SHS Smarter Healthcare Booster Program

As part of Smarter Healthcare – a project with the support of Engagement Migros, the development fund of the Migros Group – Swiss Healthcare Startups is looking for Switzerland's most exciting Healthcare Startups to send to Silicon Valley in 2020 for the SHS Smarter Healthcare Booster Program. The winners can expect exposure to the Bay Area’s vibrant health tech innovation ecosystem, an extensive network of mentors and partners, visibility and financial support. 

Besides the obvious and well known Silicon Valley treats, the Bay Area is also famous for being a cross industry innovation engine which brought forward exciting companies like Akili (the first FDA approved video game), EchoPixel (visualizing medical images through advanced VR technology) and is home to moonshot hubs like Verily as well as world class accelerators like Y-combinator and Rock Health. Those are the ideal conditions to offer a profitable and instructive program to Swiss healthcare startups.

And the winners are...

We are excited to announce the two winners of the SHS Smarter Healthcare Booster Program 2020:

🚀 Winner Cluster 1: Neurosoft Bioelectronics
🚀 Winner Cluster 2: Altoida, Inc.

CONGRATULATIONS!

The two final winners made it through a rigorous application process that started October 2019 and included: a jury selection for the top 10, a public voting for the top 6 and a final SHS Board selection of the two winners. Neurosoft Bioelectronics and Altoida, Inc. will join an exceptional Booster program organized by our network partner swissnex San Francisco, which we’ll accompany and share stories und impressions of. The program is anticipated to take place in San Francisco in October 2020. We’re closely monitoring the current situation and will provide updates on potential adjustments in place or time. 

Details about the Booster Program can be found at the bottom of this page. 

Thank you to all participating startups, to all the 900+ voters, to all jury members and all supporters during this first iteration of the SHS Smarter Healthcare Booster Program. And a big round of applaus for all our finalists who didn’t make it to the top 2:  

👏👏👏

We thank you for your valuable contribution and are happy to see such exciting ideas vitalizing the Swiss healthcare ecosystem.
Applications for the 2021 SHS Smarter Healthcare Booster Program will open in October 2020.  

 

Program

Date:
October 5-16, 2020 

Toolbox Sessions: 

  • Law: migration, incorporation, IP 
  • VC feedback: get feedback from local Bay Area VCs
  • Pitching US style: in the American market, storytelling is crucial, learn how to present the American way
  • US style business development: learn insider techniques and tricks to hustle Silicon Valley style

Fireside chats:

  • Learn first hand from startups from the local ecosystem how they managed to make it

Demo Night:

  • With up to 150 attendees from the local ecosystem, demo tables and a local expert jury

1:1 coaching:

  • Trough the swissnex startup team

And many more: 

  • Desk in a prime location 
  • Networking support 
  • Cohort with other healthcare startups 
  • Plenty of time for business development
  • Additional networking opportunities with healthcare ecosystem of Bay Area during Events hosted at swissnex during the planetary and human health month in October

 The SHS Smarter Healthcare Booster Program is supported by swissnex San Francisco.
 

Selection Process

The startups we have been looking for have a bold and compelling vision for the future of healthcare and they are providing a basis to turn todays ‘sickcare’ into actual healthcare – connected and smart. The applying startups had to be based in Switzerland, had at least an MVP and were post seed stage.

Applications were open until 31 December 2019. A handpicked jury of industry experts has then selected a first round of eleven finalists in February 2020. 

    The selected panel of experts:

    These finalists were be invited to a pitch event. One pitch event was scheduled to take place March 10, 2020 at Biopole in Epalinges, one pitch event was scheduled to take place March 30, 2020 at Technopark Winterthur. BOTH EVENTS HAVE GONE DIGITAL DUE TO COVID-19. To see all digital pitches, please visit our video section here. The audience has then selected the top 3 finalists from each group b a public voting. The SHS Board has then selected one winner from each group that will get to go to Silicon Valley in October 2020.


     

     

    About Smarter Healthcare

    Swiss Healthcare Startups has launched the pioneering «Smarter Healthcare» project with the support of Engagement Migros, the development fund of the Migros Group. The project should serve to optimally exploit the potential of the Swiss healthcare system and advance developments in this area.

    Smarter Healthcare wishes to make innovation within the healthcare sector both possible and visible through targeted networking and promotion. In performing this work, the project will assume an intermediary role and act as an independent contact partner, both in the digital sphere, for example, with a startup map, as well as at regular networking events. 

    Education, research, innovative strength, technology – Switzerland would actually offer the ideal conditions for a progressive healthcare system if it wasn’t for its rigid structures and outdated processes. These often prevent exchanges between the different stakeholders, meaning that the existing potential is not exploited to the fullest. Learn more about Smarter Healthcare. 

    Innovation Partner

    Past Booster Programs