In 2024, Biopôle continued its commitment to fostering innovation by providing vital support to its start-ups through the Biopôle Start-up Fund. Five companies benefitted over the past year: Impli joined the programme and received its first year of funding, while Emovo Care, Neuria and PeriVision all secured a second year of financial support. Finally, biped.ai received funding for a third and final year.
The Biopôle Start-up Fund offers early-stage companies up to CHF 90,000 and an automatic enrollment in the Investment Readiness Programme, which prepares entrepreneurs for future investors’ deep dive into their business plans, finances and more. This initiative therefore doesn’t just fund business development but also helps start-ups understand exactly what’s needed to attract investment. Here’s a description of each of the five companies supported in 2024:
Impli is pioneering implantable healthcare technology. The start-up first joined Biopôle in 2021 through the Vanguard Accelerator programme, aiming to establish a presence in Switzerland, expand its network and strengthen its business model. Today, Impli is developing an implant that can measure hormonal levels to assist patients undergoing fertility treatment, including IVF. Its mission is to revolutionise healthcare by providing real-time insights into the body’s biochemistry. Anna-Luisa Schaffgotsch, CEO and founder of Impli, explained: ‘Through cutting-edge implantable sensor technology, we empower clinicians and patients with accurate, timely data on key analytes, enabling precise diagnosis, personalised treatments and improved health outcomes for all.’ Thanks to support from the Biopôle Start-up Fund, Impli is preparing for its next major milestone: first-in-human trials.
Emovo Care is developing robotic systems to support individuals with motor impairments, such as those caused by strokes. Its motto? ‘Therapy while living.’ Indeed, the company’s solution is designed to be used in daily life, enhancing the user’s motivation and engagement while also providing effective motor therapy. Emovo Care has already developed an innovative exoskeleton and is now integrating AI into its device, so as to interpret users’ intentions through non-invasive neuromuscular biosignals. CEO Luca Randazzo highlighted what receiving support from the Biopôle Start-up Fund meant to his company: ‘This has helped our team grow, strengthened our regulatory operations and the quality of our product, plus facilitated market entry.’
Neuria is working at the intersection of neuroscience and digital health to help people take control of their addictions. Its first product – a mobile game designed to re-calibrate the brain’s reward system – aims to tackle overweight and obesity as a neuropathological condition, a novel approach to treat these conditions effortlessly and more efficiently. Neuria’s first year of funding through the Biopôle Start-up Fund allowed the company to progress with product development, pilot programmes, IP and regulatory affairs, market entry and team expansion. ‘We are incredibly grateful for the support of Biopôle and the Start-up Fund. This funding has been crucial in helping us advance our mission and bring the latest innovations in neuroscience to people in need,’ said Frederik Plourde, CEO and co-founder of Neuria. With a second year of support from the fund, Neuria plans to raise seed funding, enter the US market and launch a pre-commercial app.
PeriVision is transforming eye testing by combining artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and cloud technology. By enabling patients to complete AI-optimized eye tests using VR headsets while doctors configure and analyse results through a web platform, PeriVision enhances clinical efficiency, improves diagnostic accuracy and expands access to essential eye care. Thanks to a second year of support from the Biopôle Start-up Fund, the company has seen rapid progress. ‘2024 was a year of great achievements: we secured regulatory approvals and launched our initial product in the US, UK and EU. In 2025, we aim to build on this success, expand in these markets and enhance our platform with additional VR eye tests and AI diagnostic tools,’ said CEO and co-founder Patrick Kessel.
Finally, biped.ai benefitted from its third year of funding. The start-up, which joined Biopôle in 2022, is revolutionising mobility for blind and visually impaired individuals with its AI-powered harness. ‘The fund has helped us invest in critical areas of our business from the very beginning,’ said Maël Fabien, CEO and co-founder of biped.ai. Indeed, the first two years of support from the Biopôle Start-up Fund helped with rent and salaries, allowing the start-up to expand and establish its own office space on campus. Then, the final year of funding allowed biped.ai to pre-industrialise its device, conduct clinical evaluations and recruit more people to introduce the technology into new markets.
To date, 18 of Biopôle’s best and brightest companies have been selected by the fund’s Scientific Advisory Board to receive support through this initiative. Each of them is pushing the boundaries of innovation – and the fund plays a pivotal role in enabling them to succeed.
