MULTIWAVE TECHNOLOGIES AG

Their core work

Multiwave Technologies is a Swiss SME specializing in metamaterial-based devices for MRI and acoustic applications. They design and manufacture metamaterial components — such as antenna arrays, dielectric pads, and acoustic noise-cancellation systems — that improve the performance of medical imaging equipment, particularly ultra-high field MRI scanners. More recently, they have expanded into vibration energy harvesting using metamaterial structures and contribute mathematical modelling expertise to wave propagation problems across engineering domains.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2017–2020), Multiwave focused on applying metamaterials directly to MRI hardware — dielectric shimming pads, antenna arrays, and RF coil design — alongside exploratory work in bio-inspired wave dynamics and microfluidic NMR. From 2020 onward, their metamaterials expertise broadened significantly: they moved into vibration energy harvesting (MetaVEH), acoustic noise cancellation (SILENCE), and advanced mathematical wave theory (EffectFact), while maintaining their MRI metamaterials core. The trajectory shows a company generalizing its metamaterial platform from a single application domain (MRI) into energy, acoustics, and structural engineering.

Multiwave is evolving from an MRI-focused metamaterials company toward a general metamaterials platform, with energy harvesting and acoustic engineering as growth directions for future collaborations.

How they like to work

Multiwave operates as both a project coordinator (3 of 8 projects) and a specialist partner (5 of 8), showing comfort in both leadership and contributor roles. Their coordinated projects tend to be smaller, focused SME-driven efforts (MRI PADS, M-ONE, SILENCE), while they join larger RIA consortia as a technology contributor bringing metamaterial and RF expertise. With 55 unique partners across 20 countries, they maintain a broad and diverse network rather than relying on a small circle of repeat collaborators.

Multiwave has built a wide collaborative network of 55 unique partners spanning 20 countries, indicating strong pan-European reach for a small Swiss SME. Their partnerships span academic institutions (MSCA-RISE mobility projects) and industrial consortia alike, with no obvious geographic concentration beyond Western Europe.

What sets them apart

Multiwave occupies a rare niche: a commercial SME with deep expertise in metamaterial design and fabrication, bridging the gap between academic metamaterial research and real-world product development. Unlike university groups that publish theory, Multiwave translates metamaterial concepts into engineered components — MRI coils, acoustic panels, energy harvesters — making them a valuable commercialization partner. Their Swiss base and SME status also make them an attractive consortium member for projects needing industrial validation of metamaterial technologies.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BLOC
  Largest single funding (EUR 901k) — combines RF engineering with microfluidics for benchtop NMR on organs-on-a-chip, showing Multiwave's reach beyond metamaterials into bioanalytical instrumentation.
• MetaVEH
  Second-largest funding (EUR 769k) and a strategic pivot — applies their metamaterial expertise to vibration energy harvesting, opening a new market beyond medical imaging.
• SILENCE
  Self-coordinated project applying acoustic metamaterials to solve a practical MRI problem (scanner noise), demonstrating their ability to identify and lead niche innovation.