Prize-winning UV protection and chairless chairs
Not one… but two ETH-Zurich spin-offs managed to convince the judging panel from the venture kick initiative and win an advancement award of CHF 130,000. The best start-up projects of the year’s first quarter were a sun-protection app and a chair that can walk.
Skin cancer is one of the most common strains of the disease. According to the Swiss Cancer League, around 2,100 people develop skin cancer in Switzerland every year. Now this could all change: two students from ETH Zurich have devised a method to protect ourselves more effectively against excessive UV radiation. They founded the spin-off external page Bitsplitters and recently released the product Sunbeat on the market, which measures UV radiation. It consists of a small sensor that is attached to the clothing and gauges the wearer’s current UV radiation level while an app displays the results on the Smartphone. This enables the user to assess which sun-protection measures are necessary more effectively. The method won over the venture kick initiative judges, who presented Samuel Welten and his team with an advancement award of CHF 130,000.
The chairless chair
The second spin-off from ETH Zurich, external page Noonee, to receive the award could have the answer for assembly-line workers and other employees who have to spend the whole day standing up with its “chairolution”. The idea was born in a robotics lab at ETH Zurich and has already be patented. The “chairless” chair is a device that takes the load of the legs and helps the user to lead a healthier, more comfortable and more productive life. The standing aid is worn directly on the legs and helps the user to sit and walk comfortably. The start-up also won over the judges in all three rounds of the competition and will receive the CHF 130,000 in prize money.
Competition to promote young companies
external page Venture kick is an initiative aimed at promoting innovative business ideas with a view to doubling the number of spin-offs from Swiss universities. It is funded by foundations, companies and private individuals. Every month, eight start-ups are given the opportunity to showcase themselves in front of a judging panel. Four winners receive CHF 10,000 each and qualify for the second round three months later, where two teams win CHF 20,000 each. In the third and final round, the best two are chosen and receive another CHF 100,000 apiece. In particular, the judging panel evaluates the team composition, the market potential and how the spin-off has developed over the nine months of the competition. Any students, researchers or professors from Swiss universities who are looking to start a company with their business idea are eligible to enter.