Confronting an idea with the market as early as possible can save months — or even years — of development. This key message was at the heart of the Business Ideas event held last spring in Sion, which welcomed Sébastien Walpen, CEO and Co-Founder of CEIDOS, as a guest speaker.
Organised as part of the Business Ideas event series powered by Innosuisse, the session brought together entrepreneurs, researchers and innovation stakeholders from the Valais life sciences ecosystem to discuss early-stage entrepreneurship, market validation and technology development.
From early support to industrial validation in cell therapy manufacturing
Founded in 2019 and based in Sion, CEIDOS develops solutions for real-time quality control in advanced cell therapy manufacturing — a rapidly growing field where process reliability and consistency are critical to patient access.
During the event, Sébastien Walpen shared CEIDOS’ journey from its first entrepreneurial steps to its current development stage. The company received early support from Venture Kick in 2020, followed by a Eurostars grant of EUR 1.14 million in 2022, awarded to an international consortium. Today, CEIDOS counts a team of six and has three prototypes running at customer sites, reflecting a strong focus on real-world industrial validation.
CEIDOS develops C-Netics, a real-time monitoring solution designed to ensure quality control in advanced cell therapy manufacturing. By addressing critical process challenges directly on the production line, CEIDOS contributes to making life-saving therapies more robust and accessible.
➡️ Discover C-Netics, cell culture monitoring by CEIDOS in video
Market confrontation as a driver for innovation
A central theme of the discussion was the importance of confronting a solution with the market as early as possible. Feedback from industrial partners, regulatory constraints and end-user needs were highlighted as essential elements to guide technical choices and prioritise development efforts — particularly in highly regulated environments such as cell and gene therapy.
This pragmatic, market-oriented approach resonated strongly with the audience of researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs attending the session.
An experienced founder with a strong biomedical background
Sébastien Walpen brings a strong background in biomedical engineering and R&D, built through previous roles at GE Healthcare and Hôpital du Valais. His career has been dedicated to advancing healthcare technologies through multidisciplinary collaboration and user-centred innovation.
He holds a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Bern and a Bachelor’s degree in Microtechnology from Berner Fachhochschule, combining engineering precision with applied medical expertise.
A collective effort within the Valais innovation ecosystem
The Business Ideas event also highlighted the strength of the Valais startup support ecosystem. The organisers warmly thanked Campus Energypolis, Fondation The Ark, and representatives from HES-SO Valais-Wallis.
CimArk was represented, underlining the close collaboration between academic institutions, innovation partners and emerging life sciences companies in the region.
Business Ideas returns on 20 March 2026 in Sion
Missed the spring edition? The Business Ideas event series will return on 20 March 2026 at Campus Energypolis in Sion.
Designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, researchers and early-stage project leaders, the series provides practical insights into transforming ideas into viable businesses, with a strong emphasis on market reality and entrepreneurial experience.
