InkVivo wins the 2021 Boldbrain Startup Challenge

The national jury assessed the ten finalist projects and announced the five winners, who were awarded cheques for a total value of CHF 120.000, as well as in-kind services that will enable them continue with the development of their project. The sixth prize of CHF 10.000 was awarded by the audience via an electronic vote in the auditorium. The final event was held held on Thursday, December 2, at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Lugano

The first prize went to InkVivo. The team develops a biopolymer which, when imbued with pain-relief and anti-inflammatory drugs, can be applied on patients after surgery, releasing progressively the painkillers and thus reducing suffering. A longer portrait can be found in another startupticker.ch article. InkVivo received a cheque for 40.000 Swiss francs, a full scholarship of 52.000 francs to study for the Executive Master in Business Administration at USI, and a 12-hour package of legal advice from Bär & Karrer worth 5.000 francs.

The CHF 30.000 cheque for second place went to Pepper. Its solution enables gamers to easily share computing power that they do not need for themselves. Gamers use powerful computers and with Pepper, gamers can make these resources available and get paid for it. Users download and install the application on their computers and in this way they can immediately start sharing their excess power, which is used when they are not playing games. More than 22’000 users are already sharing their resources.

Talent4Gig came in third receiving a cheque for CHF 20.000. The skill verification platform makes the recruiting process for software engineers easier und much faster. Talent4gig's artificial intelligence allows to test candidates' skills making sure that companies find the talents with the right professional skills.

Finally, the fourth and fifth place winners DolcePack and Arcadia each received CHF 10.000. In adition Arcadia won the audience award. DolcePack offers a modern, versatile machine for packaging products in flexible, recyclable pouches. The machines enable customers to save space and energy. First machines have already been sold. Arcadia selects human- and environmentally-safe bacteria that can transform demolition, mining and wood waste into useful objects of any form, such as bio-cement blocks, bricks, tables, tiles and even houses made of recycled wood.

Sponsor Hemargroup awarded its two special prizes to Ethafa and motuSML, who will have the opportunity to start working on the prototyping of their idea. Finally, the new special prize awarded by Fondazione Agire will provide Ethafa, Lealty, and PepperZone with a workspace at the Tecnopolo Ticino in Manno.

The Boldbrain Startup Challenge is a three-month acceleration programme for innovative ideas organised by Fondazione Agire with the support of USI Startup Centre, and sponsored by the Department of Finances and Economy of the Canton Ticino and BancaStato. This year the program was organised for the fourth time.

The whole award ceremony was recorded and published on Youtube. 

(Press release / SK)