Tolremo’s founder Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual is the Innovator of the Year

The Swiss Ladies Drive staged another edition of the Female Innovation Forum at the BMW Group Brand Experience Center Dielsdorf. More than 250 innovation drivers, investors, business angels, entrepreneurs and startup founders gathered to exchange ideas, learn and gather inspiration from workshops and keynotes.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of six awards during the evening gala. This year's winner of the "Innovator of the Year" award sponsored by BMW is Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual of TOLREMO Therapeutics AG. Based at Biolabor in Muttenz, the startup developed a proprietary drug discovery engine that identifies novel drug resistance regulators and the development of small molecule therapies against non-mutational drug resistance. The company’s drug candidates complement standard cancer therapies to offer better response rates, longer survival and improved quality of life. TOLREMO has recently hired a Chief Medical Officer to gear up for its next critical phase, which included launching its first-in-human clinical trials. The startup is currently raising its Series B financing round to accelerate the step. Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual received a unique piece by Swiss artist Gabriela Brunner, a BMW for one year, and one year of mentoring by BMW marketing manager Melanie Reinwald.

The "Recognition Award" presented by KURZ went to Nathalie Moral of "Clima Now", which mobilises dormant capital, and finance climate solutions showcase them and democratise decision-making with the community. Every cent received goes directly into climate projects.

New awards go to six entrepreneurs
This year, for the first time, six other female innovators were honoured in the areas of "Diversity & Inclusion," "Digital," and "Social," as well as the three Newcomers of the Year in cooperation with Venture Pole. The winner of the Social Innovation Award is Claudine-Sachi Münger, CEO of Tanne Schaffhausen, and she will receive mentoring from renowned top chef Tanja Grandits. The award for the best digital innovation of the year went to Petra Marty of Netpathie.net. She is supported by mentoring from Dave Gleixner, a member of the management board of DQ Solution. The award in the category "Diversity & Inclusion" was presented to Johanna Seeliger from Diversify; she is coached by Roger Wüthrich, a member of the Group Executive Board at Swisscom. Sophia Borowka from Aison Technologies, Cristina Rossi from b-rayZ and Rhiana Spring from Spring Act also received the Newcomer Award.

(Press release/RAN)