Zander Labs

About Zander Labs

Zander Labs is a German-Dutch deep-tech company developing non-invasive, passive brain-computer interfaces (pBCI) and neuroadaptive technology. The company was founded in 2016 by Professor Dr. Thorsten O. Zander, the inventor of the passive BCI concept, along with Dr. Laurens R. Krol and Jonathan Zwaan. Professor Zander, the Chief Science Officer, is a Lichtenberg Professor for Neuroadaptive Human-Computer Interaction. Dr. Krol serves as the Research Director, contributing foundational research in neuroadaptive technologies, while Jonathan Zwaan acts as CEO, bringing over 20 years of experience in scaling technology companies. Zander Labs focuses on creating technology that allows machines to understand and adapt to human mental states—such as workload, focus, and intent—in real-time. Unlike invasive methods, the company's approach uses wearable, high-quality EEG sensors to non-invasively monitor brain activity. The core of its technology is the SAMANAI® platform, which processes neural data locally to ensure privacy and uses universal classifiers that require no individual calibration to interpret cognitive states. This allows for the development of human-compatible AI that can learn from and respond to users implicitly. In December 2023, Zander Labs secured a significant contract worth €30 million from Germany's Agency for Innovation in Cybersecurity (Cyberagentur). This funding, the largest single-financed research project of its kind in the EU, supports the "Neuroadaptivity for Autonomous Systems" (NAFAS) project. Over four years, the project aims to produce neurotechnological prototypes with applications in internal and external security. The company is targeting its technology for sectors such as defense, mobility, robotics, and healthcare, as well as for complex professions like air traffic control and medicine. Zander Labs collaborates with research institutions like Fraunhofer Institutes and TNO and is expanding its partnerships into the U.S. market to accelerate commercialization.