Swiss startups compete for the €100,000 grand prize

Four Swiss startups, Haelixia, SwissDeCode, Smart Home Technology and Treatech, are among the finalists of the Hello Tomorrow Challenge. They compete together against other finalists in one of ten industrial categories to win €15,000 and the €100,000 grand prize.

Hello Tomorrow Challenge is an international non-profit award run by science-entrepreneurs for early-stage science related startups and projects. 69 startups, among them four Swiss startups have been nominated to pitch to the audience during the two-day conference, Hello Tomorrow Global Summit, in Paris due October 13–14, 2016. They will have the opportunity to interact with more than 200 sector-specific investors as well as like-minded people.

Winning teams from one of the ten categories will receive €15,000 and the overall winner will receive the €100,000 grand prize. Besides the cash prize, and expanding their connections, participants will be able to increase their exposure through international media coverage and be part of Hello Tomorrow’s ranking of early-stage SciTech startups for their respective continent. In 2014, Swiss medtech startup G-Therapeutics was the winner of the grand prize.

SwissDeCode – established as a spinoff of the University of Geneva, SwissDeCode developed a portable & rapid DNA test for food authentication & quality-testing. With the help of their technology, any can taste the DNA of their meals before consuming them. This is to facilitate trust building between consumers and suppliers.

Haelixa – has designed a DNA-based tracing platform for industrial monitoring. The intelligent DNA-based tracing solutions allows for fluid/item tracking and parameter monitoring of temperature, light, pH, oxidants to support the energy industry and ensure product authentication, quality control and liability management.

TreaTech – incorporated in 2015 has developed technology for wastewater treatment, which allows for separation of inorganic salts and valorisation of organic wastes, before fresh water delivery. This technology is used to transform organic waste from sewage sludge to fresh water, biogas, and natural fertilizers. Treatech has already raised CHF 600’000 in a seed round from Philip Morris Equity Partner, the Gebert Rüf Stiftung and Jacques Miauton.

Smart Home Technology – an ETH Spin-off that develops smart and energy efficient appliances for homes and industries. These provide ultra-low power and secure solutions for connected devices with Zero Standby Power and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). The startup also offers sensor-based and real-time data collection through their solution Smart@Home.

Hello Tomorrow Global Summit is an immersive, near-future experience where leaders and entrepreneurs gather to transform the way eat, work, travel, cure, manufacture and communicate. There will be outstanding keynotes and deep-dive sessions covering a mix of technologies including new materials, synthetic biology, artificial intelligence and more.