Robotic Gloves to Lend a Hand, and Lignin Extraction for Flavors & Fragrances Win CHF 40,000 Each
08.10.2019
Yago's motorized exoskeleton helps people who have difficulty using their hands, while Bloom Biorenewables' technology extracts lignin from waste material. Both startup projects will receive further entrepreneurial training and Venture Kick support as they refine their businesses.
.jpg) |
 |
-and-Lucca-Randazzo-(CEO).jpg) Yago: Iseline Frøybu (CMO) and Lucca Randazzo (CEO)
|
|
,-Remy-Buser-(CEO).jpg) Bloom Biorenewables: Florent Héroguel (COO) and Remy-Buser (CEO)
|
|
Yago: a helping hand
Yago's robotic glove helps people that have difficulty using their hands. Based on founder Lucca Randazzo’s doctoral research at EPFL’s Brain-Machine Interface lab, this spin-off uses a soft, motorized exoskeleton to help wearers grasp and release everyday objects. Randazzo hopes the patent-pending tech will restore users’ independence and autonomy in daily life. The system's different use-cases were developed with 13 healthcare professionals and 11 patients. The team now focuses on design iterations with clinical partners, to refining its product and business model. Yago will use Venture Kick’s support to conduct qualitiative and quantitative market research and test business model assumptions.
yagoexo.com
Bloom Biorenewables Sàrl: efficient lignin extraction
Yago's robotic glove helps people that have difficulty using their hands. Based on founder Lucca Randazzo’s doctoral research at EPFL’s Brain-Machine Interface lab, this spin-off uses a soft, motorized exoskeleton to help wearers grasp and release everyday objects. Randazzo hopes the patent-pending tech will restore users’ independence and autonomy in daily life. The system's different use-cases were developed with 13 healthcare professionals and 11 patients. The team now focuses on design iterations with clinical partners, to refining its product and business model. Yago will use Venture Kick’s support to conduct qualitiative and quantitative market research and test business model assumptions.
yagoexo.com
Bloom Biorenewables Sàrl: efficient lignin extraction
Our society is based on petroleum for manufacturing products in most industries (textile, plastics, paintings, fragrance, ...), which is highly unsustainable. Bloom is a B2B chemical supplier providing bio-based chemical building blocks. Today, Bloom focuses on fragrances, plastics, packaging and textiles. Bloom Biorenewables' high-yield technology extracts lignin, a vital molecule for flavors and fragrances, using a byproduct from the paper industry that is usually discarded. EPFL researcher Florent Héroguel's patented, low-temperature process also offers a way for the chemical industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. With co-founders Remy Buser and Jeremy Luterbacher the team looks to bring its petroleum-alternative to market with industry partners. Bloom is currently raising a Seed round to further scale-up the process in order to validate both the technology and the market at an industry relevant sale. The Venture Kick financial support will be dedicated to fundraising and business development. Also, Bloom will use part of these funds to straighten its legal framework and IP strategy.
venturekick.ch/BloomBiorenewables