Startups developing construction with robotic manufacturing, groundbreaking mouthguard design, taste innovation; and AI-powered rental property inspection each get CHF 10,000
10.03.2025
Impact Build, Performance Mouthguard, Tasteomics, and Xelidoni were selected in the first financial and entrepreneurial support stage of Venture Kick. Their projects introduce a novel robotic 3D printing method for industrialized, circular construction to decarbonize the construction sector; introduce a groundbreaking mouthguard design featuring customized, adaptable devices made from 3D-printed interlocking pieces; develop a new paradigm in flavor enhancement by leveraging special botanical extract formulations; and aim to transform rental property inspection into a predictive, proactive, and AI-optimized process.
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 Impact Build: CEO Lauren Vasey & COO Kunaljit Chadha
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 Performance Mouthguard: CEO Dominique Pioletti, CTO Naser Nasrollahzadeh, and CSO Martin Broome
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 Tasteomics: Research Lead Juerg Gertsch & CEO Daniel Batora
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 Xelidoni: CFO Thomas Siakam & CEO Joana Morais
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Impact Build: Decarbonizing construction with robotic manufacturing
The construction sector faces a labor shortage and generates 37% of global GHG emissions. While ecological methods exist, they are labor-intensive, costly, and unscalable.
ETH spin-off Impact.build introduces a novel robotic 3D printing method for industrialized, circular construction. The patented technology deposits dense material at high velocity, compacting it without formwork or additives. The printed structures are made from common excavated materials and can be recycled. The founders CEO Lauren Vasey, COO Kunaljit Chadha, and advisors Prof. Fabio Gramazio and Prof. Matthias Kohler have decades of experience in robotics for the AEC sector.
The startup will first target the USD 180B prefabrication market with mass-customizable, low-carbon, fire-resistant, and acoustically insulated walls. The process adapts to multiple robots, ensuring scalability and diverse construction applications.
The Venture Kick funds will support stakeholder workshops on initial products and market research to identify customers.
Performance Mouthguard: The First Mouthguard Engineered for Maximum Protection and Performance
Concussions and dental injuries pose significant risks in contact sports, yet most mouthguards provide a poor fit, hinder breathing, and lack advanced shock absorption. Athletes require a scientifically proven solution that enhances protection without sacrificing comfort or performance.
Performance Mouthguard is a spin-off from EPFL and CHUV in Lausanne. The founders include Prof. Martin Broome, head of the Maxillo-facial Unit at CHUV; Prof. Dominique Pioletti, director of the Laboratory of Biomechanical Orthopedics at EPFL; and Dr. Naser Nasrollahzadeh, senior scientist at EPFL/CHUV. Performance Mouthguard introduces a groundbreaking mouthguard design featuring customized, adaptable devices made from 3D-printed interlocking pieces. These modular mouthguards provide exceptional protective performance and comfort. The design aims to achieve Class I medical device classification, emphasizing injury prevention. It enhances neck muscle co-activation during impact, following the instinctive clenching reaction, which is crucial for reducing the risk of concussions. The global market size for mouthguards is around USD 6 billion annually, with the most significant growth observed for custom-made products.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to quantify neck muscle activation during jaw clenching and test the designs' durability against repeated biting.
Tasteomics: Improving Human Health Through Taste Innovation
The mission of Tasteomics is to improve human nutrition and health through the development of innovative solutions for taste receptors. Food producers face challenges in gaining a competitive edge in taste while meeting regulatory and consumer demands on health and sustainability, leaving an unmet need for natural and healthy flavorings that can improve the taste profile of food and efficiently reduce sodium, sugar, or fat.
Tasteomics develops a new paradigm in flavor enhancement by leveraging special botanical extract formulations, the first functional positive allosteric modulators (fPAMs) of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR). The CaSR is a commercially valuable taste receptor that elicits the kokumi sensation: the enhancement of the intensity, continuity, and fullness of basic tastes. Unlike the current products in the USD 15 billion flavoring industry that act by activating the receptor, the ingredients of Tasteomics push the functional response beyond 100%, enabling significant sensory effects and the efficient reduction of sugar, fat, and salt in food.
The founding team includes Dr. Daniel Batora and Prof. Dr. Jürg Gertsch, dedicated biochemists with a strong background in research and innovation. The startup has conducted an extensive market discovery program and validated the most promising applications of its ingredients in the relevant manufacturing environment.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to finance the development of the first commercial products optimized to key applications through established industry partnerships.
Xelidoni: AI-powered rental property inspection
Every year, billions are lost due to inefficient property management. Today, 70% of property managers spend over 20 hours per week on manual tasks, and only 30% of companies utilize predictive technologies. This lack of anticipation results in reactive maintenance costs that are 2 to 4 times higher than preventive solutions.
Xelidoni addresses this inefficiency with an artificial intelligence platform that automates real-time damage detection and anticipates maintenance needs, reducing costs and improving the longevity of rental properties. With a unique approach combining precision, automation, and seamless integration, Xelidoni aims to transform rental property inspection into a predictive, proactive, and AI-optimized process. Founded by a team of experts in computer vision and machine learning, Xelidoni integrates seamlessly with major Property Management Systems (PMS) on the market. Its technology analyzes building conditions and detects anomalies as they appear, preventing costly repairs and unnecessary downtime.
Xelidoni will use the Venture Kick funds to optimize its AI algorithm, test its MVP in real-world conditions with strategic partners, and structure its go-to-market strategy to capture a significant share of this growing market.
The construction sector faces a labor shortage and generates 37% of global GHG emissions. While ecological methods exist, they are labor-intensive, costly, and unscalable.
ETH spin-off Impact.build introduces a novel robotic 3D printing method for industrialized, circular construction. The patented technology deposits dense material at high velocity, compacting it without formwork or additives. The printed structures are made from common excavated materials and can be recycled. The founders CEO Lauren Vasey, COO Kunaljit Chadha, and advisors Prof. Fabio Gramazio and Prof. Matthias Kohler have decades of experience in robotics for the AEC sector.
The startup will first target the USD 180B prefabrication market with mass-customizable, low-carbon, fire-resistant, and acoustically insulated walls. The process adapts to multiple robots, ensuring scalability and diverse construction applications.
The Venture Kick funds will support stakeholder workshops on initial products and market research to identify customers.
Performance Mouthguard: The First Mouthguard Engineered for Maximum Protection and Performance
Concussions and dental injuries pose significant risks in contact sports, yet most mouthguards provide a poor fit, hinder breathing, and lack advanced shock absorption. Athletes require a scientifically proven solution that enhances protection without sacrificing comfort or performance.
Performance Mouthguard is a spin-off from EPFL and CHUV in Lausanne. The founders include Prof. Martin Broome, head of the Maxillo-facial Unit at CHUV; Prof. Dominique Pioletti, director of the Laboratory of Biomechanical Orthopedics at EPFL; and Dr. Naser Nasrollahzadeh, senior scientist at EPFL/CHUV. Performance Mouthguard introduces a groundbreaking mouthguard design featuring customized, adaptable devices made from 3D-printed interlocking pieces. These modular mouthguards provide exceptional protective performance and comfort. The design aims to achieve Class I medical device classification, emphasizing injury prevention. It enhances neck muscle co-activation during impact, following the instinctive clenching reaction, which is crucial for reducing the risk of concussions. The global market size for mouthguards is around USD 6 billion annually, with the most significant growth observed for custom-made products.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to quantify neck muscle activation during jaw clenching and test the designs' durability against repeated biting.
Tasteomics: Improving Human Health Through Taste Innovation
The mission of Tasteomics is to improve human nutrition and health through the development of innovative solutions for taste receptors. Food producers face challenges in gaining a competitive edge in taste while meeting regulatory and consumer demands on health and sustainability, leaving an unmet need for natural and healthy flavorings that can improve the taste profile of food and efficiently reduce sodium, sugar, or fat.
Tasteomics develops a new paradigm in flavor enhancement by leveraging special botanical extract formulations, the first functional positive allosteric modulators (fPAMs) of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR). The CaSR is a commercially valuable taste receptor that elicits the kokumi sensation: the enhancement of the intensity, continuity, and fullness of basic tastes. Unlike the current products in the USD 15 billion flavoring industry that act by activating the receptor, the ingredients of Tasteomics push the functional response beyond 100%, enabling significant sensory effects and the efficient reduction of sugar, fat, and salt in food.
The founding team includes Dr. Daniel Batora and Prof. Dr. Jürg Gertsch, dedicated biochemists with a strong background in research and innovation. The startup has conducted an extensive market discovery program and validated the most promising applications of its ingredients in the relevant manufacturing environment.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to finance the development of the first commercial products optimized to key applications through established industry partnerships.
Xelidoni: AI-powered rental property inspection
Every year, billions are lost due to inefficient property management. Today, 70% of property managers spend over 20 hours per week on manual tasks, and only 30% of companies utilize predictive technologies. This lack of anticipation results in reactive maintenance costs that are 2 to 4 times higher than preventive solutions.
Xelidoni addresses this inefficiency with an artificial intelligence platform that automates real-time damage detection and anticipates maintenance needs, reducing costs and improving the longevity of rental properties. With a unique approach combining precision, automation, and seamless integration, Xelidoni aims to transform rental property inspection into a predictive, proactive, and AI-optimized process. Founded by a team of experts in computer vision and machine learning, Xelidoni integrates seamlessly with major Property Management Systems (PMS) on the market. Its technology analyzes building conditions and detects anomalies as they appear, preventing costly repairs and unnecessary downtime.
Xelidoni will use the Venture Kick funds to optimize its AI algorithm, test its MVP in real-world conditions with strategic partners, and structure its go-to-market strategy to capture a significant share of this growing market.