Participated · Series D · Mar 2023

Lunaphore, led by CEO Ata Tuna Ciftlik, develops chip-based solutions that extract spatial proteomic and transcriptomic data from tumors and other tissues. Its platform transforms standard assays into multiplex spatial biology to support research in immunology, immuno-oncology, and neuroscience. The technology enables identification of biomarker signatures with clinical relevance to aid diagnostic development and streamline clinical trials. Lunaphore intends to use the new funding to strengthen its spatial biology portfolio and to support commercial execution to meet customer demand. The company recently completed a CHF40M first close of a Series D that includes a EUR10M venture debt facility. Lunaphore Technologies develops next-generation tissue autostainers using a microfluidics-based technology called FFeX (Fast Fluidic Exchange). The FFeX platform is designed to perform assays much faster than standard techniques and has shown promising results in tests with cancer patient samples. The company focuses on equipment for cancer research and tissue diagnostics and is working on next-generation instruments. Founded in 2014 and based in Lausanne, Switzerland, Lunaphore plans to use recent funds for market and product expansion, including a US market entry and a ramp-up of activities in Europe. Financially, the company completed a Series C2 closing that added CHF2M and contributed to a CHF25M total Series C round. The Swiss Entrepreneurs Fund invested in the Series C2 and has committed a total of CHF5M to Lunaphore. Lunaphore Technologies develops next‑generation tissue autostainers based on its FFeX (Fast Fluidic Exchange) microfluidics technology to perform assays faster than standard techniques and has demonstrated promising results with cancer patient samples. The company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and was founded in 2014. It focuses on products for tissue analytics, pathology workflows and immuno‑oncology research. Lunaphore plans to use the Series C proceeds for market and product expansion, including a US market entry, ramping up activities in Europe and developing next‑generation instruments. The company completed a first closing of a CHF 23M Series C financing on January 15, 2020 (the round was oversubscribed). Lunaphore designs next-generation devices for cancer tissue diagnostics, including a precision medicine solution that performs ultra-rapid immunostainings. The company intends to use the new funding to obtain CE marking and support a product launch. Management says the financing validates partnerships announced in recent months and will help drive market adoption of its first products. The round was oversubscribed and finalized in August 2018. Lunaphore’s CEO, Ata Tuna Ciftlik, and board members highlighted progress toward commercialisation and market launch in the coming months. Lunaphore develops devices based on microfluidic tissue processor technology aimed at shortening the time required for cancer diagnostics assays while maintaining high precision. The company has tested its technology in collaboration with key opinion leaders and across laboratories and hospitals internationally. Lunaphore intends to use the recently raised funds for the development and market introduction of its devices. The company was founded in 2014 by Dr. Ata Tuna Ciftlik, who serves as CEO. Lunaphore is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland and focuses on translating its microfluidic platform into clinical diagnostic workflows. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2021

Medimaps Group develops patented image-processing and deep‑learning applications to assess bone quality and micro‑architecture from routinely acquired medical images. Its flagship product, TBS iNsight, provides bone texture analysis to help clinicians identify patients earlier and classify fracture risk without additional radiation exposure. TBS iNsight has been used in clinical practice worldwide, is included in many guidelines, supported by over 800 peer‑reviewed publications, and is used by more than 30,000 physicians. The company reports that TBS has reclassified roughly 30% of osteopenic patients in studies. Medimaps’ technology is a patented multi‑layer deep learning approach applicable across image modalities, supporting opportunistic X‑ray screening, patient risk profiling, and presurgical assessment. Medimaps announced it secured $20 million in an institutional investment round to expand and commercialize its AI product portfolio. The funds will be used to develop and market‑launch its patented AI applications for bone health assessment in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Participated · Series A · Jul 2020

Yamo produces fresher, healthier refrigerated baby meals and purees using high-pressure pasteurisation (HPP) to retain nutrients, taste and colour. Its products are sold online via a direct-to-consumer subscription model and through grocery retailers, including Coop in Switzerland and trials in select Edeka and Rewe stores in Germany. Yamo's items last between eight and 12 weeks when refrigerated, and it recently launched what it claims is the first non-dairy oat-milk yoghurt for kids in Europe. Founded in 2016 by Tobias Gunzenhauser, José Amado-Blanco and Luca Michas, the company was created in response to concerns about added sugar, salt and long shelf lives in conventional baby foods. With the new funding, Yamo plans to expand into France and to introduce additional food products for children. The company positions homemade baby food and incumbent baby-food brands as its main competitors and notes the retail challenge of securing refrigerated placement. yamo is a Swiss, vertically integrated baby-food brand that controls recipe development, production, and online sales. It produces fresh, natural organic baby food and leverages innovative high-pressure preservation (HPP) technology to preserve vitamins, taste, and original colours. The company was founded in 2017 by Tobias Gunzenhauser, José Amado-Blanco and Luca Michas. Its products are available in large retailers. yamo plans to use new funding to strengthen its brand presence in Germany and Austria and to bring solid food and snacks to market. The article reports the company raised a low seven-digit funding round.

Participated · Equity · Apr 2020

SkyCell develops smart hardware and software for pharmaceutical cold-chain logistics, including insulated "smart containers" and a logistics platform called SkyMind. Its containers use machine learning and sensors to maintain strict temperatures, humidity levels, and vibration control, and the company has begun selling components such as its smart thermometer. SkyCell says its containers are on average about half as heavy as competitors’, which it equates to roughly 50% less CO2 from air transport. The company reports roughly 50% annual growth and moves about $2.5 billion worth of pharmaceutical products and ingredients per month. Customers include pharmaceutical companies and a large network of cargo partners. SkyCell plans to use the new funding to double down on work with companies operating in Asia and the U.S. SkyCell designs and manufactures insulated, “smart” transport containers for temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, underpinned by roughly 140 patents. Its latest container version can maintain conditions for up to 180 hours and is paired with an analytics platform that provides recurring revenue and shipment monitoring. The company says it now transports $1.5 billion of pharmaceutical products each month (finished and raw materials), representing hundreds of millions of doses. After pandemic disruptions, SkyCell reports a return to a 40–50% growth rate. The firm is focused on sustainability, aiming to transition to a CO2-neutral supply chain and reduce industry waste tied to disposable solutions. SkyCell is 10 years old and is choosing to remain focused on pharmaceuticals rather than diversify into other temperature-sensitive markets like food. SkyCell designs and manufactures self-charging hybrid containers that maintain stable temperature conditions, deflect shock, and protect temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals on long journeys. Its containers include embedded IoT sensors and shipment monitoring software that provide worldwide tracking and near-real-time quality oversight. The startup positions its product to reduce risk in transporting biologics and other temperature-sensitive drugs. Following an investment by Lazard Asset Management, SkyCell says it is financially equipped to accelerate innovation and expand its global reach. The company emphasizes growth ambition as a global leader in temperature-controlled container solutions and a trusted partner to pharmaceutical companies worldwide. SkyCell develops smart containers and a SaaS solution (SECURE) to enable safe, secure, and sustainable transportation of temperature‑sensitive pharmaceuticals. Its hardware is designed to predict, reduce, and control risks associated with cold‑chain logistics while the SECURE platform provides end‑to‑end shipment oversight and automated approval capabilities. The company has expanded its global service footprint with new centers in locations including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Seoul, Rome, Toronto, Tokyo, and Ireland. SkyCell significantly increased headcount (45% growth since its previous funding round in April 2020) and is focused on converting a growing pipeline of global pharma and biotech clients. The firm plans to use new funding to grow sales teams, further differentiate its hardware and SaaS offerings, and improve client experience to become a preferred distribution solution for the cold chain. SkyCell builds insulated, instrumented "smart containers" and a software platform to maintain strict temperature, humidity and vibration conditions for pharmaceuticals in transit. Its containers withstand temperatures from -35°C to 60°C and the hardware and software are covered by about 100 patents. The company operates a logistics network using some 22,000 air freight pallets and says its failure rate is under 0.1% while cutting CO2 emissions on a typical shipment by almost half. SkyCell works with eight of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies and is in validation trials with another seven. The company was founded in 2012 in Switzerland and counts customers involved in COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccine development among its clients. New capital will be used to expand in the U.S. and Asia and to double its fleet to become the largest pharmaceutical-transportation company globally.