ONWARD Medical: From Swiss Research to Life-Changing Therapies

Celebrating 15 years of the Top100 Swiss Startup Award, we spotlight the pioneers who shaped their industries. Among them is ONWARD Medical, ranked in the Top100 Swiss Startups for five years, an early recipient of Venture Kick funding, and a participant in the Venture Leaders Technology program in Silicon Valley. Born as an EPFL spin-off, ONWARD has become a global leader in spinal cord injury therapies, with 10 FDA Breakthrough Device Designations, nearly 400 issued or pending patents, and the first system approved for non-invasive spinal cord stimulation. In the interview, Co-Founders Jocelyne Bloch and Grégoire Courtine share how ONWARD is turning scientific discovery into real-world recovery.

As Top100 celebrates its 15th anniversary, ONWARD Medical shows how a university spin-off can evolve into a publicly listed medtech force, delivering therapies that restore mobility and independence for spinal cord injury patients. Its ARC-EX System improves hand sensation and strength for chronic cervical injuries. In late October, the company raised EUR 50.85 million through the largest capital raise in European-listed medtech in?2025 to expand its therapies and accelerate global impact.

"Each time we implant a new spinal cord stimulation system
in a person, is a defining moment—one that
carries the full weight of our hopes."

Was there a patient story or defining moment that set ONWARD in motion?
All it takes is a fraction of a second for a person to sustain a spinal cord injury. Every story is unique, but they all share profound and lasting consequences that inevitably reshape lives. This reality has been the driving force behind our research. Reversing paralysis remains one of the greatest medical challenges. We are determined to challenge long-standing assumptions and deliver concrete solutions designed to meet the individual needs of people with spinal cord injury. That is the constant commitment behind our work — and it’s also why restoring movement, function, and independence after spinal cord injury has been ONWARD’s raison d’être since its inception.

Co-Founders Jocelyne Bloch and Grégoire Courtine with a patient

How has ONWARD Medical evolved as the team has grown? 
ONWARD Medical is now about 130 people. We’ve scaled carefully, building a team that can support both the development and delivery of our therapies. Our first technology platform, ARC-EX — the first and only FDA-cleared system to improve hand strength and sensation in people with spinal cord injury — is now available in over 50 US clinics, and it recently received CE mark.

What strategies have helped ONWARD secure financing and reach patients effectively?
From early Venture Kick support to participation in Venture Leaders Technology in Silicon Valley, we’ve focused on building credibility through strong science, regulatory approvals, and demonstrable clinical results. These milestones have helped us attract investors and expand access to patients globally.

What was your first prototype or test like?
Our first prototype was revolutionary. It enabled programmed electrical stimulation of the spinal cord through precisely positioned electrodes, restoring voluntary and adaptive control of locomotion for the first time. We paired it with a special robot that provided support without interfering—so the mice had to figure out how to walk again on their own. And they did. Watching it happen took our breath away. That breakthrough was the beginning of the therapies now being developed for people.

"Commercial availability
demands enormous patience
and perseverance."
 

How did the research progress from the lab to actual patient care? 
Each time we implant and test a new spinal cord stimulation system in a person is a defining moment—one that carries the full weight of our hopes, imagination, and responsibility. These are unforgettable milestones when years of research and the dedication of medical teams come together to change a single life. We all hold vivid memories of each of these moments.

ONWARD Medical IPO on Euronext in 2021

What was the toughest step in proving safety and efficacy?
We aim to address the daily challenges faced by people living with paralysis, where every moment counts. Yet, moving from proof of concept to commercial availability can be a long and sometimes frustrating journey. After a therapy shows promise in a small group, the full development and regulatory process must be completed before it can reach patients at scale. These steps are essential, but they demand enormous patience and perseverance from the research and medical teams driving the therapy forward.

How has ONWARD changed the way people think about spinal cord injury recovery?
The effects of spinal cord injury not only include paralysis and loss of sensation, but also serious secondary complications, such as loss of autonomic functions—the essential bodily functions we take for granted each day. Many individuals require daily assistance with the simplest of activities and this significantly diminishes their quality of life. 

ONWARD exists to change that reality by pioneering spinal cord stimulation therapies. In 2025, it is the first company to deliver an FDA-cleared technology specifically developed to help improve hand strength and sensation in people with spinal cord injury, called the ARC-IM® System. The company is also about to the first global pivotal study to assess the safety and efficacy of its implantable spinal stimulation system, called ARC-IM®, to address blood pressure instability which is a major unmet need after spinal cord injury.

The ARC-IM® System

"Our therapy helped our first patient
regain functions and movement."

What breakthroughs do you expect in the coming years?
Restoring thought-driven movement is now within reach. Advances in brain-computer interfaces and artificial intelligence enable the decoding of brain signals and translate them into movement through precise spatiotemporal stimulation of the spinal cord, in real time. This technology mimics the way the brain and spine communicated before the injury. These breakthroughs make the brain-spine interface a reality and they will redefine the way humanity thinks about paralysis.

What patient story has most influenced ONWARD’s journey?
We have met countless people living with spinal cord injury who have waited years for a solution in response to their individual needs. Every story matters, but David, the first patient to receive our implantable system, has one that holds a special place in our journey. Years after his injury, our therapy helped him regain functions and movement. The first time we turned the stimulation on remains unforgettable for everyone who was present.