Martin Vetterli is Venture Partner at b2venture. He supports the team in evaluating and advancing scientifically demanding deep-tech investments, bringing decades of experience across research, technology, institution building, and entrepreneurship.

Martin is President emeritus of EPFL, one of Europe’s leading technical universities, where he served as President from 2017 to 2024. Before that, he was President of the Swiss National Science Foundation from 2013 to 2016 and held professorships at EPFL, Columbia University, and the University of California, Berkeley.

One of the leading researchers in digital signal processing, Martin’s work has shaped the field. His contributions have been recognised with numerous honours, including the IEEE Jack S. Kilby Signal Processing Medal and election as an International Member of the US National Academy of Engineering.

Alongside his academic career, Martin has long supported the next generation of researchers and entrepreneurs. As an angel investor, he has backed around two dozen former PhD students and postdocs who went on to found companies.

“Investing was a way to show that I genuinely believed in them,” Martin says. “In that sense, writing a cheque was another strong signature – alongside signing their thesis.”

Martin is particularly interested in the point where AI meets the physical world: robotics, advanced manufacturing, and high-precision engineering. He sees a distinctive opportunity for Europe to build on its industrial depth, research excellence, and sophisticated supplier networks.

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At b2venture, Martin looks forward to working with founders and contributing to the connection between frontier research and entrepreneurship across Europe’s deep-tech ecosystem.

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