Startups developing seasonally stored renewables, next-gen blood pressure regulation, a platform for fashion content creation, innovative prosthetic sockets each get CHF 10,000
25.10.2024
apricot 366, Neurovia Bioelectronics, Shootify, and SoftSocket were selected at Venture Kick's first financial and entrepreneurial support stage. Their projects develop a solution for delivering heat and electricity just in time and even in winter, based on aluminum as an energy carrier that is produced based on renewable electricity and without CO2 emissions; introduce a minimally invasive implant capable of regulating autonomic functions like blood pressure using real-time neural stimulation; provide an innovative platform that revolutionizes fashion content creation through a custom Generative AI model tailored specifically for the industry; produce a soft, breathable, and self-adjustable prosthetic socket that’s more affordable and adaptable than conventional prosthetics, specially designed for active users and children's growth.
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 apricot 366: Michel Haller (CEO and visionary), Miren Agote Aran (chemist), Jan Hüppi and Simon Meier (engineering, prototyping), and Yvonne Bäuerle (management, process automation and LCA), backed up by Prof. Andre Heel and Prof. Andreas Häberle from OST.
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 Neurovia Bioelectronics: CEO William Esposito and CTO Omar Shalby
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 Shootify: CTO Cardoso, CPO Ravao, and CEO Ambrosini
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 SoftSocket: Co-Founders Cara Ammann and Lisa-Marie Frühauf
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apricot 366: Heat and power supply from seasonally stored renewables
While renewable energies like solar and wind are cheap, and short-term energy storage solutions are available and affordable, there is a lack of scalable technologies for storing renewable energy over longer time or transporting it over long distances.
The company apricot 366 was founded as a spin-off from OST – University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil and the EU Horizon Europe project REVEAL (www.reveal-storage.eu). The driving forces are Michel Haller (CEO and visionary), Miren Agote Aran (chemist), Jan Hüppi and Simon Meier (engineering, prototyping), and Yvonne Bäuerle (management, process automation and LCA), backed up by Prof. Andre Heel and Prof. Andreas Häberle from OST. The product is a solution for delivering heat and electricity just in-time and even in winter, based on aluminium as an energy carrier that is produced based on renewable electricity and without CO2 emissions. This solution will be able to cover the “winter gap” of energy that remains after the energy systems in Central Europe have been decarbonized and fossil fuels replaced mainly with solar and wind power. The size of the winter energy gap is expected to be 10 TWh each year, and corresponds to a market of roughly 2 billion Euros for Switzerland alone.
Venture Kick stage 1 funding will be used to get a better understanding of the main market and customers. These are building owners that need heat and as well electricity in winter. This customer segment is quite heterogeneous and contains from single family to private multifamily and institutional owners of large buildings, the different customer segments and their motivations to buy or not to buy need to be understood in detail to identify the most promising segments for market entry and provide the best solution for their needs.
Neurovia Bioelectronics: Revolutionizing blood pressure regulation
Chronic neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Multiple System Atrophy disrupt the autonomic nervous system, causing severe issues such as blood pressure instability and urinary dysfunction. Current treatments are invasive and often ineffective.
Neurovia Bioelectronics, based in Geneva, Switzerland, introduces a minimally invasive implant capable of regulating autonomic functions like blood pressure using real-time neural stimulation. The device, inserted via catheter, reduces patient recovery times and improves therapeutic efficacy. Our team, led by CEO Dr. William Esposito and CTO Omar Shalby, leverages expertise in material sciences and neuroengineering, targeting an estimated $500 million market in orthostatic hypotension.
The Venture Kick Stage 1 funds will support our prototype refinement and market exploration, bringing us closer to validating our implant's necessity in regulating blood pressure in patients with autonomic disorders.
Shootify: Revolutionizing fashion content creation
Fashion brands face a significant challenge in producing high-quality visual content rapidly and cost-effectively. Traditional photo shoots are expensive and time-consuming, making it difficult for brands to keep pace with fast fashion cycles and the constant demand for fresh, engaging content.
Founded by Luca Ambrosini, Felipe Cardoso, and Andrea Ravano, Shootify is an innovative platform that revolutionizes fashion content creation through a custom Generative AI model tailored specifically for the industry. Their technology prioritizes unparalleled accuracy in garment specifications and fitting—elements that are fundamental for fashion brands and their customers. By enabling the instant generation of precise, high-quality images, Shootify not only streamlines the content creation process but also opens new possibilities for enhancing customer experience. The global fashion market, worth over $2 trillion, provides a vast arena for Shootify's scalable and industry-specific solution.
The Venture Kick Stage 1 funds will be instrumental in helping Shootify sharpen its market entry strategy. We aim to determine the optimal client focus—be it large brands, small brands, agencies, or direct partnerships—and identify niche segments where our technology can make the most immediate impact.
SoftSocket: Creating innovative, adaptable prosthetic sockets designed for sports and children's growth
Conventional prosthetics are uncomfortable, expensive, and rigid, making them unsuitable for sports and unable to adapt to children's growth. They often require extensive customization and can pose safety risks during physical activities. As a result, only 25% of individuals with upper limb differences have or regularly use prostheses.
SoftSocket's innovation is a soft, breathable, and self-adjustable prosthetic socket that’s more affordable and adaptable than conventional prosthetics, specially designed for active users and children's growth. Behind this innovation are Cara Ammann, a biomedical engineer, and Lisa-Marie Frühauf, a master’s student in entrepreneurship. Along with their team, they are addressing a market of 26 million people worldwide, projected to grow to 50 million by 2050.
The Venture kick fund will be allocated to advanced product development and comprehensive product testing, allowing us to ensure that our prosthetic socket delivers optimal comfort, safety, and performance for our users before its market launch
While renewable energies like solar and wind are cheap, and short-term energy storage solutions are available and affordable, there is a lack of scalable technologies for storing renewable energy over longer time or transporting it over long distances.
The company apricot 366 was founded as a spin-off from OST – University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil and the EU Horizon Europe project REVEAL (www.reveal-storage.eu). The driving forces are Michel Haller (CEO and visionary), Miren Agote Aran (chemist), Jan Hüppi and Simon Meier (engineering, prototyping), and Yvonne Bäuerle (management, process automation and LCA), backed up by Prof. Andre Heel and Prof. Andreas Häberle from OST. The product is a solution for delivering heat and electricity just in-time and even in winter, based on aluminium as an energy carrier that is produced based on renewable electricity and without CO2 emissions. This solution will be able to cover the “winter gap” of energy that remains after the energy systems in Central Europe have been decarbonized and fossil fuels replaced mainly with solar and wind power. The size of the winter energy gap is expected to be 10 TWh each year, and corresponds to a market of roughly 2 billion Euros for Switzerland alone.
Venture Kick stage 1 funding will be used to get a better understanding of the main market and customers. These are building owners that need heat and as well electricity in winter. This customer segment is quite heterogeneous and contains from single family to private multifamily and institutional owners of large buildings, the different customer segments and their motivations to buy or not to buy need to be understood in detail to identify the most promising segments for market entry and provide the best solution for their needs.
Neurovia Bioelectronics: Revolutionizing blood pressure regulation
Chronic neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Multiple System Atrophy disrupt the autonomic nervous system, causing severe issues such as blood pressure instability and urinary dysfunction. Current treatments are invasive and often ineffective.
Neurovia Bioelectronics, based in Geneva, Switzerland, introduces a minimally invasive implant capable of regulating autonomic functions like blood pressure using real-time neural stimulation. The device, inserted via catheter, reduces patient recovery times and improves therapeutic efficacy. Our team, led by CEO Dr. William Esposito and CTO Omar Shalby, leverages expertise in material sciences and neuroengineering, targeting an estimated $500 million market in orthostatic hypotension.
The Venture Kick Stage 1 funds will support our prototype refinement and market exploration, bringing us closer to validating our implant's necessity in regulating blood pressure in patients with autonomic disorders.
Shootify: Revolutionizing fashion content creation
Fashion brands face a significant challenge in producing high-quality visual content rapidly and cost-effectively. Traditional photo shoots are expensive and time-consuming, making it difficult for brands to keep pace with fast fashion cycles and the constant demand for fresh, engaging content.
Founded by Luca Ambrosini, Felipe Cardoso, and Andrea Ravano, Shootify is an innovative platform that revolutionizes fashion content creation through a custom Generative AI model tailored specifically for the industry. Their technology prioritizes unparalleled accuracy in garment specifications and fitting—elements that are fundamental for fashion brands and their customers. By enabling the instant generation of precise, high-quality images, Shootify not only streamlines the content creation process but also opens new possibilities for enhancing customer experience. The global fashion market, worth over $2 trillion, provides a vast arena for Shootify's scalable and industry-specific solution.
The Venture Kick Stage 1 funds will be instrumental in helping Shootify sharpen its market entry strategy. We aim to determine the optimal client focus—be it large brands, small brands, agencies, or direct partnerships—and identify niche segments where our technology can make the most immediate impact.
SoftSocket: Creating innovative, adaptable prosthetic sockets designed for sports and children's growth
Conventional prosthetics are uncomfortable, expensive, and rigid, making them unsuitable for sports and unable to adapt to children's growth. They often require extensive customization and can pose safety risks during physical activities. As a result, only 25% of individuals with upper limb differences have or regularly use prostheses.
SoftSocket's innovation is a soft, breathable, and self-adjustable prosthetic socket that’s more affordable and adaptable than conventional prosthetics, specially designed for active users and children's growth. Behind this innovation are Cara Ammann, a biomedical engineer, and Lisa-Marie Frühauf, a master’s student in entrepreneurship. Along with their team, they are addressing a market of 26 million people worldwide, projected to grow to 50 million by 2050.
The Venture kick fund will be allocated to advanced product development and comprehensive product testing, allowing us to ensure that our prosthetic socket delivers optimal comfort, safety, and performance for our users before its market launch