European funds to propel Swiss projects

EH Group, a startup from Nyon, designs and develops fuel cell (FC) technology to decarbonize heavy-duty mobility (trucks, trains, ferries, aviation) and large-scale stationary applications (EV superchargers, data centers, back-up). It offers high power density fuel cell stacks with greater efficiency and provides a scalable production process that radically reduces costs.  EH group is part of a multinational consortium, comprising 13 partners including Swiss company Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space) who are working on a 42 months-long European Union-funded project, H2MARINE. The total funding for the project amounts to € 7.5 million. 

The consortium aims to develop hydrogen PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell stack technologies, capable of generating 250 - 300 kW of electric power, which would serve as clean fuel alternatives for ships. This solution could significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the shipping industry and contribute to its environmental sustainability.

reCIRCLE involved in EU research project 
Bernese company reCircle has created the world's first industry solution for reusable packaging. Their products can be reused and refilled, exchanged at 2300 partner businesses in the network or returned. The company is one of 14 research partners from seven countries working on the "STOPP" research project funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon Europe research and innovation program and by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The goal of the project is to significantly reduce waste and its negative impact on the environment by 2030 and to contribute to the implementation of EU sustainability goals and by promoting the use of recyclable plastic packaging in the food sector. Within the project reCIRCLE is responsible for the market tests.  

Vandria is awarded €3.8M in Innosuisse and Eurostars grants 
Swiss biotech Vandria develops mitochondrial therapeutics in the form of first-in-class small molecule mitophagy inducers to address age-related chronic diseases of the CNS, muscle, lung and liver. The Lausanne-based startup received an Innosuisse grant totalling CHF 2.5M (€ 2.7M) and a Eurostars grant amounting € 1.1M (CHF 1.0M) to support the clinical development of two mitophagy drug candidates (VNA-318 and VNA-052) addressing CNS and muscle diseases respectively. This financial support s is a strong validation of Vandria’s scientific approach.The fresh funding follows a research grant awarded two years ago, which resulted in the generation of positive pre-clinical data in the indications of Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and Alzheimer’s Disease.  

The Eurostars grant will support Vandria in generating pre-clinical data for mitophagy drug candidate VNA-052 in its muscle program. In addition to VNA-318 and VNA-052, Vandria has a pipeline of mitophagy-inducing small molecules to address unmet medical need in other diseases such as those related to lung and liver, respectively. 

Terapet SA receives € 1.68M through the Eurostars Program 
CERN spin-off Terapet developed a novel gamma ray detection system for imaging in nuclear medicine. The first product, Qualγscan, is an all-in-one proton-therapy quality-assurance device designed to assess real-time dose distribution. Together with their clinical partners Inselspital Department of Nuclear Medicine from Switzerland and R&D partners Politecnico di Milano and Nuclear Instruments from Italy, Terapet has been awarded € 1.68M through the Eurostars Program. The grant is supported by Innosuisse and the Ministry for Universities and Research (MUR) and the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) from Italy. The combined funding supports the development of a novel Positron Emission Tomography scanner, a diagnostic imaging procedure that produces tomographic images of the body by making radioactively labelled substances visible, using innovative gamma ray detection technology, to be installed at Bern University Hospital’s Inselspital Department of Nuclear Medicine. The collaboration will run for the coming 2.5 years. 

Call for applications 
Eurostars, which is a part of EUs Partnership for Innovative SME's (small and medium sized enterprises) in EU's HORIZON Europe, still has an open call for projects with the deadline on 14.03.2024 approaching fast. This EU-grant supports innovative SMEs and project partners (large companies, universities, research organisations and other types of organisations) by funding international collaborative R&D and innovation projects. By participating, organisations can access public funding for international collaborative R&D projects in all fields.  

(Press releases / SR) 

Image: ©Terapet SA; Photo taken at Bern University Hospital’s Inselspital Department of Nuclear Medicine.