CHF130‘000 for the „chairless chair“

The chairless chair ETH spin-off noonee was selected as venture kick Phase III winner. Their futuristic looking leg exoskeleton enables factory workers to relax their muscles and sit down during work - without the need for a chair. The device is worn on the legs and allows the user freedom to walk or run, but once activated, the chairless chair holds the users’ bodyweight in the positions he wants to. The lightweight mechatronic device helps to relieve the stress on leg muscles and joints. In the future it can reduce healthcare and associated costs. It is indeed a chair that walks with you.

“venture kick really helped us focus our resources on what we had to do and also provide us some finances to develop the business. Without them we would have had a tough time travelling and marketing. We are presently doing a product design and also preparing a pilot to install our product in factory sites of a big car manufacturer in Germany. Our next steps will be to industrialize,” said Keith Gunura, CEO from noonee, just before flying to the US with the venture leaders, where he will lead the Swiss National Startup Team as captain.

Noonee’s technology is based on research from the Bio-Inspired Robotics laboratory at ETH Zurich. The startup has already won several awards and is for example one of the four Swiss finalists of the MassChallenge. In addition noonee received CHF120’000 from the NCCR Robotics Spin Fund.