Baxiva receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to develop first-in-class Escherichia Coli vaccine
23.02.2026
ETH spin-off Baxiva has obtained CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to advance a new vaccine designed to prevent diseases caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). The biotech startup aims to tackle one of the major drivers of antibiotic resistance worldwide and reduce severe complications such as sepsis.
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Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial diseases globally, and most cases are caused by E. coli. These infections can lead to serious complications, including sepsis, and cause more than 80,000 deaths each year in the United States alone. Despite this high medical burden, there is currently no approved vaccine against E. coli. At the same time, growing antimicrobial resistance is reducing the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, increasing the urgent need for preventive solutions.
Baxiva develops next-generation glycoconjugate vaccines targeting bacterial pathogens with high unmet medical need. Its lead program focuses on E. coli, a key contributor to antibiotic resistance worldwide. By preventing infections before they occur, the company aims to reduce antibiotic use and lower the risk of severe outcomes. Baxiva’s platform technology is designed to enable the future development of additional bacterial vaccines.
The lead program addresses a large underserved market, with a serviceable population of more than 200 million people in high-income countries and multi-billion-dollar revenue potential. Healthcare systems have strong incentives to invest in preventive solutions that reduce hospitalizations, complications, and antibiotic use. Baxiva plans to advance its vaccine candidates to a partner-ready stage and collaborate with global vaccine manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies to bring them to market efficiently.
The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will help Baxiva transition from a research-focused project to an investor-ready company. The funding will strengthen operations and governance, refine the financing and partnering strategy, and support market activities to define the next pipeline asset.
Founded in 2025 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, Baxiva is led by CEO Dr. Tim Keys and Head of R&D Christoph Rutschmann. Together, they combine scientific leadership and innovation in bacterial vaccines with substantial industry experience in conjugate development and scale-up.
“Venture Kick has been invaluable in helping us translate deep science into a scalable business strategy,” said Dr. Tim Keys. “The structured process and direct feedback from experienced jurors have been highly constructive for a team of scientists building a venture-backed company.”
From left: Tim Keys, Philipp Bitner, Sharon Drieer, Christoph Rutschmann, Fabian Weiss, and Sacha Schneeberger
Baxiva develops next-generation glycoconjugate vaccines targeting bacterial pathogens with high unmet medical need. Its lead program focuses on E. coli, a key contributor to antibiotic resistance worldwide. By preventing infections before they occur, the company aims to reduce antibiotic use and lower the risk of severe outcomes. Baxiva’s platform technology is designed to enable the future development of additional bacterial vaccines.
The lead program addresses a large underserved market, with a serviceable population of more than 200 million people in high-income countries and multi-billion-dollar revenue potential. Healthcare systems have strong incentives to invest in preventive solutions that reduce hospitalizations, complications, and antibiotic use. Baxiva plans to advance its vaccine candidates to a partner-ready stage and collaborate with global vaccine manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies to bring them to market efficiently.
The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will help Baxiva transition from a research-focused project to an investor-ready company. The funding will strengthen operations and governance, refine the financing and partnering strategy, and support market activities to define the next pipeline asset.
Founded in 2025 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, Baxiva is led by CEO Dr. Tim Keys and Head of R&D Christoph Rutschmann. Together, they combine scientific leadership and innovation in bacterial vaccines with substantial industry experience in conjugate development and scale-up.
“Venture Kick has been invaluable in helping us translate deep science into a scalable business strategy,” said Dr. Tim Keys. “The structured process and direct feedback from experienced jurors have been highly constructive for a team of scientists building a venture-backed company.”
From left: Tim Keys, Philipp Bitner, Sharon Drieer, Christoph Rutschmann, Fabian Weiss, and Sacha Schneeberger