Everything slows down during the holidays, but usually not company founders. So it’s not surprising that accelerator programmes are being launched this summer. Startupticker reports on who has made it into Kickstart Accelerator and Startcup Ticino.
Dear reader
Kickstart Accelerator from Digital Switzerland was launched last year and as participants do not have to give any equity to the organisers, it’s no wonder that interest has been huge. A total of 1,500 teams from all over the world have applied for this year’s competition. Now the 30 participating companies have been made known and they include nine Swiss start-ups.
By the way, Digital Switzerland has finally made its mark throughout Switzerland. The Steering Committee for western Switzerland has acquired two well-known personalities in EPFL president Martin Vetterli and National Councillor Fathi Derder.
In Ticino, too, start-up promotion does not have a summer break. Startcup Ticino is fully underway: the initiative is offering potential entrepreneurs an accelerator programme and will award the best with prize money of up to CHF 50,000. This week, 25 projects were selected to be included in the accelerator.
With its new spectrometer, the university spin-off IRsweep brings light into dark. Now a market entry is targeted and the young firm has acquired an industrial company as a strategic investor. Lausanne-based PB&B, which has a technology that makes facial wrinkles disappear, has secured a financial injection in the form of equity.
This week saw an exit: ETH spin-off Kapanu was taken over by the Liechtenstein group Ivoclar Vivadent.
It is crucial for medtech and biotech companies that their procedure or drug gains regulatory approval. This week, two Swiss start-ups managed this milestone: Basel biotech start-up Polyneuron Pharmaceuticals has received approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system. And the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light to Versantis’s therapy for liver and kidney disease.
A whole range of competitions are currently underway. Seedhopper, a new initiative to support and help Swiss start-ups in the health and personal care sector, has been launched with a summer prize competition – the three winners will each receive CHF 20,000: the application deadline is 10 September. A compilation of all awards with their application details and dates can be found in startupticker’s Award Directory.
And stay up to date with startupticker’s award alert – it lets you know about forthcoming activities and tenders in a special newsletter.
Have a good weekend.
Claus Niedermann
startupticker.ch
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