New bearers of the Innosuisse Certificate ready for the next level

Innosuisse’s three-year core coaching program exposes startups to various aspects of entrepreneurship, enabling them to reach defined milestones. Upon successful completion and if the startups are able to demonstrate remarkable progress achieved during the programme, Innosuisse awards them with its Certificate to recognise their readiness for sustainable growth and external financing.

The following startups have graduated from the program in the first quarter of 2023.

Eracal | Biotech
The EraCal team uses science to fight obesity, one of the leading global health challenges. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 billion people are obese, and by 2025 approximately 167 million people will become unhealthy due to overweight and obesity – complications such as type 2 diabetes, psychosocial disorders, and cancers are among the many resulting complications. EraCal, a spinoff from the University of Zurich and Harvard University, developed a Phenotypic Drug Discovery Platform through which it develops a novel anti-obesity drug candidate, Era-379. The drug candidate is an oral-active appetite suppressor with a novel mode of action. The startup has attracted Novo Nordisk and Nestlé Health Sciences as partners.

MOMM Diagnostics | Medtech
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder that can have devastating effects on the health of the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive and potentially deadly condition. Basel-based startup MOMM Diagnostics addresses this challenge with a rapid test for preeclampsia. The startup’s novel point-of-care technology has superior analytical sensitivity, simplifies blood testing procedures, and assists doctors on-site to save the lives of mothers and babies.

Nagi Bioscience | Medtech
The EPFL Spinoff has been specialising in developing innovative alternatives to animal testing since 2018. With SydLab One, Nagi Bioscience developed the first all-in-one laboratory platform capable of performing end-to-end bioassays and high-content screening of drugs and chemicals on microorganisms in a fully automated and standardised way. The device combines Nagi’s patented Organism-on-Chip microfluidic technology with cutting-edge robotics, machine learning, and biology to automate the entire process of culture, treatment, imaging, and multi-phenotypic analysis of small organisms within a single benchtop laboratory device. Since March this year, the device is available in the market.

Nectariss | food
Established in 2017 by Professor and truffle expert Richard Splivallo and Diana Hernández, Nectariss is a foodtech startup that leverages Splivallo’s discovery that microorganisms living inside truffle fungi were responsible for generating the aroma of truffles. He and his co-founder applied the approach in developing the Nectariss Method, a patented fermentation process based on ancient traditions. The process allows for producing foods with authentic truffle flavours. Based on this approach, the company created the NBROSIA brand, which produces small artisanal batches of authentic truffle oils made with natural truffle fungi. The company currently has three products in its assortment.

Vlot | fintech
Since its founding in 2017, Vlot has been on a mission to help families and individuals make financially responsible decisions, improve their overall financial well-being, and help them identify and close income and savings gaps using the Vlot analysis tool. By aggregating social security benefits, employer benefits, and relevant personal data, the Vlot mobile first and desktop solution transparently displays potential household income and savings gaps. In collaboration with (re-)insurers, pension funds and banks, vlot’s API-based architecture allows for seamless integration of white-label product offerings and underwriting engines for smooth end-to-end digital processes.

(Ritah Ayebare Nyakato)