Biotech start-up takes victory at Boldbrain Challenge

The Boldbrain program has provided twenty selected innovative projects with an opportunity to develop and improve their initial idea thanks to five workshops and numerous coaching hours. Yesterday the award ceremony took place in Lugano.

The first prize went to AliperTherapeutics, a spin-off of the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR, affiliated to USI and member of Bios+) that aims to develop pharmacological treatments for prostate cancer with a drug composed of bacteria helping standard therapies work better and delay the development of severe forms of the disease. The project, headed by Nicolò Pernigoni, is an early phase, however scientific results have already been published in a top-class scientific journal. The winner receives a cheque for CHF 40,000, a full scholarship of CHF 52,000 for USI EMBA and a voucher for legal advice at Bär & Karrer worth CHF 5,000.

The CHF 30,000 cheque for second place went to another life sciences start-up. Healiva has developed AQUAtryp, an innovative spray for treating chronic wounds for example diabetic foot ulcers. The start-up is working on a broad wound care portfolio, which combines cell therapy, medical devices, and enzyme technology to cover the whole wound healing process. 

Zario, a digital wellness platform that combines psychology and gamification in daily challenges designed to help users live a digitally balanced life, reducing and replacing screen time and cultivating healthy habits in an engaging and motivating process, came third, receiving a cheque for CHF 20,000. The fourth place and a cheque for CHF 10,000 were taken by Effetto Venturi. The start-up has developed GiPSy, a buoy drone that can be controlled and moved remotely via a Web-App and can maintain its position without anchor thanks to two battery-powered electric motors.

Finally, the fifth place and the audience award, each worth CHF 10,000, were won by Revozona, a startup that uses ozone gas to clean the materials used by the fashion industry to produce clothing, saving 90% of CO2 and water emissions and over 40% of energy and chemicals.

The Boldbrain Challenge is the acceleration programme for innovative ideas organised by Fondazione Agire with the support of USI Startup Centre and sponsored by the Department of Finance and Economy (DFE) of the Canton Ticino and BancaStato.

(Press release / SK)