CHF 300,000 seed capital for venture kick alumni

Since 1989, the W. A. de Vigier Foundation supports five startups every year with CHF 100'000. This year too, five winners and five nominees were selected out of about 250 applicants. The ten startups showed their skills during short presentations that were accompanied by funny comics. Above all, medical projects that could revolutionize the work of doctors made it into the final.
 
Honoured initiator of venture kick
Dr. Pascale Vonmont, vice-director of Gebert Rüf Foundation, got awarded the title of "Supporter of the Year 2014". After 15 years in business, everyday work is still a privilege and a fascinating exercise to Mrs Vonmont. Every day, three to four innovative ideas are proposed to her; Switzerland has an enormous potential for entrepreneurship.The strategy of the Gebert Rüf Foundation is based on reported gaps, brownfield opportunities and potentials.The foundation has been leader in establishing the "Social Entrepreneurship" program and has been involved for two years in "Cultural Entrepreneurship". New potentials can arise in Scientific Entrepreneurship too: the venture leaders program was initiated by the Foundation in 1999. It is now well established and for the first time it has made a step towards Asia. venture leaders China allows ten selected start-ups from Switzerland to dive into the business world of Beijing and Shanghai. "If our startups gain a foothold in Asia, this will have an impact on development programs in Switzerland. The enormous cultural differences require specific business models. The Gebert Rüf Foundation can, at least, make a contribution here," said Pascale Vonmont.

A One Way Ticket to Beijing
The exceptional entrepreneur André Lüthi was invited as guest speaker. Ever since the 80s, he has gotten to know Beijing. He bought a one-way ticket to China at the SBB counter in Berne, which was unusual for that time, and started a success story with Globetrotter. Today the Globetrotter Group generates sales of CHF 241 million and is considered the largest independent travel provider in Switzerland.

Fight against diabetes, and energy for every home in Basel
After the event, guests were able to talk to the nominees and winners in person. The researchers of OsmoBlue, who are dedicated to new energy solutions and Glycemicon whose researchers fight against diabetes, spoke with us about their future plans and their experience with the venture kick program. "venture kick has helped us a lot in terms of taking the first steps to a successful startup. Now, we are nominees at the de Vigier Award and plan the clinical development of our product." said Nadja Mrosek, COO of Glycemicon. Dr. Anna Romaine of OsmoBlue added enthusiastically: "We first won venture kick and got a tremendous chance to increase the visibility of our project, and to improve our business model and our technology. Moreover, venture kick helped us to complete a prototype and start a pilot project in the industry. And now we are nominees of the de Vigier Awards."