Startups developing modular on-site wastewater treatment, an open-access foundry for photonic integrated circuits, safe gene delivery into the retina, a VR-based ADHD treatment, and non-invasive canccer detection each get CHF 10,000
25.10.2024
Circular Flow Technologies, CWAVE, EVIS Bioscience, sefit health, and zuriEV were selected at Venture Kick's first financial and entrepreneurial support stage. Their projects produces modular wastewater units that allow a treatment combined with resource recovery on-site; provide an open-access foundry for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) technology; develop a next-generation non-viral vehicle for safe gene delivery into the retina; offer a VR-based tool aimed at helping those with impaired stimulus filtering; and have discovered a highly sensitive and specific, multi-omics compatible, pan-tumor liquid biopsy platform allowing the detection of tumor-specific EVs with a high specificity and sensitivity.
 |
 |
 Cicular Flow Technologies: Michel Riechmann, David Hasler, and Kai Udert
|
|
 CWAVE: CEO Dr. Hamed Sattari and Head of Engineering Dr. Dorian Herle
|
|
 EVis Bioscience: Prof. Gianfranco Vento, Dr. Elita Montanari, and Tommaso Caselli
|
|
 sefit: Elena Börlin and Eric Nerger
|
|
 zuriEV, from left to right: CEO Dr. Hans Maria Heÿn, CTO Dr. Ruth Ketley, CSO PD Dr. med. Dr. sc. nat. Tobias Weiss, CSO Dr. Yanan Zhang, Senior Scientist Dr. Stavros Stavrakis, CFO Dr. Julia Flötotto, and Dr. Valentin Piëch.
|
|
Circular Flow Technologies: Modular on-site wastewater treatment
Current wastewater management is based on enormous freshwater use while reclaimable resources remain untouched. Circular Flow Technologies produces modular wastewater units that allow treatment and on-site resource recovery.
The founding team pairs long years of technology research (Eawag) with product engineering experience from the industry (Helbling AG). Michel Riechmann, with 12 years of experience and a broad network in resource-oriented sanitation, leads the business operation. David Hasler, PhD and mechanical engineer with industry practice is in charge of the technology and product development. Kai Udert, professor at ETH and group leader at Eawag secures the ongoing dialog between research and practice.
Circular Flow Technologies products bring resource recovery to the home appliance scale and will revolutionize the wastewater sector. Their customers (public toilet operators, off-grid living) gain a new dimension of flexibility. No dependency on the existence of a sewer connection. No nasty manual emptying of temporary toilet solutions. Instead, value creation from an untapped resource by creating a fertilizer product. According to the Boston Consulting Group, the global non-sewered sanitation market has a value of 5.4 B USD.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to increase and strengthen the partner network and to create necessary marketing material. Further, legal preparation to support the founding of the company is made possible.
CWAVE: Swiss Foundry for TFLN Photonic Chips
While Silicon Photonics has limitations, TFLN offers promising advantages, though it still requires development for full market adoption.
CWAVE is an open-access foundry for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) technology. They are advancing innovation in a USD 15B market vital to data telecommunications, high-performance computing (HPC), AI, and quantum computing. Leveraging over five years of R&D at CSEM, the team supports prototyping and pilot production with monolithic and heterogeneous solutions, utilizing CSEM’s cleanroom in the first phase. From day one, CWAVE delivers TFLN PICs through MPW (multi-project wafer) runs, with a clear roadmap for high-volume production in a dedicated fab facility in later phases. Led by tech manager Hamed Sattari, CWAVE is on track to lead the TFLN PIC market within five years, focusing on B-to-B solutions.
EVis Bioscience: next-gen safe gene delivery into the retina
Gene therapy is changing the future of medicine, receiving the first FDA approval for eye disease in 2017. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is the most efficient vector for delivering genes to the eye. However, it displays relevant drawbacks/limits that may render the treatment ineffective.
EVis Bioscience developed a next-generation non-viral vehicle for safe gene delivery into the retina. Founded by Dr. Elita Montanari, Prof. Gianfranco Vento, and Tommaso Caselli, EVis Bioscience spun out of ETH Zürich in June 2024.
sefit: Strengthening sensory filters for better social integration
The startup addresses impaired stimulus filtering, a condition common in individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autismus Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and migraines. People affected by this struggle to manage sensory input, leading to overwhelming experiences that disrupt social interactions, education, and work.
Founded by Elena Börlin and Eric Nerger, the startup leverages its expertise in medical informatics and clinical research to develop a VR-based tool aimed at helping those with impaired stimulus filtering. This solution is a non-pharmacological addition or alternative compared to the off-label medication which can support patients suffering from impaired stimulus filtering. Our goal is to empower the patients to manage sensory overload and stress more effectively. The Total Addressable Market (TAM) for this solution is 120 million individuals across DACH, USA, and Canada, highlighting a growing demand for non-pharmaceutical solutions.
They will use the VK Stage 1 funds to finance digital biomarkers for clinical studies, including purchasing 30 FitBit smartwatches. The remaining amount will be allocated toward the support of acquiring ISO 13485.
zuriEV: Breakthrough Non-Invasive Cancer Detection & Monitoring
Tumors need to be detected earlier and more precise - especially those where limited therapeutic options exist at later stages, such as pancreatic, lung, liver, kidney, and brain tumors. Currently, diagnosis is expensive, inaccurate, and occurs too late.
zuriEV has discovered a highly sensitive and specific, multi-omics compatible, pan-tumor liquid biopsy platform allowing the detection of tumor-specific EVs with a high specificity and sensitivity. With our scalable biopsy platform, they can detect, isolate, and quantify tumor marker-carrying EVs directly from blood. This opens the door to the multi-billion market of early tumor diagnosis and subsequent treatment monitoring – especially in the US and Europe. The founding team consists of a group of first-time founders and serial entrepreneurs, based in Zürich and deeply embedded in leading Swiss academic research institutions: CEO Dr. Hans Maria Heÿn, CTO Dr. Ruth Ketley, CSO PD Dr. med. Dr. sc. nat. Tobias Weiss, CSO Dr. Yanan Zhang, Senior Scientist Dr. Stavros Stavrakis, CFO Dr. Julia Flötotto, and Dr. Valentin Piëch.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to strengthen ongoing research and provide the basis for company formation.
Current wastewater management is based on enormous freshwater use while reclaimable resources remain untouched. Circular Flow Technologies produces modular wastewater units that allow treatment and on-site resource recovery.
The founding team pairs long years of technology research (Eawag) with product engineering experience from the industry (Helbling AG). Michel Riechmann, with 12 years of experience and a broad network in resource-oriented sanitation, leads the business operation. David Hasler, PhD and mechanical engineer with industry practice is in charge of the technology and product development. Kai Udert, professor at ETH and group leader at Eawag secures the ongoing dialog between research and practice.
Circular Flow Technologies products bring resource recovery to the home appliance scale and will revolutionize the wastewater sector. Their customers (public toilet operators, off-grid living) gain a new dimension of flexibility. No dependency on the existence of a sewer connection. No nasty manual emptying of temporary toilet solutions. Instead, value creation from an untapped resource by creating a fertilizer product. According to the Boston Consulting Group, the global non-sewered sanitation market has a value of 5.4 B USD.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to increase and strengthen the partner network and to create necessary marketing material. Further, legal preparation to support the founding of the company is made possible.
CWAVE: Swiss Foundry for TFLN Photonic Chips
While Silicon Photonics has limitations, TFLN offers promising advantages, though it still requires development for full market adoption.
CWAVE is an open-access foundry for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) technology. They are advancing innovation in a USD 15B market vital to data telecommunications, high-performance computing (HPC), AI, and quantum computing. Leveraging over five years of R&D at CSEM, the team supports prototyping and pilot production with monolithic and heterogeneous solutions, utilizing CSEM’s cleanroom in the first phase. From day one, CWAVE delivers TFLN PICs through MPW (multi-project wafer) runs, with a clear roadmap for high-volume production in a dedicated fab facility in later phases. Led by tech manager Hamed Sattari, CWAVE is on track to lead the TFLN PIC market within five years, focusing on B-to-B solutions.
EVis Bioscience: next-gen safe gene delivery into the retina
Gene therapy is changing the future of medicine, receiving the first FDA approval for eye disease in 2017. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is the most efficient vector for delivering genes to the eye. However, it displays relevant drawbacks/limits that may render the treatment ineffective.
EVis Bioscience developed a next-generation non-viral vehicle for safe gene delivery into the retina. Founded by Dr. Elita Montanari, Prof. Gianfranco Vento, and Tommaso Caselli, EVis Bioscience spun out of ETH Zürich in June 2024.
sefit: Strengthening sensory filters for better social integration
The startup addresses impaired stimulus filtering, a condition common in individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autismus Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and migraines. People affected by this struggle to manage sensory input, leading to overwhelming experiences that disrupt social interactions, education, and work.
Founded by Elena Börlin and Eric Nerger, the startup leverages its expertise in medical informatics and clinical research to develop a VR-based tool aimed at helping those with impaired stimulus filtering. This solution is a non-pharmacological addition or alternative compared to the off-label medication which can support patients suffering from impaired stimulus filtering. Our goal is to empower the patients to manage sensory overload and stress more effectively. The Total Addressable Market (TAM) for this solution is 120 million individuals across DACH, USA, and Canada, highlighting a growing demand for non-pharmaceutical solutions.
They will use the VK Stage 1 funds to finance digital biomarkers for clinical studies, including purchasing 30 FitBit smartwatches. The remaining amount will be allocated toward the support of acquiring ISO 13485.
zuriEV: Breakthrough Non-Invasive Cancer Detection & Monitoring
Tumors need to be detected earlier and more precise - especially those where limited therapeutic options exist at later stages, such as pancreatic, lung, liver, kidney, and brain tumors. Currently, diagnosis is expensive, inaccurate, and occurs too late.
zuriEV has discovered a highly sensitive and specific, multi-omics compatible, pan-tumor liquid biopsy platform allowing the detection of tumor-specific EVs with a high specificity and sensitivity. With our scalable biopsy platform, they can detect, isolate, and quantify tumor marker-carrying EVs directly from blood. This opens the door to the multi-billion market of early tumor diagnosis and subsequent treatment monitoring – especially in the US and Europe. The founding team consists of a group of first-time founders and serial entrepreneurs, based in Zürich and deeply embedded in leading Swiss academic research institutions: CEO Dr. Hans Maria Heÿn, CTO Dr. Ruth Ketley, CSO PD Dr. med. Dr. sc. nat. Tobias Weiss, CSO Dr. Yanan Zhang, Senior Scientist Dr. Stavros Stavrakis, CFO Dr. Julia Flötotto, and Dr. Valentin Piëch.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to strengthen ongoing research and provide the basis for company formation.