Startups developing next-gen mobile security, native immunity to fight cancer, AI-powered intelligence against banks frauds, real-time implant data for continous orthopedic recovery, sustainable compostable packaging each get CHF 10,000
30.01.2025
+Phone, Abbmira Therapeutics, ForenSwiss, OrthoSens, and SurfAce Cleantech were selected at Venture Kick's first financial and entrepreneurial support stage. Their projects introduce a novel software architecture on commercial smartphones; reprogram native immunity to fight difficult-to-treat cancers; and detect payment data used by fraudsters through intelligent conversational agents that simulate victim behavior.; make implants talk for continuous orthopedic recovery; develop a composite coating technology that strengthens bioplastic films, enabling packaging to be 30% thinner and more cost-effective.
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 +Phone: Dr. Ivan Puddu (CEO), Dr. Moritz Schneider (CTO)
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 Abbmira Therapeutics: COO Julia Biwer & CEO Marc Creus
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 ForenSwiss: Co-Founders Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque, Cédric Daucourt, Jean-Marie Ayer, and Renaud Zbinden
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 OrthoSens: CEO Gwenael Hannema, Lead R&D Oleg Kotsur, Strategic Advisor Philippe Etter, and KOL Prof. Alex Alfieri
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 SurfAce Cleantech: CTO Saoirse McConnell & CEO Frederic Mauch
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+Phone: Next-Gen Mobile Security That Puts You in Control
Organizations struggle to balance the trade-off between smartphone security and usability. Current solutions restrict apps, web access, and communication to minimize risks, often forcing employees to adopt workarounds like carrying a second phone, effectively bypassing security efforts.
+Phone introduces a novel software architecture on commercial smartphones that eliminates this trade-off. It delivers a significantly higher level of security than was previously possible – all without compromising phone functionality or user experience. Uniquely, +Phone puts the user in full control of their devices and ensures that privacy and security are maintained even if the operating system (Android, iOS) is compromised.
Founded by Dr. Ivan Puddu (CEO), Dr. Moritz Schneider (CTO), Prof. Dr. Shweta Shinde, and Prof. Dr. Srdjan Capkun, +Phone aims to reshape mobile security. Building on four years of R&D at ETH Zurich, it targets a beachhead market of 55 million devices.
The Venture Kick Stage 1 funds will accelerate business development, helping +Phone forge key partnerships and acquire clients.
Abbmira Therapeutics: Reprogramming Native Immunity to Fight Difficult-to-Treat Cancers
Cancer remains one of the most formidable challenges in modern medicine, claiming more than 10 million lives each year. Most existing anticancer therapies rely on the support of the immune system to clear cancer cells, but in many patients, treatment fails because tumors generate an immuno-suppressive local microenvironment. In specific, tumor-associated macrophages -a type of white cells of the native immune system- represent up to 50% of immune cells in tumors; in many patients these cells become anti-inflammatory, leading to non-responsiveness & to tumor-resistance to conventional therapy.
Abbmira Therapeutics has identified Compound42, an investigational small molecule designed to potentiate anticancer native immunity by reprogramming macrophages. Such reprogrammed cells not only become directly anti-tumoricidal but also signal to the rest of the immune system to join their fight against cancer. Abbmira has amassed significant pre-clinical data demonstrating that Compound42 enhances anticancer activity in mice, validating the scientific rational of its therapeutic program, which has the potential to improve the lives of millions of patients. Abbmira Therapeutics AG was founded in Basel in September 2024. The co-founders of Abbmira currently comprise a team of three committed entrepreneurs -Dr Marc Creus (CEO) & Julia Biwer (COO) & Bob Narquizian (BD)- each with >15 years expertise in business & life sciences and a solid track record in start-ups. This expertise is complemented by a growing network of experienced key advisors & collaborators.
The Venture Kick funds will contribute to defining how the technology can be deployed rapidly into human clinical trials, for the benefit of patients globally.
ForenSwiss: Giving Banks the Edge Against Online Fraud with AI-powered Intelligence
Online fraud is rising fast, costing billions annually. One of the most effective ways for banks to protect their customers is to blacklist bank accounts used by fraudsters. However, this relies on victims reporting the fraud, meaning action is only taken after financial harm has occurred. The reporting process—if it happens at all—can also take time, allowing fraudsters to reuse these accounts or switch to new ones before banks can intervene, reducing the effectiveness of this approach.
ForenSwiss addresses this gap by detecting payment data used by fraudsters through intelligent conversational agents that simulate victim behavior. By collecting and transmitting real-time fraud intelligence to banks, it enables them to act faster, protect their clients more effectively, reduce financial losses, and mitigate money laundering risks within their systems, all without creating a real victim. Behind this innovation is a team combining deep expertise: co-founders Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque and Renaud Zbinden are specialists in online fraud detection, while Cédric Daucourt and Jean-Marie Ayer bring extensive experience in creating cutting-edge conversational AI solutions. With their team, they are on a mission to give financial institutions the tools to outpace fraudsters, starting in the Swiss and European retail banking industry.
Venture Kick's financial support will boost ForenSwiss's visibility and enable participation in key market events.
OrthoSens: Making Implants Talk for Continuous Orthopedic Recovery
Orthopedic surgeries typically rely on static X-rays and sporadic follow-ups, offering minimal real-time feedback. Surgeons often depend on subjective patient reports, which can lead to delayed interventions, reoperations, and suboptimal recovery outcomes.
OrthoSens solves this by embedding its battery-free Sens+ sensor implants. The companion SensApp transforms real-time implant data into a continuous “recovery movie,” enabling timely clinical decisions and boosting patient engagement. Driven by CEO Gwenael Hannema, R&D lead Dr. Oleg Kotsur, strategic advisor and board member Philippe Etter, and Prof. Alex Alfieri (Chairman Neurosurgery at KSW), OrthoSens brings together deep medtech, sensor development, and clinical expertise. Tapping into a global orthopedic market exceeding USD 56B and USD 5.9B in remote patient monitoring, they aim to redefine post-surgical care.
They will use the Venture Kick funds to develop demonstrators and marketing materials, fostering partnerships with established legal manufacturers and surgeons. This support accelerates proof-of-concept and early market traction, paving the way for data-driven orthopedic innovation.
SurfAce Cleantech: Empowering Compostable Packaging, Sustainably
The demand for compostable packaging is surging, driven by stricter regulations on plastics and growing consumer preference for sustainable solutions. However, widespread adoption remains limited due to two key challenges: higher costs and weaker mechanical properties, which prevent bioplastics from fully replacing traditional plastics.
SurfAce Cleantech, co-founded by Frederic Mauch (CEO), a seasoned entrepreneur with deep industry expertise, and Saoirse McConnell (CTO), a chemical engineer specializing in biopolymers with a background in innovative product development, is addressing these barriers head-on. In partnership with EPFL, the company has developed a composite coating technology that strengthens bioplastic films, enabling packaging to be 30% thinner and more cost-effective—a game-changer for the industry.
With the compostable packaging market projected to grow substantially over the next decade, SurfAce is positioned to seize a $8 billion opportunity by 2032. The Venture Kick funding will be instrumental in securing the necessary compostability certification, paving the way for the company’s first product launch and market entry.
Organizations struggle to balance the trade-off between smartphone security and usability. Current solutions restrict apps, web access, and communication to minimize risks, often forcing employees to adopt workarounds like carrying a second phone, effectively bypassing security efforts.
+Phone introduces a novel software architecture on commercial smartphones that eliminates this trade-off. It delivers a significantly higher level of security than was previously possible – all without compromising phone functionality or user experience. Uniquely, +Phone puts the user in full control of their devices and ensures that privacy and security are maintained even if the operating system (Android, iOS) is compromised.
Founded by Dr. Ivan Puddu (CEO), Dr. Moritz Schneider (CTO), Prof. Dr. Shweta Shinde, and Prof. Dr. Srdjan Capkun, +Phone aims to reshape mobile security. Building on four years of R&D at ETH Zurich, it targets a beachhead market of 55 million devices.
The Venture Kick Stage 1 funds will accelerate business development, helping +Phone forge key partnerships and acquire clients.
Abbmira Therapeutics: Reprogramming Native Immunity to Fight Difficult-to-Treat Cancers
Cancer remains one of the most formidable challenges in modern medicine, claiming more than 10 million lives each year. Most existing anticancer therapies rely on the support of the immune system to clear cancer cells, but in many patients, treatment fails because tumors generate an immuno-suppressive local microenvironment. In specific, tumor-associated macrophages -a type of white cells of the native immune system- represent up to 50% of immune cells in tumors; in many patients these cells become anti-inflammatory, leading to non-responsiveness & to tumor-resistance to conventional therapy.
Abbmira Therapeutics has identified Compound42, an investigational small molecule designed to potentiate anticancer native immunity by reprogramming macrophages. Such reprogrammed cells not only become directly anti-tumoricidal but also signal to the rest of the immune system to join their fight against cancer. Abbmira has amassed significant pre-clinical data demonstrating that Compound42 enhances anticancer activity in mice, validating the scientific rational of its therapeutic program, which has the potential to improve the lives of millions of patients. Abbmira Therapeutics AG was founded in Basel in September 2024. The co-founders of Abbmira currently comprise a team of three committed entrepreneurs -Dr Marc Creus (CEO) & Julia Biwer (COO) & Bob Narquizian (BD)- each with >15 years expertise in business & life sciences and a solid track record in start-ups. This expertise is complemented by a growing network of experienced key advisors & collaborators.
The Venture Kick funds will contribute to defining how the technology can be deployed rapidly into human clinical trials, for the benefit of patients globally.
ForenSwiss: Giving Banks the Edge Against Online Fraud with AI-powered Intelligence
Online fraud is rising fast, costing billions annually. One of the most effective ways for banks to protect their customers is to blacklist bank accounts used by fraudsters. However, this relies on victims reporting the fraud, meaning action is only taken after financial harm has occurred. The reporting process—if it happens at all—can also take time, allowing fraudsters to reuse these accounts or switch to new ones before banks can intervene, reducing the effectiveness of this approach.
ForenSwiss addresses this gap by detecting payment data used by fraudsters through intelligent conversational agents that simulate victim behavior. By collecting and transmitting real-time fraud intelligence to banks, it enables them to act faster, protect their clients more effectively, reduce financial losses, and mitigate money laundering risks within their systems, all without creating a real victim. Behind this innovation is a team combining deep expertise: co-founders Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque and Renaud Zbinden are specialists in online fraud detection, while Cédric Daucourt and Jean-Marie Ayer bring extensive experience in creating cutting-edge conversational AI solutions. With their team, they are on a mission to give financial institutions the tools to outpace fraudsters, starting in the Swiss and European retail banking industry.
Venture Kick's financial support will boost ForenSwiss's visibility and enable participation in key market events.
OrthoSens: Making Implants Talk for Continuous Orthopedic Recovery
Orthopedic surgeries typically rely on static X-rays and sporadic follow-ups, offering minimal real-time feedback. Surgeons often depend on subjective patient reports, which can lead to delayed interventions, reoperations, and suboptimal recovery outcomes.
OrthoSens solves this by embedding its battery-free Sens+ sensor implants. The companion SensApp transforms real-time implant data into a continuous “recovery movie,” enabling timely clinical decisions and boosting patient engagement. Driven by CEO Gwenael Hannema, R&D lead Dr. Oleg Kotsur, strategic advisor and board member Philippe Etter, and Prof. Alex Alfieri (Chairman Neurosurgery at KSW), OrthoSens brings together deep medtech, sensor development, and clinical expertise. Tapping into a global orthopedic market exceeding USD 56B and USD 5.9B in remote patient monitoring, they aim to redefine post-surgical care.
They will use the Venture Kick funds to develop demonstrators and marketing materials, fostering partnerships with established legal manufacturers and surgeons. This support accelerates proof-of-concept and early market traction, paving the way for data-driven orthopedic innovation.
SurfAce Cleantech: Empowering Compostable Packaging, Sustainably
The demand for compostable packaging is surging, driven by stricter regulations on plastics and growing consumer preference for sustainable solutions. However, widespread adoption remains limited due to two key challenges: higher costs and weaker mechanical properties, which prevent bioplastics from fully replacing traditional plastics.
SurfAce Cleantech, co-founded by Frederic Mauch (CEO), a seasoned entrepreneur with deep industry expertise, and Saoirse McConnell (CTO), a chemical engineer specializing in biopolymers with a background in innovative product development, is addressing these barriers head-on. In partnership with EPFL, the company has developed a composite coating technology that strengthens bioplastic films, enabling packaging to be 30% thinner and more cost-effective—a game-changer for the industry.
With the compostable packaging market projected to grow substantially over the next decade, SurfAce is positioned to seize a $8 billion opportunity by 2032. The Venture Kick funding will be instrumental in securing the necessary compostability certification, paving the way for the company’s first product launch and market entry.