124 start-ups from all over the world have applied to take part in the second round of Tech4Eva, the unique accelerator for FemTech start-ups in Switzerland
Following the success of its launch last year, which raised CHF 60 million through its start-ups specialising in female health, Tech4Eva – a unique accelerator programme in Switzerland – is launching its second round today. An initiative based on collaboration between Groupe Mutuel and the EPFL Innovation Park, Tech4Eva has attracted applications from 124 projects from 30 countries, 80% of which were created by women, for its second round.
Swiss start-ups operating in FemTech
A selection committee has chosen 28 start-ups from 124 candidates from Switzerland and all over the world for the second round. Twenty-four Swiss start-ups entered and six were selected by the jury. Two selected projects at the growth stage are worth highlighting:
- b-rayZ AG, which focuses on prevention and diagnostics, has developed a revolutionary AI solution for early diagnosis of breast cancer.
- Pregnolia AG, which specialises in pregnancy-related issues, has created a diagnostic tool measuring the stiffness of the cervical tissue of a pregnant woman and its changes during pregnancy, avoiding the probability of premature delivery.
Swiss start-ups selected:
1. b-rayZ AG
3. FimmCyte
4. Navina+
5. OncoGenomX
6. Pregnolia AG
In 2022, 29 mentors from leading companies, such as CSEM, Essity, Ferring, Gedeon Richter Preglem, Merck, Philips, Procter & Gamble and UCB, will participate in the initiative. The experts from these companies will support the start-ups during their development phase.
The programme has also secured a major partner in CSEM which will provide technical support for the start-ups selected. CSEM plays a key role in the innovation value chain, leveraging public-private partnerships and closing the gap between basic research and industry.
Innovation at the service of Women
This second round of Tech4Eva is being launched in Lausanne today at a physical and virtual event, bringing together hundreds of specialists working in innovation, medicine, entrepreneurship and business. This event highlights the challenges related to gender differences and their significance in medicine and healthcare. At this event, the US neuroscientist Jill Goldstein, who specialises in the differences between the genders from a neurological and medical perspective, will give a presentation entitled “Differences between the genders in medicine”.
The biological sex has an influence over health, its perception, prevention and treatment. Several studies published in recent months indicate that focusing more heavily on gender may be a key factor in improving the quality of prevention and care. Scientific knowledge and its clinical application have led to perceptible inequality between men and women. As a result, today, most health-related products, services and technologies are not designed for women. Against this background, the EPFL Innovation Park and Groupe Mutuel aim to promote the development of start-ups seeking to meet the specific needs of female health more effectively.
EPFL Innovation Park - Groupe Mutuel, a win-win partnership
The selected start-ups will benefit from one of the best health ecosystems in Europe. Thanks to the EPFL Innovation Park network, they will be able to access international partnerships and investors. They will also access a dynamic market with one of the leading health insurers in Switzerland. The EPFL Innovation Park and Groupe Mutuel are pleased to collaborate on this initiative to improve female health.
“I strongly believe we have a role to play in fostering reflection on and the research and development of innovative solutions for female health. I am delighted to see such highly talented new start-ups in the field of FemTech,” said Sophie Revaz, Managing Director at Groupe Mutuel.
“We’ve created a solid business network and FemTech ecosystem with the start-ups, but also companies, researchers and healthcare service providers at the international level. We are endeavouring to become an innovation centre of excellence for female health,” added Ursula Oesterle, President of the EPFL Innovation Park.
For further information on Tech4Eva: www.tech4eva.ch
About Groupe Mutuel
With over 2,700 employees throughout Switzerland, Groupe Mutuel is at the service of 1.3 million private customers and 27,000 companies.
As the only comprehensive insurer in Switzerland, Groupe Mutuel is the reference partner in the field of health and retirement benefits for private and corporate customers. Its turnover exceeds CHF 5.4 billion. Thanks to tailored solutions, whether in basic insurance (LAMal/KVG) or supplemental insurance (LCA/VVG), it is the third-largest health insurer in Switzerland. Groupe Mutuel also offers an extensive range of products in individual retirement benefits and patrimony insurance. Based in Martigny, the insurer provides companies of all sizes with solutions for loss of earnings in the event of illness, accident insurance (LAA/UVG) and occupational pension plans (LPP/BVG). In the field of health insurance for companies, Groupe Mutuel is ranked fifth nationwide.
About the EPFL Innovation Park
The EPFL Innovation Park supports disruptive innovations and the transfer of technologies of the EPFL and other regional academic partners. It provides flexible office space, training, acceleration and coaching services to 250 high-tech companies: start-ups, SMEs and R&D centres of large companies. Together with its partners and a dynamic community of venture capital firms, experts and service providers, the Innovation Park is positioned as the main pole of entrepreneurship in Western Switzerland.