Promising student ventures receive financial backing

The student-led venture capital firm Founderful Campus, established to help students at Swiss universities unlock opportunities in the tech startup ecosystem, invests CHF 25,000 in each selected venture. Receiving this funding boost reinforces startups’ ambitions, allowing them to advance their solutions as they prepare for larger rounds.

 During the Autumn semester of 2023, the fund invested in six startup projects, three of which were announced earlier this year. The new additions have just been announced and these are:

K2 Photonics is an ETH Zurich spinoff that designs and develops an ultrafast laser called dual-comb laser that allows for producing two laser beams from a single optical cavity. By cancelling out disturbances from the environment, the technology allows the precision of optical frequency combs to be harnessed with a simpler and more cost-effective laser setup. This technology is envisioned to power the next generation of laser inspection hardware, which can be used to measure ultra-precise 3D profiles of industrial parts, thicknesses of functional coatings, semiconductor microchips, and even gas compositions in the air. Margaux Kobelt acted as deal captain.

Studyflash built an AI-powered tool that automates the creation of flashcards from users’ slides, notes, or other study materials, eliminating the need for manual creation. With their approach, the startup also optimizes study plans through features like active recall and spaced repetition, helping users achieve better knowledge retention, hence helping users save time and enhance their learning experience. The project had Teresa Urban as deal captain.

csky.ai secured funding to advance its privacy-focused AI technology for enhancing and securing confidential human conversations such as from medical consultations or board meetings, where traditional cloud-based AI services pose risks of data breaches. Founded in 2022, the EPFL startup developed the plug-and-play device - ClearMind, embedded with a smart microphone - that processes data locally on the device, rather than relying on remote cloud servers, ensuring that sensitive conversational data remains within the room and is not transmitted to external servers. This approach improves privacy and security. The deal captain was Hyeyoung Eléonore Sun.

Startups that have a Swiss university affiliation can apply for funding on an ongoing basis via the Founderful Campus website. 

(RAN)