Venture Kick

1 MILLION PLUS
Startups from Swiss universities can win more than 1 Million in cash plus support and great networks.

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Fighting the fight against the world's leading cause of death: Swiss startups innovating #cancer therapy. Meet the visionary founders and learn about new approaches to save human lives: https://t.co/70KkFX6q7b
#SwissStartups #Cancer #VentureKick

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Carebotics receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to build the digital twin for care homes 🏥 https://t.co/U6MHqJnil1

Carebotics has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance its AI powered operations platform for care homes.

Starting with automated staff scheduling, the platform reduces administrative workload and lays the foundation for a digital twin of care facilities, helping teams coordinate staffing and daily operations more efficiently.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:
🔹 Convert co development partners into paying customers
🔹 Expand into new regions and care facilities
🔹 Advance production readiness, compliance, and infrastructure
By creating a digital operating layer for care homes, Carebotics is helping caregivers spend less time on administration and more time with residents.
Congrats to Cristian Fortuna, Jean Rauber, Camille Lannoye, and Marius Fortuna on this important step forward.
#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Wynveris receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to advance first in class breast cancer therapy 🎗️ https://t.co/0jVuyrGLia

Wynveris has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance the development of the first receptor selective FZD5 inhibitor for triple negative breast cancer.

The therapy is designed to overcome drug resistance and improve the effectiveness of existing treatments, while laying the foundation for a broader receptor selective WNT platform targeting multiple cancers.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:
🔹 Conduct extensive in vitro and in vivo validation studies
🔹 Advance lead optimization and candidate selection
🔹 Further de risk the program ahead of its next financing round

By targeting a key cancer signaling pathway with greater precision, Wynveris is developing new therapeutic options for patients with difficult to treat cancers.

Congrats to Vladimir Katanaev, Marc Denier, Mathurin Baquié, and Alexey Koval on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

calmea receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to bring its sleep intelligence layer to bed manufacturers 😴 https://t.co/F2CXPEPOLA

The @ETH spin off calmea has secured CHF 150,000 in Venture Kick Stage III funding to help bed manufacturers transform ordinary beds into intelligent sleep systems.

Its sensor based platform measures sleep without wearables or cables, combining advanced electronics and machine learning to deliver actionable sleep insights and personalized sleep optimization.

calmea is preparing pilot series with manufacturing partners as it moves toward commercialization and broader market adoption.

With the Stage III funding, the team will:
🔹 Support prototype installations with manufacturing partners
🔹 Prepare pilot series and commercial deployments
🔹 Accelerate the path to market across Europe and North America

By turning beds into intelligent health platforms, calmea is helping people better understand and improve their sleep.

Congrats to Alexander Breuss, Manuel Fujs, Leo Küng, Levin Engeli, and Robert Riener on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

🏆 Five entrepreneurs building what comes next, and we're proud that all five are Venture Kick alumni!

Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 @DeVigier Stiftung Award, each receiving CHF 120,000 to accelerate their entrepreneurial journey:

⭐ OrthoSens (Gwenael Hannema)
Turning orthopedic implants into connected devices that monitor healing in real time.

⭐ Chiral Nano (Seoho Jung)
Enabling the next generation of post-silicon semiconductors with advanced nanomaterials.

⭐ Cria Technologies (Giancarlo Mattiello)
Making the transport of sensitive biological materials safer and more reliable.

⭐ ALPINA+SANA (Dr. Robert Schreiber)
Using AI and targeted nutrition to tackle malnutrition before complications arise.

⭐ Dental Robotics (Dr. Arthur Sebesteny)
Bringing professional preventive dental care directly to patients, wherever they are.

We're equally pleased to see several fellow Venture Kick alumni among the finalists recognized at this year's ceremony.

A huge congratulations to all award winners and finalists. Your innovations are addressing important challenges in healthcare, energy, deep tech, and beyond, and we're excited to follow your next milestones.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Why do investors back some founders and not others? 🤔

According to Venture Kick juror Nathaly Bachmann, the answer goes far beyond the idea itself.

The founders who stand out combine clarity, self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to execute under pressure. They understand their market deeply, embrace feedback, and stay accountable when challenges arise.

As part of our Inside the Jury Room series, Nathaly shares the signals she consistently looks for when evaluating founders during high-pressure startup pitches.

💡Key takeaway: Investors are not only backing an idea, they are backing the person capable of turning it into reality.

Read the full article: https://t.co/Y8NKvpMNex

#VentureKick #SwissStartups #Entrepreneurship #StartupFunding #Innovation

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Sight AI receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to scale AI powered cellular imaging platform 🔬 https://t.co/2uNK397fSJ

Sight AI has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance its AI powered analytics platform for augmented cellular imaging.

The platform combines foundation models and AI agents to streamline biological image analysis, replacing fragmented workflows for life science research and pharmaceutical R&D teams.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:

🔹 Convert industry discussions into pilot projects and early engagements

🔹 Strengthen commercial execution and market outreach

🔹 Advance patent filings and product readiness

By bringing AI driven automation to cellular imaging, Sight AI is helping researchers accelerate discovery and simplify complex biological workflows.

Congrats to Mathieu Fréchin and Sebastien Zussy on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Meet the team behind Vestir AI and discover how they are pushing the boundaries of digital fashion through immersive virtual experiences.

Their cutting-edge platform is redefining how people express their identity, creativity, and personal style in an increasingly digital world, unlocking new possibilities at the intersection of fashion and technology.

We took a closer look at their journey, vision, and the innovation driving the future of self-expression in virtual environments.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

https://t.co/5aGOhJ4Yvh receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to bring tailor made enzymes to resilient and sustainable chemical manufacturing 🧬 https://t.co/AlejeKN6jH

The biotech startup hephaistos bio has secured CHF 150,000 in Venture Kick Stage III funding to scale its AI-driven enzyme engineering platform, developing tailored protein catalysts that simplify industrial chemical processes, reduce costs and environmental impact, and support broader adoption across pharmaceutical and fine chemical manufacturing.

With the Stage III funding, the team will:

🔹 Advance new industrial enzyme design campaigns

🔹 Expand laboratory automation capabilities

🔹 Support the company’s first hires and growth

By enabling manufacturers to replace energy intensive processes with custom biocatalysts, https://t.co/5aGOhJ4Yvh is helping build a more sustainable future for chemical production.

Congrats to Lukas Radtke, Lucas Merlicek, Jannik Neumann, Moritz Ullhofen, and Ilya Schneider on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Stellar Alpina raises CHF 3.5 million to advance detonation-based space propulsion 🚀 https://t.co/LPAjdfNh5B

Zurich-based startup Stellar Alpina, a recent Venture Kick Stage 2 winner, has raised CHF 3.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Founderful, with participation from LP&E and strategic deep-tech investors.

The funds will support:
🔹 Expansion of testing infrastructure and additional hotfire campaigns
🔹 Development of its next-generation flight engine
🔹 Advancement of propulsion systems for satellite mobility and in-space servicing

Based at Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich, Stellar Alpina is developing rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs), a new class of propulsion technology using supersonic detonation waves to deliver more efficient and compact space engines.

Just 82 days after incorporation, the team completed its first successful hotfire campaign.

👏 Congratulations to Rick Röthlisberger, Simi Wespi, Victor Elliesen, and Patrick Egli, on this exciting milestone for spacetech innovation!

#VentureKick #SwissStartups #SpaceTech

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

TUUS® receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to bring steady release nutrition and drug delivery to market 🧪 https://t.co/SLspF83SsN

The foodtech startup TUUS has secured CHF 150,000 in Venture Kick Stage III funding to advance its plant based hydrogel platform for controlled nutrient and drug delivery.

Its patent-pending HyCORE® platform enables controlled release of active compounds, improving absorption and tolerance across sports nutrition and pharmaceuticals. TUUS is now advancing partnerships to scale adoption across markets.

With the Stage III funding, the team will:
🔹 Advance business development and strategic partnerships
🔹 Prepare co development projects with industry players
🔹 Expand team and infrastructure for commercial growth

By enabling more stable and effective delivery of nutrients and therapeutics, TUUS is redefining how active compounds are absorbed and experienced.

Congrats to Tiziano Caldara and Pietro Nasturzio on this important step forward. 👏

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

201 Therapeutics receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to advance liver cancer therapy commercialization 🧬 https://t.co/aLxExRKogv

201 Therapeutics has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance its oral small molecule therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma.

The company develops therapies that directly target and eliminate liver cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, aiming to improve outcomes for patients with liver cancer.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:
🔹 Generate first in vivo efficacy data in patient derived models
🔹 Strengthen positioning with investors and pharma partners
🔹 Prepare for upcoming seed financing activities
By developing targeted therapies for liver cancer, 201 Therapeutics is working toward more effective and precise treatment options for patients.
Congrats to Sandro Nuciforo, Fredrik Trulsson, Markus Heim, and Emmanuel Meyer on this important step forward.
#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Biodelphis Therapeutics receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to advance targeted therapies for difficult to treat cancers 🧬 https://t.co/k0MHbNRTZw

The @EPFL spin off Biodelphis Therapeutics has secured CHF 150,000 in Venture Kick Stage III funding to develop a new generation of targeted therapies for treatment resistant cancers.

Biodelphis Therapeutics develops antibody peptide conjugates that precisely target disease-driving proteases, improving treatment efficacy while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. The company is advancing its lead assets through preclinical development while expanding its targeted drug development platform.

With the Stage III funding, the team will:
🔹 Advance final stage preclinical development of lead therapies
🔹 Expand its targeted drug development platform
🔹 Support team growth and future clinical preparation

By combining peptide engineering with precision oncology, Biodelphis Therapeutics is developing new treatment options for cancers with limited therapeutic responses.

Congrats to Aaron Petruzzella, Giorgio Calderari, Alberto Petruzzella, Elisa Oricchio, Bruno Correia, and Gabriele Gambardella, on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Apolarion receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to scale plasma based seed treatment technology 🌱 https://t.co/YQ9QIxLLDT

Apolarion has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance its cold atmospheric plasma technology for sustainable seed treatment.

The solution uses only air and electricity to inactivate seed pathogens without toxic chemicals or loss of seed vigour, offering a scalable alternative to conventional pesticides.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:
🔹 Build its MVP and transition toward commercial deployment
🔹 Expand business development through international conferences
🔹 Secure additional LOIs with European seed companies

By replacing chemical pesticides with plasma based treatment, Apolarion is advancing more sustainable solutions for modern agriculture.

Congrats to Luke Simons and Jesús Poley Sanjuán on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

On June 10, the @DeVigier Stiftung will once again spotlight Switzerland’s most promising entrepreneurial talents. 💡

We’re proud to announce that 8 out of the 10 finalists are Venture Kick alumni. Fingers crossed for our startups, we hope to see many of them among the five winners!

Meet the 8 finalists:

⭐ Gwenael Hannema | CEO OrthoSens
Sensors that track healing after orthopedic surgery

⭐ Samuel H. | CEO Iron Energy AG
Long-duration energy storage using iron oxide

⭐ Seoho Jung | CEO Chiral Nano
Post-silicon semiconductors with nanomaterials

⭐ Sébastien Le Fouest | CEO Windworks
Smart vertical-axis wind turbines for local power generation

⭐ Giancarlo Mattiello | CEO Cria Technologies
Reliable transport of sensitive biological materials

⭐ Robert Schreiber | CEO ALPINA+SANA
Early detection and targeted nutrition to combat malnutrition

⭐ Arthur Sebesteny | CEO Dental Robotics
Portable system for preventive dental care anywhere

⭐ Martin Stadler | CEO qendra
Control technology for quantum computing

🏆 The eight CEOs will take the stage on June 10 in Solothurn, pitching to the audience live and online during the annual Award Ceremony. Up to five startups will be awarded CHF 120,000 each!

The event will feature a keynote by Dorian Selz, CEO of Squirro and W.A. de Vigier Stiftung Award winner of 2010.

#SwissStartups #VentureKick

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Déploya receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to scale robotic facade automation deployment 🏗️ https://t.co/jOcuqcMuyS

Déploya has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance its robotic façade deployment technology for the construction industry.

The startup develops automated deployment systems that replace traditional scaffolding, improving efficiency and reducing installation time for ventilated façade construction.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:
🔹Expand customer discovery and partnerships internationally
🔹Develop more robust robotic demonstrators
🔹Advance communication and compliance preparation

By automating façade deployment, Déploya is unlocking faster and more scalable construction workflows.

Congrats to Thomas Estier and Jan Petrs on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Prismus receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to build scalable infrastructure for scientific markets 🔬 https://t.co/0EYEPQFUXy

Prismus has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance its intelligence platform for technology driven industries.

The platform transforms fragmented scientific, patent, and industrial data into actionable insights, helping deep tech companies identify opportunities and make faster commercial decisions.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:
🔹 Accelerate customer acquisition and real world deployments
🔹 Transition toward a scalable product led growth model
🔹 Expand its proprietary scientific knowledge graph

By turning complex scientific signals into commercial intelligence, Prismus is helping deep tech companies navigate technical markets more effectively.

Congrats to Timen van Gelderen, Gonçalo Carvalho, Elisabeth Blyumin, and Peter Kempin on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Where curated startups meet committed investors 🤝 https://t.co/A84p4DWZyX

Today’s second Venture Kick Demo Brunch of 2026, one of five taking place this year, once again brought together some of Switzerland’s most promising startups and a room full of engaged investors, but the real value goes far beyond the 2-minute pitches.

Every startup presenting at the Demo Brunch has been selected and backed by the Venture Kick jury. That means investors don’t just meet early-stage companies, they tap into a rigorously screened, high-potential deal flow embedded in one of Europe’s leading accelerator ecosystems.

A format built for impact:

🔹 Focused pitches from 17 fundraising-ready, deeptech startups, all with open rounds and at the right stage for investment, closing within around 3 months on average
🔹 A curated audience of active investors
🔹 Efficient networking over coffee and croissants 🥐
🔹 Direct access to the broader Venture Kick alumni community

The Demo Brunch is more than an event, it’s a gateway into the Venture Kick ecosystem.

A big thank you to all founders for their sharp pitches and to the investors for their engagement and openness!

Many thanks as well to Ciro Schillig and Cristina Lozano Madueño, and the Marketing and Communication team, for their support and dedication.

To be considered for the next Demo Brunch, message Ciro directly. He'll send you the cohort one-pager and let you know when invitations open.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups #DemoBrunch

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

Moonlight AI raises USD 3.3 million Seed round for AI diagnostics in hematology🩸https://t.co/KwMKsRnWaN

Swiss medtech startup Moonlight AI, a Venture Kick funding recipient, has secured USD 3.3 million in Seed financing to accelerate development of its AI-powered diagnostic platform for hematology and oncology laboratories.

The funds will support:
🔹 Expansion of its proprietary cytopathology and genomic dataset
🔹 Development of AI applications for blood and cancer-related diseases
🔹 Progress toward commercialization and regulatory approval

Moonlight AI applies computer vision to routine blood and cytology smear images, enabling the detection of genomic biomarkers directly from standard lab workflows, offering a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional sequencing approaches.

👏 Congratulations to Christian Ruiz, Nicole Romano, Stefan Habringer, and the Moonlight AI team on this exciting milestone for AI-driven precision diagnostics!

#VentureKick #SwissStartups #Medtech #AI #Diagnostics #PrecisionMedicine

[Venture Kick @venturekick]

CathNova receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to advance neuromodulation therapy toward clinical validation 🏥 https://t.co/HfgSmNMvrl

CathNova has secured CHF 40,000 in Venture Kick Stage II funding to advance its neuromodulation therapy for preventing ventilator associated pneumonia in ICU patients.

The technology targets gastric aspiration, the root cause of VAP, aiming to improve clinical outcomes and reduce complications in critically ill patients.

With the Stage II funding, the team will:
🔹 Advance market validation and clinical engagement
🔹 Develop regulatory and reimbursement strategies
🔹 Conduct usability studies in ICU settings

By addressing the root cause of a major ICU complication, CathNova is working to improve outcomes and reduce risks for critically ill patients.

Congrats to Thomas Niederhauser, Gerhard Kuert, Nishant Gupta, Pramod Bonde, and Rigu Gupta on this important step forward.

#VentureKick #SwissStartups