Three Swiss startups secure European grants

EPFL spinoff Readily3D develops ultra-rapid, user-friendly 3D printers to make research in biosciences quicker and more efficient. Their volumetric printing technology enables the fabrication of complex structures in seconds. Readily3D partnered up with biotech company CelVivo and research and technology organisation Bioneer from Denmark – with the support of EPFL and the University of Southern Denmark – to develop a platform for the automated production of 3D cell-based assays. The joint project will combine two stress-free and cell-friendly technologies: Readily3D’s unique volumetric printing system and CelVivo’s clinostat incubator. These will facilitate the automated production of complex 3D-shaped bio-constructs in an incubation environment. The Eurostars-3 joint programme, with co-funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, has granted the consortium EUR 2.3 million to implement this project. Other financial sponsors include Innosuisse for the Swiss partners and the Innovation Fund Denmark (IFD) for the Danish partners.

Ligentec and the 6G-EWOC consortium secure EUR 4 million
Lausanne-based startup Ligentec manufactures Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) for customers in high-tech areas such as AI, Quantum technologies, LiDAR and Biosensors. The team focuses on autonomous driving and aims to develop solutions for better connectivity between vehicles to achieve safer and more efficient transport on the road. Through their AI-enhanced fiber-wireless optical 6G network, they provide real-time information on surrounding vehicles to all traffic participants. The B2B company is part of the multinational 6G-EWOCconsortium, funded by the European Smart Networks and Services (SNS) Joint Undertaking (JU) with EUR 4 million. The 6G-EWOC consortium consists of 11 partners from 8 European countries and aims to address the multi-disciplinary research agenda. The partners will work on topics such as optical wireless communications and sensing for situational awareness and connectivity and seamless access to edge datacentres through a high-capacity fiber front haul. Ligentec will demonstrate the capability of photonics technology by introducing a highly miniaturised optical beamformer serving as an optical antenna. The project is led by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) as the project coordinator and the Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) as the technical manager. Further partners include a research & technology organisation (AIT Austrian Institute of Technology) with extensive experience in turning lab science into applicable assets.

Horizon Europe grant awarded to DILAPRO
Founded in 2020, with headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, AMiquam is developing integrated wireless sensors to control and monitor the quality of layers in additive manufacturing (3D printing). AMiquam is a member of the Digital Laser Production “DILAPRO” consortium, working on an EU Horizon project to make Europe the first digitally-led circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy. The consortium will achieve this by driving decarbonisation and the twin Green and Digital Transitions, via two ground-breaking software tools for laser-based production of complex products. DILAFACT (Digital Laser Factory) is a sustainable and scalable platform for laser process planning via Digital Twins of laser-material interactions, including additive, subtractive, and thermal processes while DILACERT (Digital Laser Certification) enables end users to easily process production data for certification, paving the way for remote semiautomated digital certification of produced parts. DILAPRO was submitted to the High-precision/complex product manufacturing call. With an acceptance rate of only 12%, the project was accepted to receive funding – the grant amount of € 6.33 million, including the Swiss contribution (data on cordis). Alongside Amiquam are 11 project partners led by the Danish Technological Institute.

Most collaborative projects in Horizon Europe are open to participants from non-associated third countries such as Switzerland. Swiss entities have to apply in the role of associated partners. Eligible costs will be reimbursed by the State Secretariat of Education, Research and Innovation SERI as long as Switzerland is not associated with Horizon Europe. More information can be found on the websites of Euresearch and SERI.

(SR/RAN)