venture kicker took CHF 98'696.04 home!
15.04.2014
We have the pleasure of announcing the winners of the Pionierpreis 2014. For the first time three venture kick Alumni were nominated. AOT AG who developed a laser light to reinvent bone surgery beat out Medyria AG and Monolitix AG and took home CHF 98'696.04.
 AOT AG, Pionierpreis 2014 winner.
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The first product developed by AOT is a computer-assisted, robot-guided Laser Osteotomy (CARLO). This innovative medical device cuts the bones without contact during complex cranial interventions or during other challenging operations. CARLO enables new sectional geometries, is extremely precise, leads to rapid healing and improves security.
Launch across Europe
The market entry is planned for no later than beginning of 2016. Increased precision and new safety systems will be analyzed this summer. The final clinical tests are scheduled for 2015, so that nothing stands in the way of the approaching launch in Europe. The priority target markets will be public hospitals and private clinics.
Initial financial support thanks to venture kick
AOT was founded as a spin-off from the high-tech research center of the University of Basel in 2011 by oral and maxillofacial surgeons Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans-Florian Zeilhofer and PD Dr. Philipp Jürgens, the software and robotics engineer Prof. Dr. Philippe Cattin C. and the laser physicist Dr. Alfredo Bruno. Since then, nine employees have been working for AOT in Basel. As of March 2014, the company is certified as a manufacturer of medical devices according to DIN 13485:2012.
To establish a good foundation for the startup from the very beginning, Dr. Alfredo Bruno participated in Venture Kick. With success: in September 2010 he won the prize of 130,000 CHF - an important funding capital to cope with the initial founding steps and search for experts. He also completed venturelab courses. When asked how he assessed the promotion of Venture Kick and venturelab today, Dr. Bruno replied enthusiastically at the award ceremony yesterday: “It was the first money that supported our startup and with which we could make our project go ahead. The money was not the only thing that helped us, indeed the support from the dedicated and competent trainers from venture kick and venturelab brought our startup many valuable things.”
The 2014 finalists
At the award ceremony, two other venture kick and venturelab alumni were honored: Medyria AG manufactures technical solutions for catheter navigation and for the measurement of blood flow. Monolitix AG develops and markets innovative mechanisms for medical and micro- technology. All three finalists aim to facilitate the daily work of doctors and ensure high quality medical care for the patients.