The selection committee for the InnoBooster program, an initiative of the Gebert Rüf Stiftung that provides university-based high-potential projects, has announced the startups that will benefit from a grant of CHF 150’000. The funding and non-financial support will enable the teams to advance their solutions and accelerate the time-to-market.
The new beneficiaries of the InnoBooster grant are
Pace Locator | Emily Thompson | BFH
Pace Locator aims to provide cardiologists with a tool that identifies the underlying cause of pacing-induced heart failure before it’s too late. Currently, around 20% of patients will develop heart failure within the next 5-10 years after receiving a pacemaker as a direct result of the artificial stimulations that pacemakers provide. Pacemaker stimulations can cause the left and right sides of the heart to beat out of sync, and over time, this dyssynchrony causes the heart muscle to degrade, resulting in heart failure. There is currently no way for cardiologists to predict the likelihood of patients being among the 20% until symptoms are already present. The software from Pace Locator turns 12-lead ECG into a visual guide of how well the left and right sides of the heart beat in sync – a major predictor of whether the patient is at risk for pacing-induced heart failure. By addressing the risks from the beginning of pacemaker therapy, both cardiologists and patients benefit from more effective treatment and reduced long-term burden of the disease.
UpCircle | Hendrik Kolvenbach | ETH Zürich
UpCircle is a B2B cleantech startup focusing on enhancing the efficiency of plastic and paper/cardboard recycling. The startup is developing Machine Learning and Computer Vision algorithms to estimate the qualities of waste bales. Waste bales are the de-facto trading unit in recycling and can be found worldwide. Currently, this estimation is carried out by individuals visually inspecting the bales, a process prone to subjectivity and errors, leading to incorrect decisions regarding the recycling process and material pricing. Leveragingadvanced AI algorithms and domain knowledge in Materials Science and Recycling, UpCircle offers a technology that addresses this issue by digitizing and analyzing the incoming waste stream at a recycler and delivering quantifiable data insights. The team has successfully tested the solution’s functionality with POCs in collaboration with a Swiss plastic recycler and cardboard recycler within the framework of research projects. The startup is lanning the "next steps" for productization and market entry.
LAYERED | Eliott Sounigo | ETH Zürich
In the last 30 years, Switzerland's construction industry has seen a declining number of skilled workers and continuously growing aging workforce, with the average age of 40.4 in Switzerland. With Europe expecting 41% of its workforce to retire by 2031, the second biggest industrial sector is ripe for digitalization. In response, LAYERED is introducing autonomous mobile robots to tackle the severe labor shortage and the urgent need for sustainable practices in the construction industry. By integrating advanced robotic technologies and a unique thin-layer plastering printing method, the team aims to make the sector more sustainable, efficient and safer. The technology reduces material waste and accelerates project timelines, addressing Europe's pressing housing crisis.
The next application deadline is September 1st, 2024.
(RAN)
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