Four deeptech startup teams graduate from the ETH Pioneer fellowship program

ETH Pioneer Fellows receive CHF 150’000 over 12-18 months accompanied with an extensive mentoring and training program at the ieLab. The support enables the selected participants to accelerate the development of their products or services leveraging ETH technology as they embark on the journey towards becoming a successful entrepreneur. Four teams have recently completed the program. They include;

Pascal Guillet and Lea Pokorny with microPow: Less active ingredients, enhanced flavor perception (picture above)

The microPow product allows for a drastic reduction in the concentration of aroma compounds required to achieve desired aromas in end products. This leads to improved sensory and functional properties. Thanks to microPow’s unique microstructure, the extended shelf-life of active ingredients (such as aromas in food products), and how microPow captures and protects these during processing and storage, MicroPow will solve the current contradictory consumer trend asking for all-natural, additive-free, but at the same time highly convenient food products.

Picture above: Left to right: Tomas Brenner (Head ETH ieLab); Pascal Guillet and Lea Pokorny (microPow); Silvio Bonaccio (Head ETH transfer)

Philipp Furler with Sunredox, subsidiary of Synhelion: Liquid fuel from air and sunlight

In the late 1990s and the 2000s, hydrogen was one of the most promising candidates as an alternative fuel for transportation because of its clean combustion. Nowadays, the focus of research has shifted towards synthetic hydrocarbon fuels, such as synthetic gasoline, diesel, kerosene, or fuel methanol, derived from biomass or directly from water and carbon dioxide. Compared to carbon-free energy carriers such as hydrogen or batteries, hydrocarbons offer much higher energy density (per volume) and compatibility with the current global fuel infrastructure.

Non-healing chronic wounds are a major health issue, costing about USD 31.7 billion in the United States alone. Skin wounds or defects can have severe physical and psychological impacts on patients. In hard-to-heal wounds, an autologous skin transplant is one of the best options to reduce pain and is often required to close a wound successfully. RapidGraft developed a medical device to cut precise skin grafts much more quickly and easily compared to existing techniques.

Manuel Schaffner and Petar Stefanov with Spectroplast: Silicone 3D Printing Solutions

Spectroplast developed the world’s first Silicone 3D printing technology that enables to produce silicone products without the use of molds – cutting costs and excess time. All their products are certified and safe to use. Spectroplast provides customized, highest-precision 3D printed silicone components straight out of the printer. It is their vision is to bring industrial-scale silicone 3D printing to the mass market.

(Press release/ran)