Oct 28, Lausanne, Switzerland – MassChallenge Switzerland, part of MassChallenge’s global network for innovators and zero-equity startup accelerators, awarded CHF 400,000 last evening in equity-free cash prizes to the 2022 top 12 startups from its early-stage program and in-kind prizes to 12 runnerup Swiss startups. Since 2016 MassChallenge Switzerland has supported 610 startups who have raised 965M CHF of funding and created 29,000+ direct & indirect jobs.
Held on October 27, 2022, at Beaulieu SA in Lausanne, the MassChallenge Switzerland Awards Ceremony brought together more than 400 viewers from around the globe. In addition to the CHF 400,000 provided by MassChallenge
Switzerland, some of its partners also awarded in-kind prizes worth more than CHF 100,000 to startups from the cohort: Reuteler & Cie will provide 12 hours of IP services to SensArs Neuroprosthetics, Rheiazymes, Kly, Beyond Scroll, Arcadia, and HEALTHY-LONGER; Kellerhals Carrard will provide 12 hours of legal services to Cultivated Biosciences, Gaia Technologies, Composite Recycling, InnoSpina, Chiral, and Voltiris; Additionally, MassChallenge Switzerland and One Young World awarded CHF 10’000 to Cultivated Biosciences to allow them participate in
the One Young World 2023 Summit.
The Accelerator also celebrated the community of experts who helped the 106 startups launch, grow, and scale their businesses during the four months of the acceleration program; 508 independent judges and 315 mentors were involved this year. Mentors Mariam Megally, Emmi Kavander, and Daniel Brandenburger were crowned as the 2022 top mentors based on their involvement in the program, the number of startups mentored, and the success of their mentees.
“Our experts and corporate partners make MassChallenge Switzerland possible and I’d like to thank them for generously giving time and expertise to help our startups move their projects forward. This help is reflected in the results and 2022 was a record for us – 58% of startups exceeded/hit their ingoing accelerator objective; and startups scored us with their highest-ever satisfaction score. I’d also like to call out the support we gained across the ecosystem to enable our entrepreneurs to be “climate responsible”. We hope this becomes the new normal for accelerators, so that startups are strategically positioned to reduce emissions and benefit society as they scale”- said Matt Lashmar, Managing Director of MassChallenge Switzerland.
As announced in 2021, all of 2022’s 106 startups accelerated were “climate responsible” and have added value for society. In 2022 we changed our admissions criteria, hired new expert employees, improved our curriculum, ran specific impact and climate-focused events, and collaborated with many partners to support this change. So far, startups we have supported have offset or sequestered emissions by 8,300,000 tons of CO2 eq. This is the first time we’ve recorded this data, and together with the improved program, is a small step towards our objective of finding 25 Startups who can each offset or sequester 50m tons of CO2 eq over 10 years.
“In 2022, MassChallenge Switzerland intensified focus on climate responsible startups and societal impact. In 7 years, we have played a key role in developing 610 startups as well as tracking financial and job creation KPIs; we are now tracking impact on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. I would like to congratulate all the startups, thank our fantastic team and say a very big thank you to our partners, who have funded this and should be immensely proud of their
contribution’– added Ian Roberts, CTO of Bühler and President of MassChallenge Switzerland.
2022 MASSCHALLENGE SWITZERLAND WINNERS
CHF 100K Diamond Winner
Composite Recycling (Switzerland): They close the loop on Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastics, like those found in boat hulls or wind turbine blades, by recycling them into reusable glass fibres and pyrolysis oil, which can be sold and used to make new composites and plastics. Their proprietary mobile recycling units are energy positive, using the reaction to self-power. This allows Composite Recycling to sell the reclaimed materials at market value for a profit.
CHF 80K Platinum Winner
Jasberry (Thailand): Imagine if there was a crop that could transform consumers’ health worldwide and, at the same time, take millions of farmers out of poverty. Jasberry rice is the world’s first superfood rice, with 7 times more antioxidants than kale and 4 times more than quinoa. It’s non-GMO and certified organic. Jasberry rice is currently helping more than 2,500 farmers’ families in the Northeastern part of Thailand increase their income from just $0.40/day by up to 14 times!
CHF 40K Gold Winners
NoPalm Ingredients (Netherlands): this startup replaces palm oil as an ingredient in food, cosmetics and detergents by producing a high-quality local, circular and sustainable alternative. NPI applies fermentation technology to upcycle sidestreams and create tailor-made products for its customers. Compared to palm oil, NoPalm Ingredients’ microbial oil has a significantly lower carbon footprint, without compromising wildlife habitat or the local population’s wellbeing.
Inulox (UK): this foodtech start-up is developing a novel solution to reducing sugar consumption. Excess sugar consumption is a global health epidemic. They are pioneering a science-based ingredient to reduce sugar in foods without compromising taste or texture.
Lignovations (Austria): has developed a patented process to manufacture functional ingredients for cosmetics, coatings, packaging, and more from upcycled biomass. By transforming lignin, a component of biomass that protects the plant, into so-called‚ Colloidal Lignin Particles’, Lignovations’ high-performance biomaterial can replace non-renewable ingredients, such as UV filters, antioxidants, and emulsifiers that are harmful to human health and the environment.
CHF 20K Silver Winners
SensArs Neuroprosthetic (Switzerland): SensArs is a medtech company specialized in neuromodulation technologies for the peripheral nervous system. SensArs’ mission is to provide relief to people suffering from chronic peripheral
neuropathic pain and restore naturalistic sensory feedback to people that have lost sensation in their extremities (e.g. amputees).
LAM’ON (Bulgaria): they produce bio-based and suitable for compost laminating film LAM’ON and packaging foils PACK’ON. They look and feel the same as the petroleum-based options, are used on the same machines, and, thanks to our innovative recipe and production method, come at a competitive price.
Cultivated Biosciences (Switzerland): Plant-based alternatives lack a creaminess for which the fat component is key. Cultivated is developing an ingredient from GMO-free yeast, which offers the creaminess needed for plant-based dairy to appeal to flexitarian consumers Our ingredient has the same texture and color as dairy products, low lipid oxidation, and natural emulsification properties.
CHF 10K Bronze Winners
uHoo (Singapore): uHoo develops smart and advanced indoor environmental monitoring and risk management hardware and software technologies to help offices and buildings create a healthier and safer workplace, decarbonize and be more sustainable.
Opharmic Technology (Hong Kong): Opharmic is striving towards an ambitious goal: to replace horrifying eye injections around the world with our patented noninvasive ultrasound system. From technology and product customisation, to clinical development and regulatory strategies, Opharmic offers turnkey solutions to pharma partners around the world to adopt cutting-edge technology in their new or existing pipelines.
Gaia Tech (Switzerland): they have invented an innovative method to upcycle agricultural sidestreams into bio-compounds and added-value ingredients. Through its novel approach, Gaia tackles the ever-increasing trend to substitute synthetic compounds by natural alternatives in the cosmetics, food, and feed sector. At the same time, Gaia Tech responds to the pressing needs of the primary sector to create new value streams and to reduce its environmental footprint.
Manna Insect (Finland): Manna Insect has developed a smart climate-controlled shipping container to upcycle biowaste to animal feed using black soldier fly larvae anywhere in the world with minimal knowledge and work. The containers work with solar power and can be assembled anywhere.