MassChallenge Switzerland 2022 Winners in the spotlight

Please login or
register
28.10.2022
Masschallenge Switzerland Winners

MassChallenge Switzerland, part of MassChallenge’s global network for innovators and zero-equity startup accelerators, awarded CHF 400,000 last evening in equity-free cash prizes to the 2022 top 12 startups from its early-stage program and in-kind prizes to 12 runner-up Swiss startups. Four of this year's winners are from Switzerland, Composite Recycling cashing the Diamond Award Big Prize.

Held on October 27th at Beaulieu in Lausanne, the MassChallenge Switzerland Awards Ceremony brought together more than 400 viewers from around the globe. Four Swiss startups scored big this year:

CHF 100K Diamond Winners

Composite Recycling closes the loop on Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastics, like those found in boat hulls or wind turbine blades, by recycling them into reusable glass fibres and pyrolysis oil, which can be sold and used to make new composites and plastics. Their proprietary mobile recycling units are energy positive, using the reaction to self-power. This allows Composite Recycling to sell the reclaimed materials at market value for a profit.

CHF 20K Silver Winners

SensArs Neuroprosthetics: The EPFL startup is specialized in neuromodulation technologies for the peripheral nervous system. SensArs' mission is to provide relief to people suffering from chronic peripheral neuropathic pain and restore naturalistic sensory feedback to people that have lost sensation in their extremities (e.g. amputees).

Cultivated Biosciences: Plant-based alternatives lack a creaminess for which the fat component is key. Cultivated Biosciences is developing an ingredient from GMO-free yeast, which offers the creaminess needed for plant-based dairy to appeal to flexitarian consumers. Their ingredient has the same texture and color as dairy products, low lipid oxidation, and natural emulsification properties.

CHF 10K Bronze Winners

Gaia Tech has invented an innovative method to upcycle agricultural sidestreams into bio-compounds and added-value ingredients. Through its novel approach, Gaia tackles the ever-increasing trend to substitute synthetic compounds by natural alternatives in the cosmetics, food, and feed sector. At the same time, Gaia Tech responds to the pressing needs of the primary sector to create new value streams and to reduce its environmental footprint.

The announcement with all winners can be downloaded below. 

Additional prizes for Swiss startups

In addition to the CHF 400,000 provided by MassChallenge Switzerland, some of its partners also awarded in-kind prizes worth more than CHF 100,000 to startups from the cohort: Reuteler & Cie will provide 12 hours of IP services to SensArs Neuroprosthetics, Rheiazymes, Kly, Beyond Scroll, Arcadia and Healthy-Longer; Kellerhals Carrard will provide 12 hours of legal services to Composite Recycling, Cultivated Biosciences, Gaia Technologies, InnoSpina, Chiral and Voltiris. Additionally, MassChallenge Switzerland and One Young World awarded CHF 10’000 to Cultivated Biosciences to allow them participate in the One Young World 2023 Summit.

Committing to reducing global warming

As announced in 2021, all of 2022’s 106 startups accelerated were “climate responsible” and have an added value for society. In 2022 MassChallenge Switzerland changed its admissions criteria, hired new expert employees, improved its curriculum, ran specific impact and climate-focused events, and collaborated with many partners to support this change. So far, supported startups have offset or sequestered emissions by 8,300,000 tons of CO2 eq. This is the first time it has recorded this data, and together with the improved program, is a small step towards its objective of finding 25 Startups who can each offset or sequester 50m tons of CO2 eq over 10 years.

“In 2022, MassChallenge Switzerland intensified focus on climate responsible startups and societal impact. In 7 years, we have played a key role in developing 610 startups as well as tracking financial and job creation KPIs; we are now tracking impact on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. I would like to congratulate all the startups, thank our fantastic team and say a very big thank you to our partners, who have funded this and should be immensely proud of their contribution.’ Says Ian Roberts, CTO of Bühler and President of MassChallenge Switzerland. Since 2016 MassChallenge Switzerland has supported 610 startups who have raised 965M CHF of funding and created 29,000+ direct & indirect jobs.

(Press release - ES)

0Comments

rss