CHF 40,000 for safe energy and data transfer in heart failure, an autism spectrum disorders treatment, and new solar tracks
12.02.2024
COSKIN, Translation-X, and Sun-Ways were selected for Venture Kick's second financial and entrepreneurial support stage. Their projects prevent infection from the drivelines that transfer energy to the VAD pumps; offer therapeutic benefits to individuals with autism; and enable the mechanized installation of solar panels without disrupting rail traffic.
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 COSKIN: CEO and Founder Andreas Kourouklis
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 Sun-Ways: Baptiste Danichert and Joseph Scuderi
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 Translation-X: Peter Scheiffele, Ozgur Genc, and Guido Koch
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COSKIN healthcare technologies: Safe energy and data transfer in heart failure
Heart failure affects 2% of the world's population. In advanced stages, only 4,000 patients (US & EU) receive a heart pump (e.g., VADs) that repairs blood circulation. Infection is a daily concern for every VAD-treated with a 50% rehospitalization rate.
Andreas Kourouklis, an ETH Pioneer Fellow is the founder & CEO of COSKIN, and aims to prevent infection from the drivelines that transfer energy to the VAD pumps. Stopping infection can make VAD more accessible to 100,000 new patients every year. COSKIN is a minimally invasive adaptor made of tiny biocompatible wires that integrate with skin, protecting its barrier function properties. COSKIN is linked to the $1.2b opportunity of the VAD market which is expected to double by 2030.
The support of Venture Kick will accelerate the product development activities of COSKIN together with clinical partners. COSKIN intends to make a reliable minimum valuable product with high usability and market accessibility in the VAD market.
Translation-X: Targeting selective mRNA translation for a precision medicine approach in autism spectrum disorders
Autism spectrum disorders represent an unmet medical need, marked by difficulties in social communication. Current interventions often provide limited benefits in addressing the core symptoms of autism. Understanding the underlying pathology and identifying drug targets are crucial challenges in the field of autism. Translation-X focuses on exploring selective mRNA translation as a therapeutic avenue for autism spectrum disorders. The group has identified dysregulated mRNA translational homeostasis as a converging pathology in autism. Specifically, they have pinpointed Map-kinase interacting kinases (MNK) as a drug target. Their research demonstrates that inhibition of MNK restores defects in translational homeostasis and neural function, thereby offering therapeutic benefits to individuals with autism.
Established in early 2022 as a spin-off project at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, Translation-X is capitalizing on validated preclinical target discoveries. The team is actively involved in creating brain-penetrating and selective small-molecule MAPK-interacting kinase inhibitors to address autism therapeutically. These inhibitors show considerable potential in mitigating the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, providing a precisely targeted approach to confront this complex condition. The core team at Translation-X includes Dr. Özgür Genç, serving as the senior scientist and project leader, with Prof. Peter Scheiffele as the scientific advisor, and Dr. Guido Koch as the medicinal chemistry advisor. Additionally, faculty members Prof. Martin Smiesko, Prof. Markus Lill, and scientists Manuel Sellner and Jacek Kedzierski from the Pharmazentrum contribute computational chemistry expertise to the project.
The funds received from Venture Kick will be used to expedite the drug development project, propelling it from the hit to the lead stage.
Sun-Ways: the new solar tracks
Sun-Ways is responding to the pressing challenges of climate change, energy transition, electricity shortages, and energy dependency by introducing a revolutionary solution. The patented technology exploits the "unused" space between railroad tracks to install removable solar power plants. This approach contributes to a rapid transition towards massive production of clean energy!
The startup is driven by a visionary founding team, supported by a unique innovation - a removable solar system designed to meet all the technical constraints of rail infrastructure maintenance. This innovation enables the mechanized installation of solar panels without disrupting rail traffic. The market potential is considerable since the 7,000,000 m2 of space available between Swiss railroads is equivalent to 350,000 house roofs fitted with solar panels.
Thanks to Venture Kick's Phase 1 funding, the project will move from mechanical design and proof of concept to the pilot project phase. This crucial phase focuses on the technical elements enabling the installation of photovoltaic panels between the rails while allowing the startup to physically test the system. All elements, which form the core of the innovation, will be pre-assembled in workshops and transported by a special train for seamless deployment.
Heart failure affects 2% of the world's population. In advanced stages, only 4,000 patients (US & EU) receive a heart pump (e.g., VADs) that repairs blood circulation. Infection is a daily concern for every VAD-treated with a 50% rehospitalization rate.
Andreas Kourouklis, an ETH Pioneer Fellow is the founder & CEO of COSKIN, and aims to prevent infection from the drivelines that transfer energy to the VAD pumps. Stopping infection can make VAD more accessible to 100,000 new patients every year. COSKIN is a minimally invasive adaptor made of tiny biocompatible wires that integrate with skin, protecting its barrier function properties. COSKIN is linked to the $1.2b opportunity of the VAD market which is expected to double by 2030.
The support of Venture Kick will accelerate the product development activities of COSKIN together with clinical partners. COSKIN intends to make a reliable minimum valuable product with high usability and market accessibility in the VAD market.
Translation-X: Targeting selective mRNA translation for a precision medicine approach in autism spectrum disorders
Autism spectrum disorders represent an unmet medical need, marked by difficulties in social communication. Current interventions often provide limited benefits in addressing the core symptoms of autism. Understanding the underlying pathology and identifying drug targets are crucial challenges in the field of autism. Translation-X focuses on exploring selective mRNA translation as a therapeutic avenue for autism spectrum disorders. The group has identified dysregulated mRNA translational homeostasis as a converging pathology in autism. Specifically, they have pinpointed Map-kinase interacting kinases (MNK) as a drug target. Their research demonstrates that inhibition of MNK restores defects in translational homeostasis and neural function, thereby offering therapeutic benefits to individuals with autism.
Established in early 2022 as a spin-off project at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, Translation-X is capitalizing on validated preclinical target discoveries. The team is actively involved in creating brain-penetrating and selective small-molecule MAPK-interacting kinase inhibitors to address autism therapeutically. These inhibitors show considerable potential in mitigating the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, providing a precisely targeted approach to confront this complex condition. The core team at Translation-X includes Dr. Özgür Genç, serving as the senior scientist and project leader, with Prof. Peter Scheiffele as the scientific advisor, and Dr. Guido Koch as the medicinal chemistry advisor. Additionally, faculty members Prof. Martin Smiesko, Prof. Markus Lill, and scientists Manuel Sellner and Jacek Kedzierski from the Pharmazentrum contribute computational chemistry expertise to the project.
The funds received from Venture Kick will be used to expedite the drug development project, propelling it from the hit to the lead stage.
Sun-Ways: the new solar tracks
Sun-Ways is responding to the pressing challenges of climate change, energy transition, electricity shortages, and energy dependency by introducing a revolutionary solution. The patented technology exploits the "unused" space between railroad tracks to install removable solar power plants. This approach contributes to a rapid transition towards massive production of clean energy!
The startup is driven by a visionary founding team, supported by a unique innovation - a removable solar system designed to meet all the technical constraints of rail infrastructure maintenance. This innovation enables the mechanized installation of solar panels without disrupting rail traffic. The market potential is considerable since the 7,000,000 m2 of space available between Swiss railroads is equivalent to 350,000 house roofs fitted with solar panels.
Thanks to Venture Kick's Phase 1 funding, the project will move from mechanical design and proof of concept to the pilot project phase. This crucial phase focuses on the technical elements enabling the installation of photovoltaic panels between the rails while allowing the startup to physically test the system. All elements, which form the core of the innovation, will be pre-assembled in workshops and transported by a special train for seamless deployment.