Tokyo (SCCIJ) – The start-ups WattAnyWhere, Enhance-d, and Neur.on from Western Switzerland win global awards thanks to their pioneering technologies in cleantech, healthcare, and legal tech respectively. Also, the World Economic Forum recognized the three start-ups Goodwall, MobyFly, and Transmutex as Technology Pioneers in 2023.
Swiss start-ups prove their innovation strength in various ways (© Pixabay).
Clean energy infrastructure
In the cleantech sector, Sion-based start-up WattAnyWhere has been acclaimed as the “Most Promising Startup” by the FIT – Fondation pour l’Innovation Technologique – and KPMG Switzerland. WattAnyWhere has developed an extraordinary mobile generator that uses solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) to convert renewable ethanol into high-power electricity. Emitting zero nitrogen oxide, the ultra-silent generator can be fully operational anywhere within a month. Its technology, capable of swiftly charging thousands of electric vehicles, represents a significant step forward in clean energy infrastructure.
Revolution in diabetes care
In the healthcare domain, Enhance-d was awarded the inaugural T1D Moonshot Fellowship, celebrating their efforts towards accelerating progress in the prevention, management, and cure of Type 1 diabetes. Based in Bern and founded by a team hailing from Supersapiens, a biowearable technology company offering real-time glucose insights, Enhance-d is developing a comprehensive digital hub for diabetes self-management, foreshadowing a new paradigm for diabetes care.
Translation for the legal sector
Finally, Neur.on, a Fribourg-based legal tech start-up, clinched a top prize at the 9th Weblaw forum’s startup pitch competition. Last year, Neur.on raised 1.6 million francs in an investment round to advance its Software-as-a-Service solution, which empowers legal and finance professionals to control the translation process. Maintaining high levels of quality and confidentiality, Neur.on’s platform has successfully translated nearly 44 million words, revolutionizing the legal translation landscape.
Technology Pioneers 2023
Bolstering Western Switzerland’s innovation reputation, three Swiss start-ups joined the WEF’s Technology Pioneers 2023, bolstering Western Switzerland’s innovation reputation. These young companies can collaborate with their more than 900 peers on innovative solutions to global issues.
Goodwall, the Geneva-based socially conscious career development platform, equips two million youths across 150 countries with necessary skills and opportunities. Through experiential learning and gamification, the company partners with corporations, organizations, and governments to develop innovative programs.
Valais-based start-up MobyFly recently made headlines with the successful testing of its zero-emission hydrofoil boat on Lake Geneva. The MBFY10 prototype, with MobyFly’s patented retractable foil system, achieved a maximum speed of 74 km/h while consuming 20% less energy than expected, reflecting the startup’s commitment to sustainable transportation.
Lastly, Transmutex, based in Geneva, aims to revolutionize nuclear energy. Its pioneering technology combines a proton accelerator and a subcritical thorium reactor to transmute the most dangerous nuclear waste into stable elements, producing electricity and hydrogen. The promising results have been obtained with technologies tested at CERN and the Paul Scherrer Institute, reflecting the startup’s commitment to sustainability and clean energy solutions.
Text: Pierre-Yves Oehrli/Greater Geneva Bern Area (Editing by SCCIJ)
