Dr. Emanuela Maggioni: From Academic Research to €4.5M for AI Scent Tech

CEO, Hynt LabsWith host Niclas SchlopsnaSeason 1, episode 1043 min

Key points: Said at the table.

Dr. Emanuela Maggioni
The guest

Dr. Emanuela Maggioni

CEO, Hynt Labs

  • ▲From the lab to €4.5M
Season 1, episode 1043 min with Niclas Schlopsna15 May 2026

Show notes.

The wellness industry is growing rapidly, with unique sensory innovations now leading the way in sleep health.

In this episode, Niclas Schlopsna, Managing Partner at spectup, sits down with Dr. Emanuela Maggioni, CEO of Hynt Labs, to discuss how a sophisticated lab project secured €4.5M in total capital.

Emanuela, an expert with 20 years of experience in olfactory science and neuroscience, shares her journey from researching at Sussex and University College London (UCL) to leading a high-growth deep-tech company.

We explore how Hynt Labs utilises real-time scent interventions to optimise sleep stages by integrating via APIs with established wearables like:

Oura, Samsung Watch, and WHOOP.

What You Will Learn?

  • The €4.5M Funding Strategy: How Hynt Labs combined €3.5M in equity and €1 M (£1M) in research grants.
  • The Pivot to Sleep Tech: Why moving from general sensory widgets to targeted sleep intervention was the key to commercial success.
  • Davos & Global Marketing: How demonstrating technology at the World Economic Forum acted as a massive growth multiplier.
  • Lab to Boardroom: Overcoming the academic mindset to embrace B2B licensing and business clarity.

-Deep Tech Landscape: Navigating the differences between European and US investment risks

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