LAUSANNE, Switzerland, July 6, 2026 – Neural Concept has appointed Brett Chouinard as chairman of the board of directors, Pietro Cervellera as chief revenue officer and Alex Read as senior vice president of vertical solutions as the company expands its AI work for physical product development.
The leadership changes follow Neural Concept’s $100 million Series C round led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives. The company has expanded across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific and opened its first Asia-Pacific office in Seoul.
“AI is becoming a foundational layer in how physical products are designed, engineered and brought to market,” said Dr. Pierre Baqué, CEO and founder of Neural Concept. “Brett is one of the sharpest minds to have shaped the previous era of engineering software, and his decision to join us as Chairman reflects the conviction we share about what comes next. Pietro and Alex bring a new depth of experience, creativity and market insight to our leadership team. Together, they are exactly the people we need to help us forge that next era.”
Chouinard joins Neural Concept’s board after nearly 30 years at Altair. His roles at Altair included chief operating officer and president, chief technology officer, and chief product and strategy officer.
“Neural Concept is at the forefront of a major shift in engineering, where AI is becoming a strategic driver of speed, productivity and competitive advantage in physical product development,” said Chouinard. “I’m joining the board to help accelerate what I’m convinced will be a defining platform for this industry.”
Cervellera will lead Neural Concept’s global revenue strategy and go-to-market work across industries, strategic accounts and regions. Cervellera has more than two decades of leadership experience in engineering, simulation and enterprise software, including senior roles at Altair and Siemens Digital Industries Software.
“I am convinced that the engineering world is at the dawn of a profound transformation. In the next five years AI will completely disrupt how companies are developing products and how engineers work. This revolution will come from outside the incumbent engineering software industry. Neural Concept is exactly at the center of this.”
Read will lead Neural Concept’s vertical solutions strategy, connecting the company’s platform capabilities with market-specific use cases. He has 25 years of experience in engineering simulation, product strategy and business leadership, with senior roles at Siemens Digital Industries Software and CD-adapco.
“Our customers are working to solve some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, from lightweighting and thermal management to energy efficiency,” said Read. “AI is starting to have a profound impact on how engineering teams tackle these problems, and Neural Concept brings together AI-native expertise and deep engineering knowledge needed to lead.”
Source: Neural Concept
About Neural Concept
Neural Concept is a software company founded in 2018 and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It develops AI software for engineering design and simulation workflows. The company’s platform integrates with CAD and simulation tools to support product development and performance analysis. Its customers include OEMs and suppliers across automotive, aerospace, energy, semiconductors, consumer electronics, and defense sectors. Neural Concept’s technology is used for design exploration, performance prediction, and analysis of geometry and simulation data during development programs. The company originated from research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Neural Concept operates offices in Munich, Germany, and New York, with additional presence in the Asia-Pacific region. It is backed by investors including Goldman Sachs, Forestay Capital, and D. E. Shaw Group. The company reports more than 70 global customers and approx. 70 employees worldwide.