Led · Series A · Feb 2023

EPoS Technologies develops Electro-sinter-forging (ESF), a powder‑metallurgical method for rapid production of a wide range of materials and components. Led by CEO Alessandro Fais, the company’s ESF process uses loose binder‑less powders that are automatically dosed or manually placed into a mold. An automatic pre‑pressure step guarantees electrical contact, after which an intense electromagnetic pulse is superimposed with a mechanical pulse for 30–100 ms; after a brief hold the sintered component is extracted. The company is based in Fribourg, Switzerland. EPoS raised CHF2M in a Pre‑Series A round led by Nivalis Group. It plans to use the funds to expand the team and build its first industrial‑scale Electro‑Sinter‑Forging press.

Led · Series A · Jan 2023

Bionomous builds the EggSorter, an automated screening and sorting device for small biological entities (zebrafish eggs, Xenopus oocytes and embryos, plant seeds and more). The EggSorter uses a rotary wheel to present individual entities to a camera for bright-field or fluorescence imaging, then processes images and dispenses items into output containers based on classification. The device obtained CE certification in December 2022 and the company has entered a commercialization phase with customers lined up in Europe, the US and China. In January 2023 Bionomous raised USD 2.7 million in a Series A to scale production and prepare for global deployment. The funds will be used for product roll-out, US business development and to develop new industry-focused verticals. The startup was founded in 2019 and previously won CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick in 2020 and participated in the Venture Leaders Biotech roadshow in Boston in 2022. Bionomous is a Swiss biorobotics startup that makes the EggSorter, a device to automatically inspect, sort and dispense small biological entities like zebrafish eggs for life‑sciences research. The EggSorter aims to standardize laboratory workflows and increase research throughput for applications including drug discovery and toxicology testing. The company combines mechatronics, microfluidics and machine learning in its product and has attracted interest from leaders in the zebrafish field. Bionomous reports early traction, including confirmed orders received despite the COVID pandemic, and interest from early adopters. The recent CHF 1.3 million seed raise will fund acceleration of testing, development of a certified ready‑for‑market product and preparation for industrialization. The team also plans to explore applying the technology to other segments such as personalized medicine, diagnostics and aquaculture.

Led · Seed · Dec 2019

Rovenso develops autonomous robots for security monitoring, safety assessment and anomaly detection both inside and outside industrial buildings and in challenging environments. The company combines multimodal anomaly detection capabilities including precise volumetry, acoustic analysis, and thermal and visual feature extraction. Rovenso has participated in accelerators such as HAX in Shenzhen, where it connected with investors including Sean O’Sullivan Ventures. The startup raised CHF 2.3 million to accelerate technology development, enhance prototypes, expand pilot projects with industrial partners, and grow the team. Its R&D is based at Technology Park Le Vivier, where it plans intensive 24/7 patrol tests and intends to double the R&D team in 2020. Founders mentioned in the article include Lucian Cucu, Beat Geissmann and Thomas Estier.