Hilo Core named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026

Hilo, a Neuchâtel-based health tech company and CSEM spin-off, has been named to TIME’s 2026 Best Inventions list for Hilo Core, one of the first continuous blood pressure monitors designed for home use.

Hilo, the company formerly known as Aktiia, has seen Hilo Core included in TIME’s 2026 Best Inventions. The annual list, which includes 300 inventions and 100 special mentions this year, is compiled from nominations by TIME editors and correspondents worldwide and from an online application process. Entries are judged on originality, efficacy, ambition and impact. Hilo is one of three products with Swiss roots on the 2026 list.

Stefan Petzinger, CEO of Hilo, says that being recognized among TIME’s Best Inventions is “an incredible honor and a powerful affirmation of our mission.”

Tracking blood pressure beyond the occasional cuff reading

About half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, according to the CDC. It raises the risk of stroke and heart attack and often causes no symptoms. Hilo Core addresses this with two parts: a slim wristband whose optical (PPG) sensor tracks blood pressure throughout the day and night, taking around 30 to 35 readings a day, and an FDA-cleared connected cuff that periodically calibrates the wristband’s readings. The system also tracks sleep and physical activity, and the companion app shows which behaviors may be affecting blood pressure.

Hilo says its technology has been validated in eight clinical studies and that a related version is used by more than 200,000 people worldwide. The product is marketed as a wellness product rather than a replacement for diagnosis or clinically directed treatment, and the company plans to develop a regulated medical platform in the future.

From CSEM spin-off to the U.S. market

Founded in 2018 in Neuchâtel as a spin-off of CSEM, Aktiia renamed itself Hilo in 2025, when it closed a USD 42 million Series B round led by Earlybird Health and Wellington Partners. Hilo Core launched in the United States on July 22, 2026, through hilo.com and Amazon, at USD 89.99 for the hardware plus a USD 149.99 annual subscription. The launch came with a USD 19 million extension of the Series B led by Dell Family Office, bringing total funding to more than USD 119 million.

Watch our Getting Serious episode with CSEM CEO Dr. Alexandre Pauchard, who examines the foundations of Switzerland’s innovation leadership and the risks linked to scale-up financing.