Cellectric Biosciences

The Vienna-based deep-tech startup Cellectric Biosciences is revolutionizing the life sciences with a technology that harnesses electrical fields to precisely analyze and influence cells. What sounds like science fiction has the potential to fundamentally transform diagnostics and therapy.

Founded in 2021 by Klemens Wassermann and Terje “T.J.” Wimberger, who met during their research at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, the company’s origins lie in their work on sepsis diagnostics. This research led to a groundbreaking insight: every cell has a unique electrical profile – the so-called “electrome.” Once this “electrical fingerprint” is understood and controlled, entirely new perspectives for medicine emerge.

“You can think of life as an orchestra,” explains Wassermann. “Genetics and proteins are the musicians – but the true conductor is the electrical signal. Whoever controls the conductor can change the entire symphony.”

This is precisely where Cellectric Biosciences comes in. The team has developed a patented laboratory technology that allows electromagnetic fields to be controlled with such precision that they can influence cells without destroying them. This enables cells to be analyzed, opened, or activated – forming the basis for new diagnostic methods, biotechnological processes, and personalized therapies.

Today, the company works with an international team of more than 20 experts from 14 countries to advance its technology. Its goal is to create an “electrical cell lexicon” – a database describing how different cell types respond to electromagnetic signals. This knowledge could one day underpin digital, automated, and faster biomedical applications.

From Vienna to the World

From the very beginning, Cellectric Biosciences has benefited from strong financial and structural support: funding from Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws), the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), European programs, and investments from the Vienna-based venture capital fund xista science ventures provided the foundation for growth and development in Vienna.

Proximity to academic partners and research institutions, such as the Vienna BioCenter and the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Wien), has been equally crucial. Collaborations with other life science companies in the region allow the team to bridge theory and application seamlessly.

In the coming years, Cellectric Biosciences plans to focus on clinical applications, particularly rapid infection diagnostics and the further development of its technology for use in personalized medicine.

The startup has ambitious plans: to enter the international market in infection diagnostics and scale its technology for personalized medical applications.

 

Note: Sadly, Klemens Wassermann passed away unexpectedly in September 2025 – but his vision lives on. With Cellectric Biosciences, he leaves behind a legacy that – we hope – will continue to resonate in Vienna and across the global biotech community.