Four startups join BIC of CERN’s phase 2 program

The Swiss Business Incubation Centre (BIC) of CERN Technologies program at Park Innovaare is is designed to support entrepreneurs in their business endeavour by offering them access to CERN’s unique technologies, know-how and IP, as well as providing tailor-made business and management coaching, including seed money of CHF 50,000. Selected startups benefit from business development and technology coaching with experts from CERN, Park Innovaare and Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz at each stage. Startups that excel in Phase 1 proceed to Phase 2 to further enhance their ideas, business plan and receive feedback from experts before pitching in the final round. For the competition’s third edition, the following four startups proceed to the second phase: 
 
SE2S GmbH  – founded in 2020 and based in Boppelsen (ZH), SE2S is a tech-SME with over 30 years of experience in radiation qualification, particle detection and data analysis. Its founders gathered profound expertise in radiation qualification and testing, electronics design, hardware and software development, and data evaluation for applications in aerospace. 
 
XRnanotech – from its headquarters in canton Aargau, the startup is developing solutions for X-ray optics applications aiming for the highest quality in resolution, efficiency, stability and design. The startup’s optics allow focusing ever higher-energy beams onto the smallest possible samples. This is crucial for drug discovery, medical imaging, microchip inspection or investigation of advanced materials. 
 
Eurotube – based in Zurich aims to provide testing infrastructure for high-speed vacuum transportation technology such as Hyperloop. It responds to the growing demand of teams that build vehicle prototypes – so-called pods – and industry stakeholders in need of such testing sites for their research and development in Europe. 
 
Swisspod – from the Canton of Valais is building the most affordable and energy-efficient Hyperloop Pods, and bringing together a strong team of multidisciplinary experts passionate about disrupting high-speed travel.
 
The final pitch will take place in October. The four start-ups will have a chance to pitch their idea in front of the committee and selected guests. The winner will move into and join Switzerland Innovation Park Innovaare's ecosystem to benefit from tailor-made business development and marketing support over two years. The incubatee will receive access to CERN's technologies, know-how and IP as well as easier access to the complementary know-how of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI as well as starting capital of CHF 50,000. 

(RAN)