Comfortable protheses and clean shipping win big at Venture Kick Stage 3
05.02.2018
Congratulations to Swiss Motion Technologies SA and Daphne Technology who have both won a total of CHF 130,000 at the Venture Kick final. Swiss Motion Technologies SA is developing a fast and cost effective solution to the problem of prosthetic limb discomfort, whereas Daphne Technology is introducing a system to convert maritime exhaust fuel into fertilizer.
 Swiss Motion Technologies SA (L-R: Kevin Mamalis, Alexandre Grillon, Clément Gabry)
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 Daphne Technology (Juan Mario Michan)
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Swiss Motion Technologies SA (formally Nextep) (HEIG VD) Medtech
On average, 3 in every 10,000 people undergo a major limb amputation every year [1]. While recent advances in prosthetic limbs have gathered the attention of the media and caught the imagination of the general public, their use by people with amputations remains low. There are a number of reasons for this, but the dual issues of comfort and expense are two major issues that startup Swiss Motion Technologies aims to eliminate.
What Swiss Motion Technologies is taking to market is a complete production solution that would enable prosthetists to measure and fit their clients with a custom-made liner to reduce friction between the stump and the prosthesis. By providing Orthopaedic centres with a 3D scanner, the stump can be accurately measured, modified with the specific requirements and then fed into a 3D printer to produce a custom made silicone sleeve that will perfectly redistribute the pressure across the stump and reduce friction.
Co-founder Kevin Mamalis felt inspired to move in this direction after visiting hospitals in the developed and developing world and realising issues related to amputation are much more frequent than people think, with the market for custom prosthetic liners estimated at $500 million [2]. Additionally, this technology platform opens the field for several new applications in the orthopaedics and orthotics markets. About Venture Kick Kevin says: “We are extremely lucky to have Venture Kick. The three stage, nine month program the entrepreneur embarks on will help him find and know his clients, realistically monetise his value proposition and propose to scale the activity to exiting heights.”
Daphne Technology (EPFL) Cleantech
Guidelines from the International Maritime Organization state that commercial ships must reduce their emissions of the greenhouse gases SOx by 85% and NOx by 80%, by 2020 [3]. Current methods for doing so involve installing an expensive catalytic converter and switching fuel, moves that would cost the commercial shipping industry an estimated $250 billion per year in fuel costs alone [4]. Daphne Technology hopes to increase efficiency and reduce costs for these environmental regulations through the introduction of their catalyst-free dry scrubber. The technology works by combining exhaust fumes with specific levels of water and ammonia. By performing this under exactly the right temperature and pressure conditions, a chemical reaction takes place that turns exhaust fumes into agricultural fertilizer – meaning not only a reduction in harmful emissions, but a valuable, useful, environmentally friendly byproduct that can be sold on once the ship returns to harbour.
Co-founder Juan Mario Michan came up with the idea after having combined several years’ experience in the navy and commercial shipping with industrial engineering experience and a PhD in physics, and is excited to bring all three sets of skills to his new venture, saying: “Daphne Technology is a once in a lifetime opportunity and Venture Kick has brought us much closer to our vision. Thank you Venture Kick!”
References:
[1] Kathryn Ziegler-Graham, Ellen J. MacKenzie, Patti L. Ephraim, Thomas G. Travison, Ron Brookmeyer, (2008), Estimating the Prevalence of Limb Loss in the United States: 2005 to 2050, Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Mar;89(3):422-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2007.11.005.
[2] Extrapolated from several industry reports.
[3] http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/GHG/Documents/eedi%20amendments%20RESOLUTION%20MEPC203%2062.pdf
[4] Extrapolated from several industry reports.
On average, 3 in every 10,000 people undergo a major limb amputation every year [1]. While recent advances in prosthetic limbs have gathered the attention of the media and caught the imagination of the general public, their use by people with amputations remains low. There are a number of reasons for this, but the dual issues of comfort and expense are two major issues that startup Swiss Motion Technologies aims to eliminate.
What Swiss Motion Technologies is taking to market is a complete production solution that would enable prosthetists to measure and fit their clients with a custom-made liner to reduce friction between the stump and the prosthesis. By providing Orthopaedic centres with a 3D scanner, the stump can be accurately measured, modified with the specific requirements and then fed into a 3D printer to produce a custom made silicone sleeve that will perfectly redistribute the pressure across the stump and reduce friction.
Co-founder Kevin Mamalis felt inspired to move in this direction after visiting hospitals in the developed and developing world and realising issues related to amputation are much more frequent than people think, with the market for custom prosthetic liners estimated at $500 million [2]. Additionally, this technology platform opens the field for several new applications in the orthopaedics and orthotics markets. About Venture Kick Kevin says: “We are extremely lucky to have Venture Kick. The three stage, nine month program the entrepreneur embarks on will help him find and know his clients, realistically monetise his value proposition and propose to scale the activity to exiting heights.”
Daphne Technology (EPFL) Cleantech
Guidelines from the International Maritime Organization state that commercial ships must reduce their emissions of the greenhouse gases SOx by 85% and NOx by 80%, by 2020 [3]. Current methods for doing so involve installing an expensive catalytic converter and switching fuel, moves that would cost the commercial shipping industry an estimated $250 billion per year in fuel costs alone [4]. Daphne Technology hopes to increase efficiency and reduce costs for these environmental regulations through the introduction of their catalyst-free dry scrubber. The technology works by combining exhaust fumes with specific levels of water and ammonia. By performing this under exactly the right temperature and pressure conditions, a chemical reaction takes place that turns exhaust fumes into agricultural fertilizer – meaning not only a reduction in harmful emissions, but a valuable, useful, environmentally friendly byproduct that can be sold on once the ship returns to harbour.
Co-founder Juan Mario Michan came up with the idea after having combined several years’ experience in the navy and commercial shipping with industrial engineering experience and a PhD in physics, and is excited to bring all three sets of skills to his new venture, saying: “Daphne Technology is a once in a lifetime opportunity and Venture Kick has brought us much closer to our vision. Thank you Venture Kick!”
References:
[1] Kathryn Ziegler-Graham, Ellen J. MacKenzie, Patti L. Ephraim, Thomas G. Travison, Ron Brookmeyer, (2008), Estimating the Prevalence of Limb Loss in the United States: 2005 to 2050, Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Mar;89(3):422-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2007.11.005.
[2] Extrapolated from several industry reports.
[3] http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/GHG/Documents/eedi%20amendments%20RESOLUTION%20MEPC203%2062.pdf
[4] Extrapolated from several industry reports.