Seven Swiss startups tackle the US market

As part of the internationalisation programme offered to start-ups that are in the Innosuisse coaching programme, seven Swiss startups have been selected for the new cohort to participate in the virtual Startup Bootcamp organised by swissnex San Francisco for Innosuisse start-ups. This year also in collaboration with Swiss Healthcare Startups, the program aims to prepare Swiss startups for market entry into the United States.

The upcoming virtual swissnex Startup Bootcamp from 12-23 October 2020, will provide startups with a platform to explore the US market and validate their business ideas. The program offers daily workshops covering a range of topics such as US-style business development, peer learning, expert sessions on law and pricing as well as pitching with a TEDx speaker coach. The program offers a special session called “Fundraising strategies for international startups during COVID” where Gioia Deucher, CEO at Swissnex SF will moderate a panel of VCs and Investors. During the fireside chats on how to “make it” in the US, Lea von Bidder CEO at AVA and Selim Benayat CEO at Rosie’s Reality will share their insights.

The virtual Startup Bootcamp is offered to selected Innosuisse startups and is entirely run by swissnex, who supports these start-ups in reaching their individualized camp milestones. Innosuisse not only supports the entire costs of the camp but will also allow the participating start-ups to travel to the US in person using their stipend. This year for the first time,  Swiss Healthcare Startups (SHS) will also provide the winners of its booster program to take part in the swissnex SF bootcamp. Unfortunately, one of this year’s winners (Altoida) is unable to participate due to unforeseen events; hence, only Neurosoft Bioelectronics will join the program.

The selected startups offer solutions in the fields of healthcare and medtech, consumer products and ICT. These are:

ASPIVIX | Mathieu HORRAS, Co-founder & CEO
Aspivix is developing a next-generation, vacuum-based surgical instrument for non-traumatic gynaecological procedures. The device is ideal for helping address unplanned pregnancies by increasing the adoption of Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (IUD), the most effective reversible contraceptive option available today. 

Auxivo AG | Volker Bartenbach, Co-founder & CEO.  Michael Stucky, Co-founder & Chairman
Founded as a spinoff from ETH Zurich, Auxivo is developing the next generation of lightweight exoskeletons to improve workers‘ lives. Its LiftSuit is a light wearable support system that supports workers who regularly lift and carry heavy loads, for instance in the logistics and distribution sectors.

 JAMIE & I | Antonia Bolla, Founder
The platform Jamie & I is a personal online stylist powered by Artificial intelligence to curate a customer’s online boutique with a selection of sustainable designers tailored to their style. The platform provides customers access to sustainable designers, intending to curb fast fashion and its deleterious impact on the environment.

MYLEG | Giacomo Valle, Postdoctoral Researcher at ETHZ
The long-term vision of MYLEG is to improve mobility and prosthesis cognitive integration by restoring sensory feedback in people with leg amputation during their daily life. The company has thus developed a unique device that restores sensory feedback to amputees by gently stimulating with pulses of current the skin of their remaining leg.

Optimo Medical AG | Harald P. Studer, CEO
Since its founding in 2015, Optimo Medical is specialised in biomechanical analyses and simulation of the anterior eye built a steady reputation. It has become the leading company in virtual trials for the anterior eye segment, and a global technology leader in patient-specific astigmatism management. 

Scailyte | Peter Nestorov, CEO. Stefan Almestrand
Scailyte uses single-cell technologies and AI to discover biomarkers for diseases in oncology and immunology. The company’s proprietary single-cell data analysis platform, ScaiVision delivers best-in-class performance for supervised pattern recognition analysis of single-cell data. 

Neurosoft Bioelectronics | Nicolas Vachicouras, CEO & Karsten Bagger, CBO
The medtech startup develops implantable medical devices to interface with the brain and spinal cord to treat patients suffering from neurological disorders. The company prides its self for being the only one able to combine extremely soft materials that match the mechanical properties of the nervous tissues with high-density electrodes. Thanks to these unique features, its device can access some locations of the brain that are impossible to reach surgically otherwise, and its soft electrodes have proved to reduce inflammation dramatically when implanted.

Swissnex Virtual Demo Day and international networking event
During the virtual demo day on 22 October, the audience will have the chance to meet the Swiss startups from the swissnex San Francisco Startup Bootcamp after their pitches on their virtual demo tables and mingle the other attendees. Registration is open to the global audience.