“We have achieved a lot in the past months and we are eager to fully unfold the potential of our technology”

Tell us how the idea of Haelixa was born, and what decided you to become a woman entrepreneur.
Haelixa technology has been developed during my PhD at ETH together with a team. I am passionate about this technology and want to use my enthusiasm for it, which has never faded, to convince other people about how great it is and how many possibilities it offers. This comes together with a personal disposition and willingness to be an entrepreneur: I like independence, flexibility, challenges and variety. I want to make a difference: I enjoy the position of taking on responsibilities and making decisions which can lead to changes, either success or downfall. I don’t primarily consider the work as an instrument to earn money, but I enjoy the work itself. Therefore, I need to like and believe in what I do and see a value (for ex., economic, social) in it.

Tell us, in a few words, what your company does, and what makes your product better than existing solutions.
Haelixa GmbH provides green tracer products and analytic services for the oil and geothermal energy industry to obtain valuable information about underground fluids (oil, water). This improves underground resource exploitation and reduces associated costs and risks. Our portfolio also includes safe and reliable anti-counterfeiting tracer solutions for a range of products such as fuels, polymer and luxury goods.

As opposed to current available solutions, Haelixa’s technology allows to design and produce the industry's largest and most versatile tracer portfolio. Moreover, while most tracing substance are toxic, our tracers are harmless and environmentally friendly.

Haelixa CTO Gediminas Mikutis and Michela Puddu at their premises in Zurich 

You just made it to the second round of Venture Kick. Congrats! In your opinion, how did you convince the jury on stage 2?
We have a disrupting technology and an even more promising team! The jury saw that we have achieved a lot in the past months and that there is a lot of potential which we are eager to fully unfold.

Why did you apply for Venture Kick and what are the benefits of such a program for your startup?
We want people to get to know us and what we do, and Venture Kick is a great support to make that happen. The kickers camp we participated in after stage one was great. We got “kicked” intensively and learned a lot from it! We also had the chance to extend our network through the program and get useful contacts. And obviously money, money, money (laughs). We used this seed funding to set up our website and meet potential customers and partners across Europe.

In your opinion, what will be the key elements with which you will be able to convince the jury on stage 3?
We will have to show that we are able to execute what we planned to do, and that we have developed a robust business model.


Michela Puddu with our Venture Kick alumnus Andrea Maesani from the EPFL startup Intento.

You just traveled to New York with the Swiss national startup team in Technology, also known as the venture leaders in Technology. How did the trip help your company?
It was a great experience, which contributed to my growth as an entrepreneur. We had the chance to dive into the US startup ecosystem and experience the American selling culture, which was highly inspiring and educational. I have learned from it how to better communicate our vision and sell our products.

Any highlight of the trip?
I have particularly enjoyed the visit to Kickstarter, an amazing company with a fantastic business model.

You were the captain of the venture leaders Technology team this year. How was the atmosphere and team work in New York?
I had great time with the guys! Everybody contributed with his personality and experiences to make it a special and fruitful week.

What is your vision for your company and product?
To become the leading provider of high performance tracing solutions and services. We want to establish a new standard in the industry.

What are the next steps for Haelixa?
We will look for more funding and need to expand the team. Also, crucial for our growth will be the establishment of a strategic partnership.