Dr. Laura Hainke
Driving brain and mind innovation.
Welcome!
I am Dr. Laura Hainke, a freelancer in Neurotech and Mental Health.
I offer research and science-to-market services for companies and academic institutions, as well as educational services.
Rigorous science is the foundation of credible neurotechnology. I help you build the evidence your technology deserves, hands-on. From feasibility to clinical trials, from study design to publication: I integrate into your project flexibly, driving it forward with efficiency and specialized expertise.
Innovative neurotechnology only creates value once the right people understand and trust it. I help you communicate your technology compellingly with the credibility of a researcher and commercial experience. From pitch decks to conference floors, I turn your evidence into traction.
Mental health affects everyone — yet few people know how to respond when someone close to them is struggling. As an accredited Mental Health First Aid instructor, I teach individuals, companies, and organisations to recognise mental health issues and offer meaningful support.
Sharing knowledge is as important as generating it. Drawing from my background in psychology and neuroscience, I give guest talks and lecture at higher-education institutions. I adapt to any audience, from the general public to domain experts.
About me
Welcome! I am Laura, a freelancer in the field of Neurotech and Mental Health. The services I offer are derived from my experience in academia and industry.
I first studied psychology and cognitive neuroscience (B. Sc. and M. Sc.) at the LMU Munich, where I had the privilege to acquire extensive knowledge about the mind and brain. Theoretical and practical training in biological and clinical psychology, neurophysiological methods, good scientific practice, and statistics sharpened my scientific mindset. My final Bachelor's project, an EEG study on multilingualism and cognitive function, was published and received a university excellence award; my final Master's project on EEG and sensory stimulation in sleep later evolved into a PhD.
Alongside my master's program at LMU, I joined Mentalab, a mobile EEG start-up. What started as an internship for product testing quickly branched out into a wide range of responsibilities, including virtual product demonstrations for senior scientists, customer-facing technical communication, company representation at conferences, and international collaboration management. I co-wrote successful Horizon Europe and Bayern Innovativ grants and expanded my Neurotech network considerably across academia and industry. Most importantly, I developed a start-up mindset and learned to work dynamically, flexibly and efficiently.
Through my start-up network, an opportunity emerged to pursue a PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) in non-invasive brain stimulation at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). So I returned to academia full-time for a deep dive into neuronal oscillations, sensory and electrical neuromodulation, sleep, Alzheimer's, and schizophrenia. I led multiple studies from concept to publication, collected data from > 200 human participants with and without psychiatric conditions, and analysed multimodal EEG datasets. During my research stay at the University of Glasgow, I set up and conducted a multimodal high-density EEG study in 3 months (start-up efficiency paid off), and later received a stipend from TUM to conclude the project. I presented my PhD work to experts as well as laypeople, started to teach, and worked independently as well as in collaboration with various labs. The core skills I gained during my PhD were project management, specialized technical expertise, creative problem solving, and resilience.
After graduating from TUM, I decided to pursue the less conventional career path of a freelancer. Why? Because I want to make an impact where my skills are most needed. Because I am too curious about where the field is going to settle on a single project. Because I love networking. And for many more reasons. I don't consider myself a "consultant" - instead of telling you how I think you should do things, I prefer to go ahead and get things done, hands-on. Since Q4 2025, I have provided research and science-to-market services to various international Neurotech companies, taught multiple university courses, and hosted Mental Health First Aid workshops. Consistently positive client reviews tell me I am on the right track. : )
On a personal level, colleagues and friends describe me as pragmatic, authentic, proactive, and confident. My core work values are efficiency, structure, and transparency. In line with my intercultural background, I have always had a passion for languages; I preferably communicate in English, German, and Portuguese, but I can also offer Spanish and French at working proficiency. I am based in Munich, Germany, and mostly work remotely, but I am also happy to travel or relocate temporarily for a few weeks. I work well both alone and in teams; both short-term arrangements and longer-term collaborations work for me, depending on project needs and my current capacity. If you are looking for an extra pair of qualified hands, an unbiased outside perspective, or immediate additional capacity for your team without the commitment of a permanent hire, let's connect.
Contact
If you are interested in my services, feel free to reach out via email (mail@dr-laura-hainke.com) or the contact form. I will reply within 48 hours.
Not yet sure if I can provide what you need? I offer a 30-min virtual meeting free of charge, a no-obligation opportunity to check how my skills and your requirements might align.