QUMEA Wins the Swiss Economic Award: Insights from SEF. 2024

Our journey at the Swiss Economic Forum began with the SEF.Founders Conference, titled "When the Going Gets Tough." on the 6th of June in Interlaken. Compared to the main event, it was an intimate gathering of 200 entrepreneurs.

The conference featured a keynote by Ori Goshen , who discussed the future of "neuro-symbolic AI," emphasizing the convergence of machine learning and neural networks and the increasing overlap between human and machine capabilities.

Cyrill Gyger and I had a fireside chat with Silvan Kr?henbühl , where we shared our experiences at QUMEA . Cyrill highlighted, "There are a lot of reasons not to go into healthcare with the current headwinds. But we did – because it's important and you can make a big difference.” This statement encapsulated our journey with QUMEA, underscoring the challenges and rewards of navigating the medtech startup ecosystem. We discussed the long sales cycles with hospitals and the critical importance of choosing the right accelerators to support our growth. We also delved into QUMEA’s future growth plans and the invaluable experience gained from the SEF.Growth program.

I shared a personal anecdote about a jaw bruise that took me out of business for a few weeks and how my team’s support was crucial during that tough period. This resonated with the event's theme: "When the Going Gets Tough."

The Mental Health panel featured Kevin Baxpehler and Levent Künzi?? , highlighting the challenges of entrepreneurship and the toll it can take on mental and physical health. Neuroscientist and entrepreneur Barbara Studer, PhD , explained how the human brain can go awry and early intervention strategies.

Hanna Olzon ?kerstr?m and her lovely family shared the founding story of Soeder, explaining how they conceived the idea of producing high-quality, 100% natural care products.

In a fireside chat, AI futurist Zack Kass discussed with Silvan Kr?henbühl how ChatGPT began and his long-standing fascination with artificial intelligence, predicting that soon there will be one-person companies with AI-driven business ideas that grow into unicorns.

One of my highlights of the Founders Conference was the Insight Session with Caspar Coppetti , co-founder of On . He shared the remarkable journey of transforming a running shoe into an empire, sparking dreams and ideas that inspired us to apply lessons to our own business.

Moving to the Casino for the Main SEF Gathering

The SEF.Founders Conference concluded with a vibrant mingling session at the casino in Interlaken. Despite the rain, the atmosphere was electrifying. The event was marked by an impressive intensity from the CEOs present. Although the forum was predominantly male, there were inspiring women and individuals in colorful outfits. I was inspired by Dr. Heiko Visarius to wear yellow trousers, matching QUMEA's color, which made me easily recognizable amidst the sea of dark suits. One of the additional perks of being a woman at these conferences is the lack of waiting lines at the ladies' room.

Winning the Swiss Economic Award

Incredibly, the first day was topped by what was yet to come: on June 7th, Cyrill Gyger pitched QUMEA for the SEF Award. Competing against two other impressive scale-ups, Feey and Neustark, we were thrilled to hear, "And the winner is QUMEA." The feeling was indescribable. While we had hoped for this outcome, seeing it become reality was hard to digest. Our entire team was called on stage, and we were grateful for the laudatory words from Alain Conte and Caspar Coppetti . Sharing the stage with them was an honor. The congratulations that followed were overwhelming, and I stumbled onto the stage to express that "it takes a country to raise a company." Raising a business indeed requires the right customers, partners, a dedicated team, and a supportive network. We thank everyone who has supported our journey.

Looking Forward

This was my first time at the Swiss Economic Forum , and I hope it won’t be my last. I was impressed by the amazing organization of the SEF and SEF.Growth team. Special thanks to Lukas Froesch and Sophia H?nssler !

We look forward to proudly displaying the Swiss Economic Award in our office and continuing our mission to transform patient monitoring, improve quality of care, and enhance patient safety across borders.