We are MaxWell Biosystems

Urs Frey is the CEO and a founding member of MaxWell Biosystems. He drives the company strategy, leads growth, and empowers cross-functional teams to foster innovation, excellence, and a thriving workplace. Urs earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering at ETH Zurich, where he innovated the “switch-matrix” architecture that is now widely adopted in microelectrode array technology. He continued his career at IBM Research as a postdoctoral researcher, focusing on mixed-signal circuit design. Later, he led an independent laboratory at RIKEN in Japan, advancing CMOS-based bioelectronics and biosensors. To complement his technical and entrepreneurial background, Urs completed a Diploma of Advanced Studies, Leadership Development Program at the University of St. Gallen.

Jan Müller is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and a founding member of MaxWell Biosystems. Jan leads the software and hardware development teams and is responsible for executing the company’s technology strategy, overseeing product engineering and technical HW/SW support. As the inventor of MaxWell Biosystems’ core 26,400-electrode HD-MEA chip, Jan brings deep expertise in microelectrode array technology. Jan earned his PhD from ETH Zurich (D-BSSE) and has an interdisciplinary background spanning computer science, electrical engineering, systems biology, and computational neuroscience.

Marie Obien is the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and a founding member of MaxWell Biosystems. Marie leads the company’s global commercial strategy, sales, business development, marketing, product management, channel partnerships, and customer success. A specialist in electrophysiology, Marie brings strong expertise in microelectrode arrays and complementary techniques, including the gold-standard patch-clamp method. She is the lead author of the most frequently cited review on MEA technology and has played a key role in shaping its adoption in neuroscience and drug discovery. Marie earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan, and received neuroscience training as a postdoctoral researcher at RIKEN. She also completed the Global Innovation Program in Silicon Valley, focusing on business development and entrepreneurial leadership.

Marcel Suter is the Vice President of Operations at MaxWell Biosystems. He leads the company’s supply chain management, production, logistics, procurement, and quality assurance, ensuring smooth and scalable operations to support global customer demand. Marcel also oversees facility management, inventory, repairs, and company-wide safety and compliance. Marcel joined MaxWell Biosystems in 2020. Prior to that, he served as Project Manager and later as VP Operations at Optotune, where he was part of the management team responsible for cost-efficient manufacturing of liquid lens products. He brings deep expertise in process optimization, production ramp-up, and delivering high-quality products on time. Marcel holds a Master’s in Micro- and Nanotechnology from the University of Neuchâtel and a PhD in Micro- and Nanosystems from ETH Zurich. He further specialized in MEMS fabrication during his master's thesis at UC Berkeley.

Kim Schwendener is the Head of HR and Finance at MaxWell Biosystems. She leads all human resources and finance operations, including financial reporting, accounting, controlling, and office management. Kim also oversees IT administration and plays an active role in fostering a motivating and supportive work environment. Kim joined MaxWell Biosystems in 2022, bringing over 17 years of experience in finance, accounting, and HR. She has extensive expertise in auditing, budgeting, management reporting, and organizational processes, combined with a strong understanding of employee development and international mobility. Kim holds a Bachelor of Science in Primary Education from the Berne University of Teacher Education and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Strategic Finance from HWZ Zurich.