster and managing it, and so on. These are situa- tions where artificial intelligence could probably help us by analysing them with a fun approach,” Marcel Salathé says. The researcher suggests that fields such as medical imaging or the interpretation of legal documents are likely to undergo major changes. Imagining what we will be able to do within the next five to 10 years is certainly a dizzying thought. ||

on campus. More and more courses are Communication Sciences (IC), about 20 STUDYING MACHINE opening under the Master’s programme, laboratories directly analyse machine lear- especially in the Data Science section,” ning processes to design better algorithms LEARNING says Martin Jaggi, assistant professor in areas such as computer vision, image and researcher with the Machine Learning recognition, textual and linguistic analysis and Optimization Laboratory at EPFL. With and neural networks. Meanwhile, around 10 Machine learning plays an increasingly the Extension School, EPFL has set off on laboratories apply these tools to their own important role in university programmes as an even bigger educational adventure and fields of research. “In my work on health- students now learn about digital culture in opens its courses to everyone, without any care systems, machine learning helps us the early stages of their academic career. pre-requisite degrees or age limits. Much answer complex questions more quickly,” “Most EPFL sections cover the subject of the educational content now touches on says Marcel Salathé, creator of the EPFL as part of the undergraduate programme. machine learning. Extension School. With 450 students, the courses on deep learning, statistical machine learning and In research, EPFL works in two directions. applied data analysis are the most popular In the Department of Computer and

30 Switzerland – our concern. Alumnist Techno

1. THE PROJECT CAN WORK

Recent tests have demonstrated the viability of the futuristic train, Hyperloop. The project is driving research and paving the way towards new forms of Text: Tiago Pires mobility.

s it possible to cross France by land A number of universities are now also Meanwhile, Virgin Hyperloop One from north to south in less than an pitching in to develop capsules. Given this is currently focusing on developing I hour? That is just what the futuristic hive of activity, should we start to believe and testing propulsion and levitation Hyperloop train aims to do. In 2013, that Hyperloop could become a reality? systems. Mario Paolone, full professor South African-born American business and chair of the Distributed Electrical magnate Elon Musk dreamt up a new INCREASINGLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Systems Laboratory at EPFL, explains mode of transport capable of reaching Founded in 2013, Hyperloop TT is that the space between the capsule speeds up to 1,200 km/h, thus reducing brimming with some 800 experts from carrying passengers and the tracks must travel times between major cities. The NASA, Boeing, Tesla and research first be filled. “Will it be with compressed train would consist of capsules designed institutes from all over the world. From gas cushions, magnetic levitation or just to transport passengers or goods, and this solid basis, the company licensed a pads or wheels?” he asks. “That’s the key would run on cushions of air. technology called InducTrack based on question, along with what propulsion “passive magnetic levitation”. The sys- system they choose. In other words, Musk summed up his designs in a 57- tem works with magnets integrated into will it be based on gas expansion or page white paper, but, busy with his the train pods and tracks to levitate the electromagnetic propulsion?” other ventures, offloaded the project for train. For propulsion, engineers have others to develop. The two companies opted for an electromagnetic system Gabriele Semino, team manager of the that have made the most progress are and on-board rechargeable batteries. German WARR Hyperloop team at the Virgin Hyperloop One and Hyperloop Powered as such, Hyperloop TT trains Technical University of Munich (TUM), Transportation Technologies (TT), both could reach a top speed of 1,223 km/h, says that the latest trials using current operating out of the United States. says the California-based company. technology are leaning towards an

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Hyperloop station. Hyperloop TT’s prototype for the Abu Dhabi station could become reality within the next two years, according to the company.

electromagnetic model. “Elon Musk’s In parallel, Hyperloop TT’s futuristic original Hyperloop design called for train will feature 30-metre long capsules, GET TECHNOLOGIST compressed air levitation,” he says. each holding 28 to 40 passengers. The “But that can be difficult to do in windows would be made by virtual reality vacuum and most importantly only companies to offer travellers interactive provides a very small levitation gap, information or views of the landscape. This special report on Hyperloop which is in most cases not practical for The company said its system could carry appeared in the online magazine longer routes. That’s why most of to- 164,000 passengers a day on a single line. Technologist, which publishes day’s prototypes are moving towards an To test its technologies, Hyperloop TT is articles on research and innova- electromagnetic propulsion system and currently building an initial 320-metre magnetic levitation.” Mario Paolone track in Toulouse, expected to be up and tion in Europe. After four years as believes that a full-scale prototype, running by the end of 2018. At the same a print magazine, Technologist is with all systems operational, could be time, the company will build another 1 now all-digital and available for possible before 2025. km long test system elevated on pylons. free at www.technologist.eu It has also signed a deal with the Chinese SUCCESSFUL TESTING group Tongren Transportation & Tourism In the Nevada desert, Virgin Hyperloop Investment to build a 10 km long track in One has built a long tube to test the Tongren, in China’s Guizhou province. viability, resistance and speed of its revolutionary train. For now, the 8.5-metre To step up the development of functional long pod can reach a speed of 309 km/h. prototypes and encourage student inno- EPFL has been a partner to Technologist “We shouldn’t focus on the speed,” Mario vation, Virgin Hyperloop One has teamed since it began in 2014, alongside the Paolone says. “For the time being, going up with SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space Technical University of Munich (TUM), 1,200 km/h is technologically possible, transportation company. The venture Eindhoven University of Technology but we need to figure out how capsules is sponsoring a series of competitions (TU/e) and Technical University of can accelerate and safely break, especially to drive university research. Since 2017, Denmark (DTU), as well as École in case of contingencies, with passengers these competitions have created a buzz Polytechnique (L’X) in Paris since inside. A human being cannot be thrust that is driving technological progress the spring of 2018. forward, and stopped, in a tube at insane in Hyperloop pods. But is that enough accelerations.” On top of these tests, to end up with a new, fully operational Virgin Hyperloop One is also working mode of transportation any time soon? on specific routes in different countries. That remains to be seen. || One project is studying the feasibility of a link between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and another envisions a connection between Mumbai and Pune, in India.

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2. DOUBTS PERSIST Many questions remain that could challenge the development of the futuristic train Text: Robert Gloy dreamt up by Elon Musk.

hen the American business of tubes elevated on pylons. If the tube transportation system that takes us only magnate Elon Musk first outli- has a diameter of at least 2 metres, the from point A to point B if it’s not integra- W ned the designs for his futuristic total space stripped of air would be ted into existing infrastructure.” Hyperloop train in 2013, criticism rolled about 2 million cubic metres. In com- in within a hyper second. Since then, the parison, NASA’s Space Power Facility Then there is the cost. Elon Musk esti- main shortcomings pointed out have in Ohio, the world’s largest vacuum mated that the route from San Francisco been safety and cost. Despite the promi- chamber, has a volume of 30,000 cubic to Los Angeles would cost $6 billion. But sing results of initial tests, doubts persist metres – 66 times less. a study by the University of Queensland as to the feasibility of the Hyperloop puts the price tag 10 times higher. “The project. Many still wonder about its The atmospheric pressure on the tubes Japanese magnetic levitation train safety and even its very usefulness. under vacuum would be 10 tonnes per SCMaglev already exceeds 600 km/h. It square metre, basically the weight of a was considerably less costly to bring into TOO MUCH THRILL? lorry. With just the slightest crack, outside operation than potentially building the In its final version, Hyperloop is expec- air would enter the tubes at the speed Hyperloop,” Alfred Rufer says. ted to reach a top speed of 1,200 km/h. of sound, and the infrastructure would Today’s travellers are accustomed to implode. “The Hyperloop would be Despite these drawbacks, Alfred Rufer airplane acceleration, but it lasts no vulnerable to terrorist attacks, because and Carlo van de Weijer support the more than a few seconds. “As the acce- it would be difficult to monitor 600 km research generated by the Hyperloop leration time in Musk’s concept would of tubes,” says Alfred Rufer. “You’d have project. “All that buzz will lead to major be significantly longer, the exposure to the same problem in the event of an advances in mobility,” says Carlo van de the G-forces for the passengers would earthquake. The only reasonable solution Weijer. “Even if Hyperloop as a serious be greater,” says Alfred Rufer, professor would be to go in a tunnel, where the means of transport will never happen.” || of electrical and electronic engineering issues of environmental impact, secu- at EPFL. In the 1980s and 1990s Alfred rity and vulnerability would be solved.” Rufer was involved in a similar project Perhaps for that reason, Elon Musk has in Switzerland, Swissmetro, a magnetic announced that the Boring Company, his levitation train that was abandoned own tunnel-digging firm, plans to build in 2009. “If we limit acceleration to 1 a Hyperloop between New York City and metre per second squared, it would take Washington, D.C., underground. a distance of 54 km to reach a speed of 1,200 km/h,” he explains. “Passengers HOW USEFUL WOULD IT REALLY BE? would therefore experience accelera- According to Carlo van de Weijer, head tion lasting more than five minutes – of the Strategic Area Smart Mobility at and that wouldn’t be very comfortable.” the Eindhoven University of Technology (ND), the future of mobility lies in THEN THERE’S THE VACUUM flexible systems. “The success of such The Hyperloop concept uses magnetic companies as easyJet, Flixbus and levitation to thrust capsules or pods Uber can be explained by how easily through a steel tube maintained in they fit into existing transportation a near vacuum. Travelling from Los systems,” he says. Instead of bringing Angeles to San Francisco – the example greater flexibility to everyday transport, used by Musk when he introduced the Hyperloop would require building all- project in 2013 – would require 600 km new infrastructure. “We don’t need a

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“All the buzz created by Hyperloop will lead to major advances in The EPFLoop team at the Hyperloop Pod

Alban Kakulya Competition in July 2018. mobility”

EPFL CLINCHES A PODIUM FINISH IN THE HYPERLOOP COMPETITION By Peggy Frey

Had it not been for a Without a couple of technical problems, could be applied to other projects aiming technical glitch, the the EPFL team could have come in first. to reduce energy use per passenger- EPFLoop capsule could kilometre. Whatever becomes of the have topped the ranking. Paolone On the day of the competition, our Hyperloop, this type of large-scale project Its performance has en- capsule’s propulsion system did not reach drives research across several disciplines couraged the EPFL team full power. Some dust on the rails caused and around the world. to try again in 2019. the pod to skid at the start. That’s why we didn’t go any faster than 85 km/h. During The toughest technological challenge of The EPFLoop project placed third in the the trial runs the day before the competi- Hyperloop is not to reach 1,200 km/h while SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition in July tion, our capsule was pushed to 200 km/h transporting humans or to store enough 2018. Mario Paolone, full professor with the in 300 m at half its power output. On the energy for the capsule to operate on charge. Distributed Electrical Systems Laboratory, big day, we were hoping to hit 470 km/h in No, the hardest part will be to maintain the talks about the event. 1,200 m. In ideal conditions, we would have vacuum in the tubes for several hundred beat the record of 466 km/h set by the kilometres at a reasonable cost. How did EPFL get involved in the Hyperloop WARR team from the Technical University competition? of Munich. At full power, EPFL’s pod could Will you participate in the next SpaceX have crushed the performance of the Dutch Hyperloop pod? Mario Paolone EPFL had already worked team, which took second place at a speed on developing the Swissmetro magnetic of 142 km. We were terribly disappointed. Paolone For the EPFLoop team, being levitation train in the 1980s (see p.34). In among the 18 teams selected for the September 2017, Denis Tudor, an electrical Hyperloop is still in the prototype stage. competition was already an extraordinary engineering student, suggested partici- How does this type of project contribute to adventure. We will repeat the experience pating in the 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod research and innovation? in 2019 with quite a few changes to our Competition to be held in Hawthorne, capsule. But it’s a competition, so our plans California. The school immediately invested Paolone It brings huge potential to make are still top secret. in developing a pod for the high-speed train valuable technological advances in the area project. Since then, some 50 students, of mobility. We don’t yet know if running researchers and professors from different capsules through tubes free of air resis- EPFL departments have worked together on tance will be competitive and more energy designing a capsule. Their prototype was efficient than existing means of transport. then selected for the competition. But the innovations tested for Hyperloop

35 DR opportunity, in additiontothetechnolo are themotivations thatdrovebusiness in FranceandtheUnitedStates. These mended byhealthauthoritiesfor example use continuestoincreaseandis recom and doesnotpresentanyhealth risks.Its inexpensive methodofcontraception, been recognisedasaneffective and ception device).TheIUCDhaslong to insertanIUCD(intrauterinecontra Aspivix iscommonlyusedbydoctors around theworld. medical experienceformillionsofwomen opportunity forinnovationtoimprovethe lesions orbleeding.Thatpresentsan in theinstrument’sdesigncancausepain, procedures everyyear.Theimperfections in morethan65milliongynaecological of Pozziforceps,theinstrumentused cologist, wastellingmeabouttheflaws In 2012,mybrotherDavid,who’sagynae How didtheideafor Aspivix comeabout? of women experience for millions Improving themedical gical innovation. procedures saferandmorecomfortable.JulienFinci,acompany Aspivix developsaninstrumenttomakegynaecological Winner oftheStartupChampionsSeedNightinApril2018, Julien Finci(MT’08) Arnaud Aubelle Text: 2008, tellsusmore. co-founder andmicro-engineeringgraduatefrom - - - - project managerinresearchanddeve Aspivix, Iworkedasanengineerand decided todevotemyselfentirely From 2008to2016,theyearwhenI How was theteam formed? ming theviabilityofourproject. an innovationofthistype,thusconfir sionals, whoexpressedtheirinterestin ving ourfirstgoal, whichistoconduct million. Themoney isgoingintoachie cing inJuly2018, raisingnearlyCHF2 We completedaninitialround offinan What are thenext steps? of thehealthcareindustry. skill setsandanexcellentunderstanding founders withextremelycomplementary brother David,weformateamofco- to taketheplunge.Togetherwithmy tunity representedbyAspivixdroveus a feelforentrepreneurship,theoppor business development.Aswebothhad working inmarketingmanagementand where ImetMathieuHorras,whowas makes andsellsmedicaldevices.That’s lopment atRadiometer,acompanythat survey ofabout100healthcareprofes any infection.In2013,weconducteda single usetoguaranteeprotectionfrom own sterilepackaginganddesignedfor Aspivix isindividuallywrappedinits discomfort experiencedbypatients. a significantfactorcontributingtothe than metal,itavoidsthecoldsensation, pad system.Madeoutofplasticrather trauma tothebodythanksitssuction using itispainlessandcausesno and comfort.UnlikePozziforceps, Aspivix offersunequalledpatientsafety How isAspivix different? Alumnist 36 Startup ------international expansion.|| set forlate2019,andthecompany’s supporting themarketlaunchofAspivix, That fundingwillmainlygotowards financing roundinthesummerof2019. of 2019.Weplantoopenasecond scheduled tobegininthefirstquarter study involvesabout30patientsandis and theclinicalresearchcentre.The Lausanne UniversityHospital(CHUV) Trials willberunincollaborationwith in validatingtheuseofourprototype. a clinicalstudy.That’sanessentialstep Alumnist Startup STARTUP NEWS Gilles Nahon venture/V.Flauraud

STARTUP CHAMPIONS SEED NIGHT SET TO RETURN 2018 VENTURE AWARDS: WINNERS INCLUDE TWO STARTUPS ON APRIL 11TH FOUNDED BY EPFL ALUMNI

For all those innovation and entrepreneurship enthusiasts Every year >>venture>> holds one of Switzerland’s leading out there, the Startup Champions Seed Night is a must-not- startup competitions, and its winners attracts serious atten- miss event. Jointly organised by EPFL Alumni, venturelab tion from both the general public and investors. This year, two and Innogrants, Seed Night brings together nearly 20 start startups founded by EPFL alumni took home awards. EBA-Med ups for a pitch competition before an audience of investors, (photo), co-founded and led by Adriano Garonna (PH’07, PhD mentors and the entire EPFL ecosystem, made up of resear- PH’11), develops a non-invasive device used to treat cardiac chers, students and entrepreneurs. The 2019 edition will be arrhythmias using proton beam therapy. Artiria, co-founded held on April 11th at the Forum at the Rolex Learning Center. by Guillaume Petit-Pierre (PhD MT’17), has developed a micro- Save the date! robotic system that can be used to assist in stroke-related procedures. The device lets surgeons navigate through the patient’s brain arteries faster and safer. All 2018 venture winners received CHF 170,000 in prize money. Venture Lab Venture HES-So/Guillaume Perret Venturelab for Corinne Sporrer

EPFL STARTUPS FEATURING MEDICAL IMAGING FOR ALL AMAL THERAPEUTICS RAISES OVER IN THE TOP 100 CHF 33 MILLION The GlobalDiagnostiX X-ray imaging The annual Swiss Startup Award device is ramping up for mass Founded by Madiha Derouazi (PhD ranking is a benchmark in innovation. production. Launched in 2012 under CH’05), Geneva-based startup AMAL The 2018 edition was no exception to EPFL’s EssentialTech programme (see Therapeutics announced the closing the rule, attracting the attention of report in Alumnist No.8) and initially of its Series B financing round in a number of national news sources designed to withstand the extreme November 2018, raising in total that catapulted EPFL startups weather conditions in southern CHF 33.2 million. AMAL Therapeutics into the spotlight. Bestmile and countries, the system is also gaining aims to develop an effective anti- Lunaphore (see profile of Déborah appeal in industrialised nations. cancer therapy by simulating a Heintze, p.23) have emerged as par- With the research and development patient’s immune system thanks ticularly bright stars, placing second phases complete, Pristem, a startup to a unique self-adjuvanting pro- and third respectively in the ranking. run by EPFL alumnus Bertrand tein-based immunization platform, A number of other EPFL spin-offs Klaiber (EL’94), will handle the capable of producing single thera- are also listed. Among the top 10 are machine’s production and market peutic vaccines for immunotherapy Flyability, with its next-generation launch. In August 2018, Pristem and beyond. The funds will support drones, and Gamaya, which develops announced a funding round to raise clinical trial development of lead a smart farming marketplace. CHF 14 million and unveiled the vaccine and proof-of-concept in second GlobalDiagnostiX prototype colorectal cancer. in late October 2018.

37 Alumnist Visibility

Increase your visibility through Alumnist

Distribution Price list in CHF

Alumnist is sent in winter to 24,000 EPFL graduates, December June + Dec. and in summer to 6,000 EPFL Données June edition edition pack Alumni contributors. The techniques 6,000 ex. 22,000 ex. 28,000 ex. magazine is published in French and English. 1/4 page 88 x 130 mm 1,200 2,000 3,000

1/2 page 180 x 130 mm 2,200 3,600 5,400 Population 1 page 215 × 310 mm 4,000 6,600 9,900 Alumnist is sent to EPFL (+3 mm bleed) graduates, an audience qualified in science and Inside 215 × 310 mm 4,300 7,100 10,700 technology, working in various front cover (+3 mm bleed) industries and in research. Inside 215 × 310 mm 4,200 6,900 10,400 back cover (+3 mm bleed) Place of residence: 75% living in Switzerland, Back cover 215 × 310 mm 4,500 7,400 11,100 25% abroad (+3 mm bleed) Sex: Ad insert (includes insertion 4,000 6,600 9,900 82% men, and potential 18% women extra postal fees) Age: 22% are 29 and under; The magazine for EPFL graduates 30% are 30–39; 21% are 40–49;

Summer 2018 12% are 50–59; No 8 15% are 60 and over

TECH EPFL: the drone Contact capital

EPFL Alumni

Arnaud Aubelle Reinventing trust in the digital era || p.22 [email protected] www.epflalumni.ch Quicker, stronger, more innovative || p.26 T. +41 (0)21 693 20 17

IMPRESSUM

EDIT0R HEAD OF PUBLICATION LAYOUT EPFL Alumni Arnaud Aubelle Aurélien Barrelet Rolex Learning Center for EPFL Alumni Benjamin Maibach Station 20 1015 Lausanne Switzerland PROJECT MANAGEMENT COVER T. +41 (0)21 693 24 91 Peggy Frey Fred Merz [email protected] for LargeNetwork www.epflalumni.ch TRANSLATION WRITERS Technicis, Paris GRAPHIC PRODUCTION Arnaud Aubelle LargeNetwork Anne-Muriel Brouet 6, rue Abraham-Gevray Peggy Frey PRINTER 1201 Genève Robert Gloy Pajo, Estonia Switzerland Jean-Christophe Piot T. +41 (0)22 919 19 19 Tiago Pires [email protected] DISTRIBUTION www.largenetwork.com 18,585 in French 5,575 in English

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