ZuriEV secures CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to scale blood test for brain cancer diagnosis
03.06.2025
ZuriEV, a UZH spin-off, has raised CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to build its blood-based diagnostic platform for early-stage brain cancers. By capturing tumor markers directly from blood, the startup targets a CHF 45 billion global market still dominated by invasive, late-stage diagnostics.
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Despite advances in oncology, early detection of aggressive brain tumors—such as glioblastoma and brain metastases—remains a major gap. Current tools are often invasive, expensive, and fail to identify disease until symptoms have already progressed.
ZuriEV's liquid biopsy platform isolates tumor-specific extracellular vesicles (EVs) from blood using proprietary biomarkers developed in-house. The test combines high accuracy with multi-omics compatibility and runs on an automated system designed for clinical-scale use. As the first non-invasive platform targeting tumor-derived EVs across cancer types, it aims to set a new benchmark for early diagnosis and monitoring.
With more than 130 million early cancer screenings needed globally each year, ZuriEV is initially focusing on high-risk brain tumor patients in Europe, with expansion planned for the US and other major cancer markets. The first product launch is planned for 2028, to scale to over 500,000 tests annually by 2031 via centralized labs and distributed diagnostic kits.
The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will help ZuriEV accelerate kit development, complete CE-IVD documentation (in vitro diagnostic), and initiate pilot studies with clinical partners.
ZuriEV's founding team brings together deep expertise across Medtech, clinical oncology, and diagnostics. Dr. Yanan Zhang, an Entrepreneur Fellow from the University of Zurich, leads company strategy and product development. Dr. Tobias Weiss, a physician-scientist at University Hospital Zurich, contributes clinical expertise and networks in neuro-oncology. Dr. Stavros Stavrakis, an engineer from ETH, drives technical innovation based on his background in microfluidics and diagnostic automation.
“Venture Kick pushed us to move faster, think globally, and shape research into a product that matters,” said Co-Founder Yanan Zhang. “This support helped turn ZuriEV from a lab discovery into a venture with real-world potential.”
ZuriEV's founding Co-Founders: Tobias Weiss, Yanan Zhang, and Stavros Stavrakis
ZuriEV's liquid biopsy platform isolates tumor-specific extracellular vesicles (EVs) from blood using proprietary biomarkers developed in-house. The test combines high accuracy with multi-omics compatibility and runs on an automated system designed for clinical-scale use. As the first non-invasive platform targeting tumor-derived EVs across cancer types, it aims to set a new benchmark for early diagnosis and monitoring.
With more than 130 million early cancer screenings needed globally each year, ZuriEV is initially focusing on high-risk brain tumor patients in Europe, with expansion planned for the US and other major cancer markets. The first product launch is planned for 2028, to scale to over 500,000 tests annually by 2031 via centralized labs and distributed diagnostic kits.
The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will help ZuriEV accelerate kit development, complete CE-IVD documentation (in vitro diagnostic), and initiate pilot studies with clinical partners.
ZuriEV's founding team brings together deep expertise across Medtech, clinical oncology, and diagnostics. Dr. Yanan Zhang, an Entrepreneur Fellow from the University of Zurich, leads company strategy and product development. Dr. Tobias Weiss, a physician-scientist at University Hospital Zurich, contributes clinical expertise and networks in neuro-oncology. Dr. Stavros Stavrakis, an engineer from ETH, drives technical innovation based on his background in microfluidics and diagnostic automation.
“Venture Kick pushed us to move faster, think globally, and shape research into a product that matters,” said Co-Founder Yanan Zhang. “This support helped turn ZuriEV from a lab discovery into a venture with real-world potential.”
ZuriEV's founding Co-Founders: Tobias Weiss, Yanan Zhang, and Stavros Stavrakis