When a single drop of blood and a small bikes’ tire valve bring Swiss innovation forward: Lucentix from EPF Lausanne and Sport Components Ltd. from Zurich kicked by CHF 130.000 each.
14.07.2015
The EPFL spin-off Lucentix and the Zurich based startup Sport Components Ltd. received CHF 130’000 each, the maximum funding granted by Venture Kick. Lucentix develops a new biosensor technology allowing patients to measure themselves with just a single drop of blood and get quicker laboratory-quality results. Sport Components Ltd. provides an innovative solution to measure and refill sealant in tubeless bikes, and just announced a sales partnership with a US company.
 Rudolf Griss, co-founder of Lucentix
|
 |
 Pius Kobler and Sven Rizzotti from Sport Components Ltd
|
|
Today, diabetics can measure their blood sugar levels themselves using a simple glucose meter wherever they are and whenever they want to. Even though patient’ self-monitoring would be equally beneficial for a number of other diseases, most of these blood tests still require a diagnostic laboratory, trained personnel and expensive equipment.
Biosensor technology to make patient’ self-monitoring faster and cheaper
The EPFL Spin-off Lucentix develops a new biosensor technology that allows patients to measure the precise concentration of substances in a single drop of blood or saliva using an inexpensive handheld device, providing laboratory-quality results within minutes. As a first application, Lucentix is developing a self-monitoring solution for patients suffering from the metabolic disease phenylketonuria leading to irreversible severe mental disabilities, where blood levels have to be measured frequently to adjust a specific diet. “The best thing about Venture Kick is their extremely pragmatic and goal-oriented approach. It is not about learning MBA techniques, but about asking the right questions, putting you in charge and acting. Now our company’s goal is to finalize the development of our phenylketonuria self-monitoring system and test it on patients”, says Rudolf Griss, co-founder of Lucentix.
Watch the presentation video from Lucentix
Stressless innovation for tubeless bikes
The idea for the Zurich based Startup Sport Components Ltd. was born during a mountain bike trip, with a flat tubeless tire due to dried out sealant. The product development engineer from ETH Zurich and addicted mountain biker Pius Kobler decided to do something about it and invented milKit, a novel system that allows to measure and refill sealant in tubeless bicycle tires without having to release the air pressure. Together with another biking enthusiast and experienced entrepreneur, Sven Rizzotti, he founded Sport Components Ltd early 2015 and aims to provide mountain bikers and other athletes with innovative products.
Ready to conquer the North American market
“Our experience with Venture Kick was extremely stimulating and challenging. The most important thing that this project brought to our company was the feedback and input from experts”, says Pius Kobler. Sven Rizzotti adds: “It’s not only about financial support; it’s also about the sharing of expertise and motivation that occurs during the “kicker’s camps” after you showcase your project. This allows a sophisticated idea to become reality.” Above all Pius Kobler went as a member of the Swiss National Startup Team this June to Boston and New York. During the business development trip he agreed on a sales partnership with a US company to conquer the North American market with his innovative product.
Don't miss the product video of Sport Components Ltd
Biosensor technology to make patient’ self-monitoring faster and cheaper
The EPFL Spin-off Lucentix develops a new biosensor technology that allows patients to measure the precise concentration of substances in a single drop of blood or saliva using an inexpensive handheld device, providing laboratory-quality results within minutes. As a first application, Lucentix is developing a self-monitoring solution for patients suffering from the metabolic disease phenylketonuria leading to irreversible severe mental disabilities, where blood levels have to be measured frequently to adjust a specific diet. “The best thing about Venture Kick is their extremely pragmatic and goal-oriented approach. It is not about learning MBA techniques, but about asking the right questions, putting you in charge and acting. Now our company’s goal is to finalize the development of our phenylketonuria self-monitoring system and test it on patients”, says Rudolf Griss, co-founder of Lucentix.
Watch the presentation video from Lucentix
Stressless innovation for tubeless bikes
The idea for the Zurich based Startup Sport Components Ltd. was born during a mountain bike trip, with a flat tubeless tire due to dried out sealant. The product development engineer from ETH Zurich and addicted mountain biker Pius Kobler decided to do something about it and invented milKit, a novel system that allows to measure and refill sealant in tubeless bicycle tires without having to release the air pressure. Together with another biking enthusiast and experienced entrepreneur, Sven Rizzotti, he founded Sport Components Ltd early 2015 and aims to provide mountain bikers and other athletes with innovative products.
Ready to conquer the North American market
“Our experience with Venture Kick was extremely stimulating and challenging. The most important thing that this project brought to our company was the feedback and input from experts”, says Pius Kobler. Sven Rizzotti adds: “It’s not only about financial support; it’s also about the sharing of expertise and motivation that occurs during the “kicker’s camps” after you showcase your project. This allows a sophisticated idea to become reality.” Above all Pius Kobler went as a member of the Swiss National Startup Team this June to Boston and New York. During the business development trip he agreed on a sales partnership with a US company to conquer the North American market with his innovative product.
Don't miss the product video of Sport Components Ltd