The second Founder Call enables projects that aim to establish a start-up or spin-off, from the initial idea to proof of concept. Algorithm-based leukaemia diagnosis, digital memory boxes for people with dementia and EdTech certification demonstrate the breadth of the projects.
The second Founder Call in the innovation program supports early start-up ideas with start-up financing. This enables potential founders to demonstrate that their conceptually developed projects are feasible in practice. Funding is provided during the incubation phase, during which questions of technical and economic feasibility are validated. The selected project ideas were presented at a pitch final in front of juries consisting of members of the innovation panel and experts from the Zurich and Swiss start-up scene.
The approved projects are characterised by their innovative strength and their contribution to digital transformation. Funding amounts to a maximum of CHF 75,000 per project for a period of up to 12 months. During this time, the teams develop a proof of concept, laying the foundation for the establishment of their start-up or spin-off.
In the field of health and medicine, the projects develop digital solutions for medical diagnostics and therapy. They range from secure platforms for medical imaging and algorithm-based cancer diagnostics to telerehabilitation for children. Other projects address the growing need for accessible interventions for mental health and cognitive impairments through innovative digital tools, such as self-compassion tools for psychotherapy or digital memory boxes for people with dementia. In the field of education, new approaches to teaching and learning are emerging, from the certification of EdTech products and apps for job-specific training to digital tutoring assistants and simulation platforms for media literacy. For business and digital services, the teams are creating solutions for SMEs and the financial sector, from automated customer service chatbots to individualised stock indices.
An overview of the eleven projects receiving funding
MIRO Suite – Medical Imaging Research Orchestration Suite
Secure AI in medical imaging requires data labelled by experts, but researchers face data protection risks and inefficient workflows. MIRO Suite offers a secure, web-based platform that combines access to images, annotations and AI models, thereby accelerating research.
More information
LEUCAIDA – Classification and diagnosis of leukaemia
Rapid and accurate determination of the leukaemia subtype is crucial in order to provide patients with the right treatment quickly. The algorithm-based system analyses laboratory data and cell images from blood and bone marrow samples, enabling rapid classification.
More information
Kymu – Complementary paediatric neuromuscular telerehabilitation
Children with neuromuscular disorders require regular therapy, but frequent visits to the clinic place a strain on families. Kymu enables playful training at home via an app and television, while therapists monitor and adjust treatment via a web platform using data.
More information
Me to the power of two – Selbstdialogtechnologien für Beratung und Psychotherapie
Da psychische Herausforderungen weltweit zunehmen und Versorgungslücken grösser werden, besteht dringender Bedarf an zugänglichen Interventionen. Me² ist ein immersives Selbst-Dialog-Werkzeug, das Selbstmitgefühl stärkt, einen Schlüsselfaktor für psychische Resilienz und Genesung.
More information
MemoBox – Digital reminiscence therapy in everyday life
People with early cognitive impairment lose access to biographical memories that promote their well-being. MemoBox links physical objects to personal stories via camera and voice dialogue, enabling autonomous reminiscence therapy that also relieves the burden on relatives.
More information
PTaC – Educational terms of use for Swiss EdTech
Schools are increasingly relying on digital learning tools, but are unable to assess their educational quality. The project is developing a non-profit organisation that will create a quality label with clear criteria to certify EdTech in the Swiss context and support procurement decisions.
More information
SteppingStone – Job-specific communication training
Language barriers hinder integration in the workplace and exacerbate the shortage of skilled workers. The mobile app provides targeted training in communication skills for specific professional and everyday situations, thereby promoting faster integration.
More information
MentorMate – Mentor-based AI for Teaching and Education
Personalised tutoring is effective but resource-intensive and not scalable for many schools and universities. MentorMate is a GDPR-compliant assistant with learning analytics that enables scalable, personalised tutoring at low cost.
More information
VIRENA – Virtual arena for research, education and democratic innovation
Virena is a simulation platform that replicates realistic social media with customisable agents. It enables researchers, educators and public organisations to test, train and plan strategically in protected digital arenas.
More information
AI API Core – The next generation of customer service solutions
AI API Core is a no-code platform that converts website content and internal documents into multilingual, source-based chatbots for SMEs. It automates up to 90 per cent of customer interactions and enables trustworthy, scalable support.
More information
Custom Swiss Index AI – Platform for creating customised stock indices
A platform for small asset managers and private investors enables them to design dynamic, tailor-made indices with full control over the components, thereby closing a structural gap in the Swiss market.
More information