AURIMOD GMBH

Their core work

AuriMod GmbH is a Vienna-based medical device SME developing wearable bioelectronic devices that use auricular vagus nerve stimulation to treat chronic pain — replacing pills with targeted electrical signals delivered through the ear. Their core technology sits at the intersection of neurostimulation hardware, personalised therapy algorithms, and big data analytics, allowing treatment parameters to be tuned to individual patient profiles. They successfully progressed through both phases of the EU SME Instrument, moving from a feasibility study on bio-electronic anti-inflammatory treatment in 2018 to a full multi-year development project for a commercialisable neurostimulator by 2019. Their work addresses the chronic pain epidemic with a drug-free, wearable alternative — a significant gap in the current medical device market.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their earliest project (2018, Phase 1 SME Instrument), AuriMod's framing was broader — bio-electronic treatment of peripheral inflammation — suggesting they were still validating the core concept and commercial positioning. By 2019, their Phase 2 project shows a sharp focus: vagus nerve stimulation, chronic pain as the specific indication, personalised therapy, and big data as a differentiating layer. The shift is from proof-of-concept ("can bio-electronics replace anti-inflammatory drugs?") to product development ("build a wearable neurostimulator with personalised data-driven protocols for chronic pain patients"). This is a textbook SME Instrument progression where Phase 1 validation crystallised the product roadmap.

AuriMod is on a commercialisation trajectory — having completed a large Phase 2 development project through 2022, they are likely in or approaching clinical validation and regulatory (CE marking) preparation for their wearable neurostimulator.

How they like to work

AuriMod operates as a solo innovator: both H2020 projects were coordinated by them alone, with no recorded consortium partners. This is consistent with the SME Instrument funding model, which is designed for single companies with a proprietary technology to develop. Working with AuriMod likely means engaging them as a technology provider or spin-in partner rather than as a consortium co-developer — they own and drive their IP independently. Potential collaborators should expect a small, focused team with deep domain expertise but limited experience in multi-partner project management.

AuriMod has no recorded consortium partners across their two H2020 projects, reflecting the solo-company structure of the SME Instrument. Their collaboration footprint is currently limited to Austria, with no documented cross-border research partnerships.

What sets them apart

AuriMod occupies a specific niche that few European SMEs address directly: auricular (ear-based) vagus nerve stimulation as a drug-free alternative for chronic pain — a condition affecting roughly 20% of European adults with few non-pharmaceutical options. Unlike academic research groups developing similar technology, AuriMod is a commercial entity that has secured over EUR 2.2M in competitive EU funding specifically to build a market-ready device. Their combination of neurostimulation hardware, personalised therapy logic, and big data analytics positions them as a vertically integrated medical device developer rather than a components supplier or research spinout still seeking direction.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AuriMod (Phase 2)
  With EUR 2.2M in EC funding and a 2019–2022 timeline, this is the company's core development project — one of the largest SME Instrument Phase 2 awards in the neurostimulation space, covering full product development for a wearable vagus nerve stimulator with big-data personalisation.
• AuriMod (Phase 1)
  The EUR 50,000 feasibility study that framed the bio-electronic anti-inflammatory concept and secured the strategic pivot to vagus nerve stimulation, demonstrating a successful SME Instrument Phase 1 → Phase 2 progression.