TechTransfer

The electrification of many areas of life is leading to an increased demand for high-performance batteries. Two ETH spin-offs are making waves in this field: while BTRY develops high-performance solid-state batteries, 8inks is working on a new standard for production.

ETH spin-off dAIgnose is developing an algorithm that can be used to analyse ultrasound images of the womb on an automated basis. This should enable doctors to diagnose endometriosis more quickly in the future.

Students at ETH Zurich are working together with engineers from the technology firm Bühler to accelerate innovation and minimise the attendant risks. It's a fruitful collaboration that other companies are also poised to benefit from.

EPFL startups raised CHF 470 million in 2023 – a record figure if we exclude 2021, an exceptional year with three IPOs. A total of 23 startups were created in 2023, and over a third of them by women.

Grégoire Courtine, Jocelyne Bloch and their research team have been breaking new ground in the treatment of neurological disorders for over a decade. Here’s a look at some of the promising new therapies they’ve developed.

A total of 43 new spin-offs were founded at ETH Zurich over the past year, a new record. A particularly large number of young companies were created in the areas of artificial intelligence and biotechnology. In addition, an increasing number of ETH spin-offs are being set up by women.

Eight stakeholders from business, science and the public sector launched the first project for wireless charging of electric vehicles in Switzerland at the end of November 2023. The project team is investigating the technical feasibility of inductive charging under everyday conditions, determining the advantages and disadvantages compared to conventional charging systems and clarifying the approval process. Empa is part of the project team, which is supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).

Empa will collaborate with Battery Consult AG, a research and development company specializing in salt battery technology, and the Swiss Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB) in the LISA project (Laser Joining of ceramic-metal in SaltBatteries), which is co-funded by the Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse. The project aims to revolutionize battery manufacturing and contributes to the cost effectiveness and sustainability of new energy storage solutions.

ETH Zurich researchers taught an autonomous excavator to construct dry stone walls itself using boulders weighing several tonnes and demolition debris.

EPFL spin-off Qaptis has developed a system that can cut freight trucks’ carbon emissions by up to 90%. The company just installed a prototype of its technology at a freight carrier based in Tolochenaz in order to conduct pilot tests locally.

As society increasingly expects the responsible use of digital technologies, firms with better practices will have a distinct advantage, says Tomoko Yokoi. Digital responsibility should not only be seen as a duty to comply with regulations but also as an activity that generates value.

EPFL researchers have designed a bio-inspired robot with a novel trimmed helicoid structure that allows for a wide range of motion and safe interaction with humans.

Sparkling water on the go at the touch of a button and entirely plastic-free. The new water bottle by ETH spin-off bottleplus makes this possible.

Construction is underway, once again, at the research and innovation building NEST. The new unit goes by the name of STEP2. Over the past three years, project partners from various disciplines have developed innovations with high market potential, which will be implemented in a real-world construction project for the very first time.

Thanks to many years of research at the aquatic research institute Eawag, biologist Stefan Diener and environmental scientist Bram Dortmans know how to turn organic waste into valuable feed with the help of black soldier flies. Together, they have founded the spin off Eclose to put their expertise into practice.