Start-up promotion on a grand scale

When the W.A. de Vigier Prize was first awarded 30 years ago, many of this year's winners were just learning to walk. No one was talking about start-up funding back then. Solothurn-born industrialist Bill de Vigier knew from his own experience how important start-up capital was, and set himself the goal of paving the way for promising start-ups. He was one of the very first people in Switzerland to take an institutional approach to start-up promotion. For three decades, the W.A. de Vi-gier Foundation has been awarding Switzerland's most highly endowed sponsorship prize, and it does so à fonds perdu and independently, i.e. without any conditions attached to the prize. "That former

I am particularly pleased that so many of the winners contributed to this year's prize money. I hope that our alumni will increasingly enter into partnerships with each other in the future, which will help the already established companies to remain innovative and pave the way for the young start-ups to enter the market. In addition, it is entirely in the spirit of the founder Bill de Vigier to share the fruits of success with those who are still at the beginning", says Regula Buob, Managing Director of the W.A. de Vigier Foundation.

Jury invited 60 start-ups to pitch for the first time
In the anniversary year 2019, there was another premiere: After a preliminary selection, the Board of Trustees got to know 60 young entrepreneurs in person for the first time instead of 16 start-ups. "At the 'Selection Day Top 60', we were able to get a very early impression of the ideas and, in particular, the people behind them. Our foundation places particular emphasis on the entrepreneurial personality, because we need more pioneers in our country like Bill de Vigier was. We need real role models who shape our society with both their ideas and their spirit," emphasizes Beat Graf, Vice President of the Foundation.

Daniel Borer, President of the Foundation Board, in conversation
What made you decide to take over the presidency of the W.A. de Vigier Foundation? Daniel Borer: As a doctor, investor and shareholder, I am naturally interested in innovative ideas. In my role as Chairman of the Foundation Board and juror, I am always happy to come into contact with exciting young entrepreneurs. Being able to support them is a very meaningful task. It is an honour for me to continue to keep Bill de Vigier's spirit alive, together with my colleagues on the Foundation Board, the Managing Director, our experts, ambassadors and the founding family.

What have been your goals for the Foundation since you took office?
Fortunately, we do not have to reinvent the wheel; the foundation's purpose is clearly defined. Rather, we are continuing an extremely tried and tested tradition. Personally, I always like to reflect on the overarching goal of promoting Swiss entrepreneurship. By this I mean that we pull together with other institutions and complement each other. In recent years, the focus has shifted from the idea submitted to the character of the project.

"We're not just looking for breakthrough products."

of the CEO, i.e. the person behind the idea. We are not only looking for groundbreaking products and business ideas for the Swiss economy, but also for healthy entrepreneurs with integrity who can serve as role models for other young entrepreneurs.

How do you see the future role of the W.A. de Vigier Foundation in the Swiss start-up ecosystem?
I have already mentioned that our foundation places a strong focus on the entrepreneurial personality. We do this because we need more pioneers in our country like Bill de Vigier was - real role models who change society with both their ideas and their spirit. And what we also need are CEOs who, if successful, will invest in start-ups again, not only with money but also with know-how. This meccano is not yet working optimally in Switzerland. Our foundation wants to see at least 20 such lighthouse figures on the stage of Swiss business in ten years' time, who were once among the top 10 in the running for the W.A. de Vigier Prize.

As a foundation, how do you measure your success?
The success of our commitment is most directly reflected in the reports of the start-ups we support. We hear time and again that investors call out of nowhere after a start-up has been voted into the Top 16 by our Board of Trustees. This is exactly what happened recently to Peter Diehl, the CEO of Audatic. Our Top 16 shortlist is already a seal of quality that enjoys a high degree of credibility far beyond the Swiss border. In fact, over the past ten years, all start-ups from the top 10 have received follow-up financing. We deliberately maintain contact with our alumni and are happy to lend a hand if this is desired and feasible. In addition to the prize money, coaching and leadership training, our network is also always a guiding light for the start-ups. The members of the foundation board are widely networked, and our experts and ambassadors have been able to open many a door. In figures, it can be said that the 118 start-ups that have received awards so far have created around 3,000 jobs.

When does a pitch make a judge's heart beat faster?
This is certainly different for each member of the foundation board. I become particularly alert when the person and the idea are closely interwoven and the executive director seems grounded and at the same time visionary to me. We often have very young people in front of us who have to be confident that they can handle huge rounds of financing. We don't always agree in the jury either, there are tough negotiations and arguments based on the available expert reports, fact sheets, assessments, presentations and motivational videos. Being a juror is truly a privilege. The Board of Trustees is allowed to take risks and independently select groundbreaking ideas. It's a bit like pearl diving.

These are the winners 2019

• PXL Vision AG from Zurich (ZH): develops state-of-the-art technologies for fully automated customer onboarding and identity verification with camera-based devices.
• Scewo AG from Winterthur (ZH): develops a wheelchair that allows the rider to climb stairs and move much more freely.

"The 118 award-winning startups have created 3000 jobs." Daniel Borer

• Swiss Motion Technologies AG from Renens (VD): produces affordable prosthetic silicone insoles using 3D printing. The insole serves as a soft cushioning layer between the leg and the prosthesis.
• T3 Pharmaceuticals AG from Basel (BS): uses bacteria that can specifically detect solid tumours and even grow in them. In the tumor, the bacteria act as efficient production sites for therapeutically active proteins.
• Vatorex AG from Winterthur (ZH): Using heat to combat bee mortality
• Mirrakoi AG from Lausanne (VD): Easy-to-use and accessible 3D CAD tool
• Mobbot AG from Fribourg (FR): Construction companies can reduce their manufacturing and installation costs by 40 to 80 percent thanks to Mobbot's 3D concrete printing technology and a fully digitalized process. .
• PharmaBiome AG from Zurich (ZH): developed a technology for the isolation, cultivation and characterization of intestinal microbes to treat intestinal diseases.
• Piomic Medical AG from Zurich (ZH): develops a novel medical device for the treatment of chronic wounds.
• Sleepiz AG from Zurich (ZH): With the Sleepiz solution, patients can be tested for sleep disorders from home.