Pioneers of Innovation: A Diamond Against Uncertainty

July 23, 2026

Today, it often takes three to six months for cancer patients to find out whether a treatment is actually working. That’s a long period of uncertainty—and valuable time that can be lost in the fight against the disease. Robin Allert is working to drastically shorten this waiting period—to just a few days.

Was there a personal experience that particularly shaped you on this journey?

Robin Allert: Yes, my own story. My mother passed away from cancer eleven years ago. That’s why I was immediately moved by the idea when my current co-founders, Nick and Karl, approached me. They had developed a technology that uses a blood sample to detect much earlier whether a cancer treatment is working. I knew from personal experience what it means when a treatment doesn’t work and valuable time is lost. That was ultimately the reason why I left my first startup and founded QTAS.

Can you explain the technology behind QTAS in simple terms?

Robin Allert: Basically, we’ve developed a new type of microscopy. While conventional microscopes use light, we measure magnetic signals. Put simply, we’ve developed the world’s smallest MRI—not for humans, but for individual cancer cells in a blood sample.
At the heart of it all is a diamond. Many people imagine a tiny crystal, but in fact we’re now working with increasingly larger diamonds. One of our most important technical challenges is to increase throughput. In the long term, we even want to move toward centimeter-sized diamonds.
With this technology, we can detect extremely rare tumor cells that are released from the tumor into the bloodstream. The major advantage: Instead of waiting three to six months to see if a tumor is shrinking on images, we can determine whether a treatment is working after just about a week. So we’re not monitoring the tumor’s size, but rather its activity, thereby gaining valuable time for treatment.

Was there a moment when you realized that your research could actually help people?

Robin Allert: There wasn’t a single defining moment. For me, it was clear from the very beginning that research shouldn’t end in the lab. Quantum sensing in particular fascinated me because, while it’s based on cutting-edge quantum technology, it also enables very concrete applications.
That’s why I’ve always been driven to put scientific findings into practice. Startups offer a great opportunity for this: they make it possible to further develop ideas from research and actually bring them to the people who can benefit from them. That’s exactly what motivated me to start my own company and turn the technology from my doctoral thesis into a real-world application.

In your view, what distinguishes the founders of your generation from those of earlier generations?

Robin Allert: The startup scene has changed significantly, especially in the deep-tech sector. While many companies in the past tended to grow profitably and incrementally, today far more startups rely on venture capital to scale faster and bring their technologies to market more quickly.
I consider this a positive development. Technologies such as quantum technology, fusion, and medical technology are extremely capital- and development-intensive. It’s often difficult for traditional small and medium-sized businesses to finance such innovations on their own until they’re ready for the market, while large corporations are frequently too slow. More venture capital therefore also means more opportunities for bold startups and, consequently, more innovations that make the leap from the lab to real-world application.

Bavaria—and Munich in particular—are now considered a hotspot for deep-tech startups. What do you think could still be improved?

Robin Allert: For me, Munich and Bavaria are already a true role model, not only in Germany but also internationally. A lot comes together here: strong universities that actively promote spin-offs, established companies that collaborate with startups, and investors who provide capital for new technologies. This synergy creates an exceptionally strong innovation ecosystem.
If I could make a wish, it would be for even more international vision, especially with regard to the U.S. That’s where the largest growth markets for deep-tech companies often emerge. Stronger transatlantic cooperation could help support startups even better during the crucial scale-up phase and enable sustainable growth.

Do you tend to approach projects with a long-term vision, or do you often make decisions based on gut instinct?

Robin Allert: I’m more of a strategic thinker. That’s probably where the physicist in me comes through, because I think very analytically. For me, it’s important to have a clear idea from the very beginning of where the journey is headed and what steps are needed to get there. This is especially crucial for a startup, because you’re often working toward a goal for ten or fifteen years.
The environment also plays a major role. Without Munich’s startup ecosystem, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Many of our advisors and mentors have founded deep-tech companies themselves and shared their experiences with us. This direct exchange is incredibly valuable because you can always draw on their expertise and honest feedback.

Research often involves setbacks. What keeps you going when nothing works in the lab?

Robin Allert: To be honest, that’s actually the norm. Especially in experimental physics, you spend a large part of your time troubleshooting, improving systems, and finding new solutions. It’s the exception when something works right away. That’s why, in research, you quickly learn to deal with frustration and to keep at it.
That time had a profound impact on me. It gave me a certain resilience and the ability to solve problems step by step. Eventually, you even start to enjoy figuring out why something isn’t working, because you learn something new every time.

What advice would you give to young researchers who are torn between academia and starting a company?

Robin Allert: I’d advise them to just give it a try. In my view, you have nothing to lose by starting a company. Even if a startup isn’t successful in the end, you gain experience that goes far beyond research—for example, in areas like team building, leadership, negotiation, or business development.
These skills are in demand everywhere later on, whether in academia, industry, or another company. That’s why I don’t see starting a business as a major risk, but rather as a unique learning opportunity. And if it works out, all the better. If not, you’ve still gained an incredible amount. Either way, it’s great.

What personally drives you to keep breaking new ground and taking entrepreneurial risks?

Robin Allert: For me, starting a business is less a matter of risk-taking and more a matter of passion and the desire to solve real problems. I realized early on that traditional corporate structures weren’t a good fit for me. I’m motivated by taking on responsibility, shaping things myself, and working on issues that have a tangible benefit for people.
Ownership plays a major role in this. I don’t want to do research just for the sake of research. If a scientific question isn’t backed by a relevant problem that can be solved—and, ideally, also makes a positive contribution to society—it wouldn’t fulfill me in the long run.
That’s why I’m most excited by the opportunity to build something of my own with a startup. A startup is like your own baby: You’re there from the very first idea, shape its culture, set the direction, and work every day toward a mission you fully believe in. It’s exactly this combination of responsibility, creative freedom, and the drive to create something meaningful that motivates me.

You’ve already founded your second startup. What did you learn from your first startup that you’d share with other founders today?

Robin Allert: Above all, that nothing can replace experience. I always say: I made my first million mistakes in my first startup, and I’ll probably make the next billion in my second. Looking back, that first startup played a huge role in making many things work much better and faster with the second one.
One of the most important lessons was not to launch too early. Especially for deep-tech startups, there are excellent funding opportunities in Germany during the pre-launch phase. We were able to secure substantial funding even before the actual spin-off, which allowed us to advance our technology, IP transfer, initial proof-of-concepts, and team building without immediately facing pressure from investors.
This enabled us to demonstrate real progress over a longer period of time. Among other things, we won a Medical Valley Award and were already very far along technologically before we were even officially founded. In fact, we had already had concrete discussions with venture capitalists and had a term sheet on the table before the spin-off was finalized.
That was precisely a major advantage: We didn’t have to constantly raise new capital from day one, but could focus on development first. In my view, Germany and Bavaria are really well-positioned in this area. Those who take advantage of these opportunities and build a solid foundation create the best conditions for sustainable and rapid growth later on.

You think long-term and in big visions. When you look back in five years, what would be your greatest success?

Robin Allert: If we’ve saved even one person’s life, that would be the greatest success of all for me. With our technology, we have the chance to tackle a problem that almost everyone is familiar with. There’s hardly anyone who hasn’t had a family member, friend, or other loved one affected by cancer.
That’s exactly what drives me. Of course, growth, funding, and technological milestones are important. But in the end, it’s all about helping patients. If our technology helps ensure that a treatment is adjusted in time—and as a result, even just one person lives longer or is cured—then all the work will have been worth it. That’s why we do this.

Your work combines quantum technology, medicine, and building a company. What do outsiders most underestimate about your day-to-day life as a founder?

Robin Allert: Many people first think of the technology, the research, or the regulatory challenges. In reality, however, another aspect takes up at least as much time and effort: building a team and a company culture.
As a founder, you’re not just developing a product—you’re building an organization that’s meant to grow and succeed in the long term. That’s why it’s crucial to define early on what the company stands for, what values it upholds, and how people work together. This applies not only to processes but, above all, to the way you, as a founder, exemplify these values every day.
In my view, this is often underestimated. Good technology alone isn’t enough. Ultimately, it’s the people behind the technology who determine whether a company will be successful in the long run.

Where do you find balance in your day-to-day life as a founder?

Robin Allert: I prefer to be outdoors in nature, together with my dog. Walks in the woods are the perfect balance for me to the often intense daily routine of a founder, and at the same time a real source of inspiration.
Sometimes I do miss my time in the lab, because research is, of course, a lot of fun. But as a CEO, you spend most of the day on other tasks. That makes the moments outdoors all the more important to me—moments when I can clear my head and recharge my batteries.

The interview was conducted by Dr. Tanja Jovanovic, Head of Marketing & Innovation, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg.