The team at DePoly, led by Samantha Anderson, made headlines again with the closing of its $23 million funding round. Dedicated to tackling the global PET problem, the startup has developed a proprietary process that transforms PET and polyester waste into virgin-quality raw materials without the use of fossil fuels. This funding will enable the company to launch its facility with a capacity of 500 tonnes per year.
NovaMea, another cleantech startup and EPFL spinoff, secured USD 9 million in its Series A round to advance its electrochemical systems for energy storage and conversion. Among its executive team is Lou Denisart, who serves as Chief Operating Officer. Muuvr, co-led by Pascale Wahl (Co-CEO and CRO) and Michael Hartweg (Co-CEO), closed a CHF 4 million pre-Series A round to support the development of its activity app, which motivates users to be more active by offering rewards.
Grants are also instrumental in supporting startup growth. DiverSsiTy, led by Anne-Laure Héritier, announced that its Swiss-French-Polish consortium received a European THCS (Transforming HealthCare Systems) grant to create an “immersive prevention center in the metaverse.” This week, the team is also unveiling its game prototype at Laval Virtual, Europe’s largest VR/AR trade show.
BrainScape Medical, a Geneva-based life sciences startup supported by the Wyss Center and led by CEO & co-founder Laura Johnson, has been awarded a CHF 100,000 FIF Seed Loan. The company is developing a comprehensive solution to improve brain disorder care and management. Meanwhile, co-founders Anna Kolano and Katarzyna Stachyra received a CHF 50,000 grant to further develop devices that provide real-time health insights for pets, supporting both veterinarians and pet owners.
Startup Growth and Market Expansion
La Petite Épicerie has launched 24/7 self-service stores in 14 locations across Western Switzerland and one in the German-speaking region. Since its founding in 2018, the company has attracted 27,000 registered app users and generated CHF 5 million in revenue. Over CHF 0.5 million was recently raised through crowdfunding, reflecting strong public confidence in its retail concept.
Kenzai – Cosmetic, co-founded by Barbara Darbellay-Moor and her brother Stéphane Moor, continues its international expansion, introducing its range of natural anti-ageing skincare products to the Italian market. The all-female team at rrreefs, focused on coral reef regeneration, has entered a three-year partnership with Stiftung Fourfold to launch an initiative in the Philippines.
Clinical Advancements
Clinical startups measure success differently—often through clinical and regulatory milestones. Stimit received approval to market its ‘STIMIT Activator 1’ in Canada. The device is designed to preserve diaphragm thickness by stimulating the phrenic nerve. iOnctura, which develops therapies for neglected and hard-to-treat cancers, has reached a milestone with the first patient dosed in its Phase II OCULE-01 study for metastatic uveal melanoma. Muvon Therapeutics and NLS Pharma reported positive clinical results—Muvon for its MPC-based therapy for stress urinary incontinence, and NLS Pharma for its lead candidate Mazindol, which targets substance use disorders.
Awards and Recognition for Female Founders
Unomr, co-founded by Julia Wagner (Advisory COO), received CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to advance its serial nanopore sensor technology, which detects protein modifications at the single-molecule level. Four startups joined the GENILEM acceleration program. Among them are Virtuosis, which develops voice biomarkers to assess mental and physical health, and Alpibreak, which offers Swiss, vegetarian, dehydrated outdoor meals made from local and often declassified ingredients.
Recent Award Highlights
- Luya Foods won CHF 10,000 for its second-place finish. The jury praised its transformation of okara (a tofu by-product) into meat alternatives.
- Ex Nunc, led by Kyriaki Bongard, Zoé Berry, and Thomas Seze, is a finalist for the CHF 100,000 ZKB Pioneerfonds prize.
- Nexelis, led by Leanna Caron, was selected for the Spring 2025 Plug and Play Medtech program in Warsaw, IN. The company enhances orthopedic surgery outcomes through bone reinforcement technologies.
- Rivero, co-founded by Fatemeh Nikayin, is a finalist for the Swiss Fintech Award. The company streamlines finance industry operations through its SaaS solutions, Kajo and Amiko.
- SaisiR, Carewell, and OptiZone founders have reached the final round of the Prix PERL 2025 competition. SaisiR, led by Claudia Bigoni, recently won an award at EPFL’s Seed Night for its AI-powered, non-invasive brain-computer interface therapy.
- The Isabelle Musy Award (CHF 50,000) went to Manon Rolland and Claire Bourmaud, co-founders of Koatin’G, whose technology replaces toxic petroleum-based coatings in bank receipt paper with sustainable alternatives.
Ecosystem Support and Leadership
Fifteen startups have already benefited from the USZ Health Innovation Program, collectively creating 75+ jobs and raising over CHF 30 million in funding. Female-led businesses feature prominently among the beneficiaries.
Three women recently took on C-suite roles: Jennifer Yohannes (former CEO of Kartenmacherei) is now Chief Product Officer at Librio; Oktawia Kata has been appointed CTO of Technis and Lauren Hawker Zafer was promoted to COO of Squirro.
Upcoming Opportunities
The Albert Koechlin Foundation will award prizes to innovative young companies as part of the Innerschweizer Startup-Preis 2025. CHF 30,000 will be awarded to up to two female founders. Applications are open until 10 June 2025.
On 13 May in Bern, The Collective Gathering will bring together female innovators, business leaders, and policymakers to explore ways to boost female entrepreneurship in Switzerland. Tickets are still available.
