Lupa (ex-Prismus) receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to turn scientific knowledge into business opportunities 🔬 venturekick.ch/Prismus-Lupa-… The deep-tech startup has secured funding to advance its AI-powered platform connecting scientific research with industrial opportunities. Its platform, Lupa, analyzes research, patents, and market data to identify relevant markets, companies, and potential partners, helping technology-driven businesses make better-informed strategic decisions. Already serving 30 paying customers, Prismus is preparing to scale its platform across deep-tech markets and expand its user base. With the Stage III funding, the team will: 🔹 Scale adoption across deep-tech markets 🔹 Expand access to individual users 🔹 Strengthen commercial growth and customer acquisition By transforming complex scientific knowledge into actionable business insights, Prismus is helping companies identify new opportunities and accelerate innovation. Congrats to Elisabeth Blyumin, Timen van Gelderen, Gonçalo Hora de Carvalho, and Peter Kempin on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Celebrating female innovation in Swiss cleantech! 🏆 venturekick.ch/Riverkin-foun… Congratulations to Venture Kick alumna Jessica Droujko, founder of Riverkin, on being named Female Innovator of the Year 2026 at the Female Innovation Forum in Zurich! 🚀 Riverkin is transforming river and stream monitoring with intelligent sensor technology, providing real-time data to improve flood predictions and protect communities from natural hazards. 🌊 With over 100 sensors already deployed, the startup is turning innovation into real-world impact, contributing to safer communities and more resilient water infrastructure. Congratulations to Jessica and the Riverkin team on this well-deserved recognition! 👏 #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Up to USD 70 million to accelerate robotic surgery in the US! 🚀 Venture Kick alumnus @Distalmotion has secured a senior secured term loan facility of up to USD 70 million from Perceptive Advisors to accelerate its expansion in the US ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market. The financing will support the growing adoption of its DEXTER Robotic Surgery System and the further development of its instrument portfolio. Designed for outpatient settings, DEXTER combines a compact, mobile design with flexible workflows, making robotic-assisted surgery more accessible and efficient. 👏 Congratulations to the Distalmotion team on this important milestone and for continuing to bring Swiss medtech innovation to the global stage! #VentureKick #SwissStartups #Medtech #Robotics #Innovation

From Swiss research to international hydrogen innovation! ⚡ Venture Kick alumnus GRZ Technologies is taking its next big step, launching an equity fundraising campaign through @join_r_europe to accelerate its growth and expand its global reach. Founded as an @EPFL spin-off in 2017, GRZ develops innovative hydrogen storage, compression, and conversion technologies. With its solutions already deployed in more than 10 countries and positive EBIT achieved year-to-date in 2026, the company is now looking to scale manufacturing, expand international sales, and bring its technologies to new markets. 🌍 Supported by Venture Kick in 2017, GRZ Technologies continues to demonstrate how Swiss innovation can develop into commercially successful solutions for the global energy transition. Congratulations to the entire GRZ Technologies team on this exciting milestone! 🔗 Learn more: europe.republic.com/grz-tech… #VentureKick #SwissStartups

belian.earth receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to scale GeoAI for forest impact measurement 🌳 venturekick.ch/belianearth-r… The startup has secured funding to advance its GeoAI platform for forest conservation and restoration projects. By automatically identifying comparable reference areas, the technology provides faster, more cost-effective, and objective baselines for carbon and biodiversity credits, helping project developers measure environmental impact with greater transparency With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Introduce in-app payments for audit-ready forest baselines 🔹 Expand customer engagement through demonstrations and outreach 🔹 Advance tree-planting projects toward audit readiness By making forest impact measurement faster and more reliable, belian.earth is helping strengthen transparency and trust in nature-based carbon and biodiversity markets. Congrats to Hugh Graham and Christopher Philipson on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

skilder ai receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to scale secure enterprise AI capabilities 🤖 venturekick.ch/skilderai-rec… The startup has secured funding to advance its platform for deploying and managing AI capabilities across organizations. By connecting tools like ChatGPT and Claude to company knowledge and workflows while respecting data permissions, the platform helps employees automate repetitive tasks and enables businesses to adopt AI securely. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Expand across French-speaking Switzerland and prepare for European markets 🔹 Improve AI capabilities based on real-world usage 🔹 Strengthen platform security and support enterprise-wide AI adoption By making company knowledge accessible through secure AI tools, skilder.ai is helping businesses streamline workflows and scale AI adoption efficiently. Congrats to Nicolas Corod, Jonas Canton, and Benjamin Girardet on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

MONI2 by CHD receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to bring pregnancy monitoring into patients’ homes 🤰 venturekick.ch/CHD-receives-… The medtech startup has secured funding to advance its digital solutions for remote maternal and fetal monitoring. Its MONI2 solution combines a smart textile belt with a digital platform to monitor fetal and maternal health indicators, helping healthcare professionals detect potential complications and support high-risk pregnancies beyond the hospital. With the Stage III funding, the team will: 🔹 Develop and validate functional prototypes by Q2 2027 🔹 Prepare the consumer version of MONI2 for market launch in early 2028 🔹 Advance toward regulatory clearance for its medical version By bringing pregnancy monitoring into patients’ homes, CHD is helping improve access to maternal care while reducing pressure on healthcare systems. Congrats to Laurent Vandebrouck, Nicolas Sananès, Marc Salomon, Giusy Fiucci, and Fernando Romao on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Compl AI receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to scale AI-powered financial compliance automation 🤖 venturekick.ch/ComplAI-recei… The startup has secured funding to advance its AI-powered compliance automation platform for financial institutions. Using AI agents, the platform streamlines client screening, onboarding, transaction monitoring, and due diligence, helping compliance teams reduce manual workloads while maintaining control over critical decisions. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Convert customer interest into paid pilot projects 🔹 Expand customer engagement in Switzerland and internationally 🔹 Strengthen market visibility through industry events and demonstrations By automating complex compliance workflows, Compl AI is helping financial institutions improve efficiency and focus on higher-value decisions. Congrats to Ali Jouini and Nelson Donynath on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

InterferOn Diagnostics receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to advance molecular diagnostics for inflammatory diseases 🧬 venturekick.ch/InterferOn-Di… The startup has secured funding to advance its molecular diagnostic platform for immune-mediated diseases. Combining a standardized molecular assay with software that translates complex data into interpretable results, the solution aims to make inflammation monitoring more reliable and accessible for clinical laboratories. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Validate market demand and engage with clinical laboratories 🔹 Advance assay standardization and software development 🔹 Prepare regulatory and quality requirements and launch pilot activities By making molecular inflammation testing more accessible and scalable, InterferOn Diagnostics is helping improve disease monitoring and support more informed clinical decisions. Congrats to Anna Mallone and Christoph Gericke on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

🚀 Can a technology be too early for its market? In Venture Kick Debates #5, we explore both sides of a critical challenge for deep-tech startups: what happens when innovation moves faster than market readiness? On the one hand, customers may lack the infrastructure, budget, or incentives to adopt new technologies. Regulations and industry standards can take years to catch up, and even groundbreaking innovations can struggle when adoption requires major changes. On the other hand, breakthrough technologies can create entirely new markets. Early movers have the opportunity to shape industry standards, establish competitive advantages, and stay ahead of competitors. At Venture Kick, we believe technical readiness doesn't always mean market readiness. Founders need to understand what's holding customers back and whether they have the resources to overcome those barriers. 💡 A technology can be ready long before its market is. The key is knowing what needs to change before customers can adopt it. 💬 What's your take: should startups push ahead with breakthrough technologies or wait until the market is ready? #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Ultravionix receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to improve aviation safety during turbulence encounters ✈️ venturekick.ch/Ultravionix-r… The startup has secured funding to advance its innovative technology for managing turbulence-related risks in aviation. Its new technological approach aims to improve flight safety and help airlines better protect passengers and crew during turbulence encounters. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Advance technical development and real-world validation 🔹 Strengthen aviation industry partnerships and customer acquisition 🔹 Develop its certification strategy and intellectual property framework By addressing the risks associated with aviation turbulence, Ultravionix is helping make air travel safer for passengers and crew. Congrats to Baptiste Narbon, Janis Hagelberg, and Alexandre Kursner on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

VectorFly receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to advance climbing robots for industrial inspections 🕷️ venturekick.ch/VectorFly-rec… The startup has secured funding to advance its climbing robot for industrial inspection and maintenance. Using vacuum feet, the four-legged robot navigates walls, ceilings, and complex structures while carrying inspection sensors, reducing the need for scaffolding and lifts. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Build two additional robots for customer demonstrations 🔹 Expand demonstrations across Switzerland, Germany, and France 🔹 Accelerate development and prepare for paid inspection pilots in 2027 By making hard-to-reach infrastructure more accessible, VectorFly is helping industrial operators conduct inspections more safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Congrats to Leonardo Roessler, Pascal Burkard, and Yan Luetolf on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

👥 Is having a co-founder essential for startup success? In the #4 episode of the Venture Kick Debates series, we explore both sides of one of the most important decisions entrepreneurs face when building a startup. On the one hand, co-founders can bring complementary skills, challenge each others assumptions, and share responsibility for critical decisions. Particularly in deep tech, combining technical and commercial expertise can strengthen a startups ability to execute and build investor confidence. On the other hand, solo founders can move faster, maintain a consistent vision, and bring in experienced employees, advisors, or industry partners without giving up ownership. At Venture Kick, we believe success isnt necessarily about having a co-founder, but about surrounding yourself with the right people. The real question is whether your startup needs additional expertise, execution capabilities, or someone to share long-term responsibility. 💡 Build the team your company actually needs, not the team youre expected to have. 💬 Whats your take: is having a co-founder a key ingredient for startup success, or can going solo be just as effective? #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Meet Ionic Wind, the Swiss startup rethinking industrial air cleaning with an innovative approach to capturing airborne particles. In our latest Startup Spotlight episode, we spoke with Donato Rubinetti, CEO and Co-Founder of Ionic Wind, to learn more about the company’s mission, the technology behind its solution, and its ambitions for the future of industrial air purification. By harnessing the power of ionic wind, Ionic Wind is developing a new approach to removing airborne particles from industrial environments, aiming to make air cleaning more energy-efficient, sustainable, and effective. From the science behind the technology to its potential applications across industries, Donato takes us behind the scenes of Ionic Wind and shares how the team is working to transform the way industrial facilities manage air quality. Discover the people, innovation, and vision driving Ionic Wind forward in our latest Startup Spotlight episode! #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Helix Screen receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to advance personalized drug testing for cancer 🧬 venturekick.ch/HelixScreen-r… The @EPFL spin-off has secured funding to advance its personalized tumour-testing platform for cancer treatment. Using a patented 3D model, the technology tests a patient’s tumour against candidate drugs and identifies within a week which treatment is most likely to work, supporting more precise therapy decisions. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Validate the technology with more real-world clinical data 🔹 Strengthen partnerships with hospitals and pharmaceutical companies 🔹 Advance its commercial and regulatory strategy By helping identify effective treatments for individual patients, HelixScreen is working toward more personalized and precise cancer care. Congrats to Yueyun Zhang and Céline Lê on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Baio Labs receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to accelerate drug discovery with generative AI 🧬 venturekick.ch/Baio-Labs-rec… The @EPFL spin off has secured funding to advance its generative AI platform for early-stage drug discovery. Its platform, Drugon, uses the three-dimensional structure of therapeutic targets to design novel small molecules in seconds, integrating molecular design, synthesis, and experimental validation into one ecosystem. With the Stage III funding, the team will: 🔹 Scale its research and development efforts 🔹 Advance the Drugon platform 🔹 Implement its go-to-market strategy By accelerating the design of promising drug candidates, Baio Labs is helping pharmaceutical researchers reduce the time and cost of early-stage drug discovery. Congrats to Ilia Igashov, Arne Schneuing, and Bruno Correia on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

CheckVibe receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to scale AI-powered software security analysis 🔐 venturekick.ch/CheckVibe-rec… The startup has secured funding to advance its security and code quality platform for software teams. The platform analyzes applications, code, and cloud infrastructure for vulnerabilities and other risks, helping developers identify issues earlier and resolve them faster with AI-powered fixes. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Strengthen its security and code quality checks 🔹 Improve team workflows and platform capabilities 🔹 Accelerate customer acquisition and test its sales approach By making software risks easier to identify and resolve, CheckVibe is helping development teams build more secure and reliable applications. 🤝 Congrats to Yves Matteo Romano and Patrick Scherrer on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

Innunity Therapeutics receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to tackle chronic inflammation at its source 🧬 venturekick.ch/Innunity-Ther… The @UZH_en spin-off has secured funding to advance a new treatment approach for chronic inflammatory diseases driven by the innate immune system. Its lead program, INNU-1, is an oral drug designed to target an initiating step of the inflammatory cascade, with an initial focus on mucocutaneous Behçet’s disease and potential expansion to inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. With the Stage III funding, the team will: 🔹 Design new compounds using computational methods 🔹 Evaluate candidates with validated laboratory assays 🔹 Advance toward selecting a development candidate By targeting inflammation closer to its source, Innunity Therapeutics is working toward new treatment options for patients underserved by existing therapies. Congrats to Antonis Katsoulas, Thorsten Buch, and Barna Gal, MD on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups

74 of Switzerland’s Top100 startups in 2026 are Venture Kick alumni 🏆 venturekick.ch/74-Venture-Ki… Nine of this year’s Top 10 have been supported by Venture Kick, including #1 Corintis, #2 @DeepJudgeAI, and #3 PAVE Space. The numbers highlight something bigger: Venture Kick is often one of the first major stepping stones for some of Switzerland’s most promising technology companies. Selected at an early stage, Venture Kick startups are backed not only with funding, but with entrepreneurial support, jury feedback, and access to a strong network of investors and industry experts. Years later, many of them go on to become some of the country’s leading young ventures. From engineering and robotics to biotech, medtech, cleantech, and ICT, the 74 Venture Kick alumni represented in the Top100 Swiss Startup Ranking 2026 reflect the consistently high quality of the founders and technologies entering the Venture Kick program. From an early kick to the Top100! 💥 🔗 Discover all 74 Venture Kick alumni featured in this year’s ranking: venturekick.ch/74-Venture-Ki… #VentureKick #Top100SSU #SwissStartups

Nanotech receives CHF 40,000 from Venture Kick to turn retail pilots into commercial rollouts ❄️ venturekick.ch/Nanotech-rece… The startup has secured funding to advance its energy-saving technology for refrigerated retail cabinets. Its transparent low-emissivity film can be applied to existing glass doors, reducing heat entering refrigerated cabinets and potentially cutting cooling energy consumption by 20–40% without affecting product visibility. With the Stage II funding, the team will: 🔹 Complete pilots with @migros and Pouly 🔹 Generate real-world energy savings data from operating stores 🔹 Turn pilot results into commercial rollouts with retailers By reducing the energy needed for retail refrigeration, Nanotech is helping retailers lower energy consumption with a solution that can be integrated into existing infrastructure. Congrats to Abtin Saateh and Marco Fumagalli on this important step forward. #VentureKick #SwissStartups