FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

Only a few days left to apply for the MassChallenge Early-stage program in either Switzerland or the UK

We will close applications on March 5th!

?? Empower founders: help spread the word about MassChallenge Switzerland 2025 early-stage accelerator! Share this post.

??The UK program has specific focuses on autonomous vehicles, AI & robotics, and will be linked to the Swiss program.

HIGHLIGHTS

Ignota Labs raises $6.9M to rescue failing drugs with AI technology

UK pharmatech company? Ignota Labs ?has raised $6.9 million Seed funding to advance its efforts in rescuing promising but failing drugs.?Read more here.

“We’re thrilled to have the support of this leading investor syndicate in our mission to rescue promising yet struggling drugs with our technology,” said Sam Windsor, CEO and co-founder of Ignota Labs.?

Voltiris Secures CHF 4.8M to Drive Solar-Powered Greenhouses?

Since its launch in 2022, Voltiris , with its solar modules that allow for double use of greenhouse surfaces without affecting crop yield, has achieved several milestones including conducting twelve commercial projects with renowned growers in Europe. The fresh proceeds from the seed funding round will further accelerate the electrification of high-tech greenhouses across Europe. EquityPitcher Ventures and 3M Ventures led the round. Read more here.

"This funding marks a pivotal moment for Voltiris as we expand our commercial footprint across key European markets including Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. We are also excited to continue enhancing our technological edge, making solar-powered greenhouses a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture." Says Nicolas Weber, Co-Founder & CEO of Voltiris.

uFraction8 eyes growth with ￡3.4 million backing

Biotech engineering company uFraction8 has been backed in a multi-organisation funding round led by Foresight Group.?Read more here.

Dr Tomecka, uFraction8 chief executive, said: “We’re thrilled to have secured this significant investment.?These funds will ensure we can bring our solutions to market more rapidly, particularly within the microalgae and biopharma sectors.”

CellX secures CHF 1.7 million in pre-seed funding

Addressing the chemical pollution challenge, CellX Biosolutions develops high-performance bacterial degraders that enable CO2 emission-free degradation of industrial pollutants. The company has closed its pre-seed round, raising CHF 1.7 million to develop the first commercial bacterial solution for PFAS degradation. Read more here.

Holloid wins EIC grant

“It is very much like Shark Tank (H?hle der L?wen, 2 Minuten, 2 Millionen) - just more in-depth and professional.” says Holloid’s CEO Marcus Lebesmühlbacher.

The jury of the prestigious “EIC Accelerator” appreciated that Holloid is set to become a key player in building a sustainable, nutritious, and affordable food system for Europe and the world. Read more here.

The future of sustainable packaging

Interview with Angela Ivanova, co-founder of Bulgarian startup LAM’ON

LAM'ON? Compostable Films , develops and produces bio-based thermal laminating films and packaging foils as sustainable alternatives to commonly used plastic. In January 2025, the company raised a €500,000 investment round led by Eleven Ventures. Read more here.

The ‘Google Maps’ of Heat Loss

Discover how Kestrix , E.ON, and Coventry City Council Are Mapping Heat Loss at Scale!! ?? ?? Imagine being able to see, in real-time, exactly where heat is escaping from your home. Read the story here.

Reflecting on the startup’s growth, Lucy Lyons , Co-Founder and CEO of Kestrix, emphasized the importance of early support:

“Especially in the early days, it takes a village to raise a startup. MassChallenge UK was that village for Kestrix – we got the support, mentorship, and market validation from different sorts of customers than our typical go-to-market that we needed.”

OPPORTUNITIES

By March 12, FoodTech World Cup

Enter your startup into the FoodTech World Cup. The ultimate tournament to showcase the world’s best startups in food for health hosted by 奇华顿 , Nestlé and FoodHack . Apply today.

March 11, SFNV Impact Forum: Controlled Environment Agriculture - Online

How can we produce food more efficiently, year-round, and with fewer resources? Join industry experts at our next Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley Impact Forum to explore how Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is shaping the future of sustainable food production.?Register here.

March 18, SFNV State of Play: Sidestream valorisation - Bern

How can we transform side streams into high-value ingredients? Join industry leaders on 18 March at Welle 7 in Bern for the next Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley State of Play event, exploring how Swiss innovators are transforming food by-products into new business opportunities. Register here.

March 20-21 - START-SUMMIT - St Gallen

Get a 30% off on your ticket using MASSCHALLENGE30_2025. Get your ticket.

April 01, BIND – BioInnovation Day - Geneva

Join the 10th BioInnovation Day (BIND), on 1 April 2025 at Campus Biotech in Geneva. 30 life sciences projects, in Biotech, Medtech, Digital Health, developed in Western Switzerland academic institutions will be presented to investors and to the public. Read more here.

April 08, Tech & Connect Lausanne

How Innovation and the Entrepreneurial Mindset Shape Women’s Career Advancement

Join us for an inspiring evening as we bring together MassChallenge Switzerland experts, the Women in Tech? Switzerland Switzerland community, and innovators to discuss fostering diversity and increasing the representation of women in the tech ecosystem. Register here. Stay tuned—the speakers will be announced soon!

May 5-6, Swiss Biotech Day 2025 - Basel

Since 2021, the Swiss Biotech Day has grown 40% every year and has become a premier global biotechnology conference for life sciences professionals, fostering international collaboration and impactful partnerships. In 2024 it attracted some 2,500 participants from more than 40 countries, including 17 international delegations. Powered by the Swiss Biotech Association . Register here.

E-Learning: "The Glassbox" course on raising capital?from impact-focused?family officesFlexible | Online ??

The number of Family offices has more than tripled since 2019, there are an estimated 10K SFOs and 5K MFOs globally which manage 6 Trillion USD in assets.?Family offices are collectively having a greater impact on the world of investing, and business broadly, but those effects are relatively known.

Explore this?self-paced online course, The Glassbox, teaching you how to access family offices,?partner, and raise capital. Watch the introductory video and access the course here. Special Discount for MC Community, with 10% off the course. CODE: MC2025

Intense and valuable! Says, Guido Toepfer, Co-founder and CEO of Brownee - Sustainability in the baking, Australia, MC Finalists 2024.

MassChallenge Switzerland Announced 3 New Partners in 2025

We’re excited to welcome two new Diamond Partners, 玛氏食品 and Novonesis , along with one new Golden Partner, Eisberg , to our network! Their expertise in food, biotech, and sustainability will create incredible opportunities for our startups. We can’t wait to see the impact of these collaborations! ?? Read more here.