DEXTER is a soft tissue robotic surgery system designed to simplify operations and extend the benefits of wristed robotics to any operating room (OR). Its compact, mobile design allows integration into ORs of all sizes without modifications, and it can easily move between rooms, maximizing efficiency. The sterile console supports flexible surgical workflows, facilitates seamless transitions between laparoscopic and robotic techniques, and enhances communication among surgical teams. Since its introduction, DEXTER has been successfully used in clinical settings across Europe and the US, with nearly 3,000 patients treated to date.

The USD 150 million Series G round positions Distalmotion to scale its US operations, with a particular focus on outpatient surgical sites. The ASC market continues to grow rapidly, driven by a shift toward efficient, cost-effective outpatient procedures, making it a strategic priority for the company.

Alongside the financing announcement, Distalmotion named Chas McKhann as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. With over 25 years of experience in MedTech and life sciences, McKhann has a proven track record in scaling medical device companies and driving commercial growth. He previously led Apollo Endosurgery and Silk Road Medical, achieving significant sales growth and successful exits for both publicly traded companies. His appointment reinforces Distalmotion’s commitment to establishing DEXTER as a leading robotic surgery solution in the ASC sector.

With this latest funding and leadership reinforcement, Distalmotion is set to expand DEXTER’s presence in the US, offering hospitals and outpatient centers greater access to advanced robotic surgical capabilities.

Distalmotion was ranked among the Top100 Swiss Startups and Top100 Scale-ups, participated in Venture Leaders, and won the final stage of Venture Kick.

 

Food producers face growing pressure to meet health and sustainability goals while maintaining the taste and appeal of their products. Reducing salt, sugar, or fat often compromises flavor, and existing flavor enhancers can introduce unwanted notes, come with high cost-in-use, or rely on synthetic additives. This creates a strong demand for natural, effective solutions that enhance taste while supporting better nutrition and cleaner ingredient labels.

Tasteomics is addressing this challenge with Peakaroma, a novel botanical ingredient that interacts with the body’s taste receptors responsible for the “kokumi“ sensation—the perception of depth and richness in food. While traditional additives only activate this receptor, Peakaroma is the world’s first kokumi modulator that prolongs its active state. As a result, it amplifies the body’s natural taste response, making flavors feel fuller and more balanced without altering their original profile. This innovation allows food producers to reduce ingredient costs while achieving salt, sugar, and fat reduction targets, preserving both taste and profitability.

The University of Bern spin-off aims to launch Peakaroma in two strategic market segments, condiments and plant-based alternatives, valued at USD 174 and 3.1 billion, respectively. These segments show high adoption rates for flavorings, driven by strong consumer expectations for clean taste and ease of implementation for cost-reduction benefits. Tasteomics’ unique value proposition helps customers meet sodium-reduction goals while maintaining margins, paving the way for broad market adoption. Continued R&D investment will expand Peakaroma-based formulations into additional categories such as snacks, ready meals, and soups. 

The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will enable the biotech startup to reach food-grade production capabilities of 10 metric tons per year, which can service up to 10’000 tons of food products. The funding will further allow Tasteomics to expand its team and finalize ongoing industry projects with major food producers and distributors to prepare for a succesful market launch in the DACH region.

The company was founded by Dr. Daniel Batora and Prof. Dr. Jürg Gertsch, biochemists with deep expertise in taste receptor biology and natural product chemistry. After an extensive market validation program, the team identified the most promising applications for their ingredients and successfully tested them in industrial food production settings. Their combined scientific and entrepreneurial experience equips the startup to introduce a new, natural approach to improving taste in the food industry.

“Venture Kick kicked us in a good sense. The demanding feedback we received during the bootcamps were necessary to establish a coherent business mentality, an essential shift in balance from scientific excellence to the realities of the market,” highlights CEO Daniel Batora. “I strongly recommend Venture Kick to all founders coming from an academic background, the program will greatly benefit them in their implementation strategy.” 


Research Lead Juerg Gertsch and CEO Daniel Batora

Additional Links
Tasteomics' profile on Venture Kick CHF 40,000 for Glioblastoma cell-therapy

For years, European manufacturers have relied on outsourcing production, prioritizing cost reduction over long-term innovation. Today, they face mounting pressure: China dominates in price competitiveness, while the US leads in technological innovation. Reshoring is emerging as the only viable strategy to regain industrial autonomy, but high labor and automation costs have slowed progress.

Founded in 2025 in Zurich by Federico Martelli (CEO), Camilla Mazzolena (CPO), and Riccardo Maggioni (CTO), Forgis—formerly known as Xelerit—addresses the challenge of fragmented factory systems, aging infrastructure, and global competition by making factories smarter, more flexible, and ready for Industry 5.0. The startup’s AI-driven software provides an intelligent layer that allows machines, robots, and production lines to interact with their physical environment, coordinate processes autonomously, and adapt to changing conditions.

By connecting existing equipment rather than requiring costly replacements, Forgis enables European manufacturers to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, automate decision-making, and increase operational flexibility, helping them compete globally.

The Swiss startup, which has already established a strategic partnership with IBM, completed pilot projects, and secured commitments from Fortune 500 companies, recently closed a USD 4.5 million pre-seed funding round led by redalpine. The company also received CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick, in its final phase, supporting the development and scaling of its AI-powered industrial software. With this new funding and support, Forgis will accelerate the modernization of European factories, equipping them for a smarter, more adaptive future.

“Venture Kick was instrumental in giving us that milestone-driven external push to close the deal now, develop that feature now, and get things done now,” highlights CEO Federico Martelli.

From left to right: CTO Riccardo Maggioni, CPO Camilla Mazzoleni, and CEO Federico Martelli

Additional Links
Forgis' profile on Venture Kick Forgis receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to enable production reshoring through industrial intelligence

Many important disease-related proteins are still considered “undruggable.” The reason: biologic drugs such as antibodies cannot enter cells, while small chemical molecules often fail to bind to large or complex protein surfaces. As a result, crucial pathways remain unaddressed, slowing progress in areas like cancer and inflammatory diseases.

Pure-DEL tackles this challenge with its Self-Purified DEL platform (DNA-Encoded Library). The technology generates libraries of more than one billion specially designed drug-like molecules called macrocycles. These combine two key advantages: the structural diversity needed to target difficult proteins and the ability to be taken orally. Unlike conventional methods, Pure-DEL’s platform can discover compounds that bind to proteins previously thought inaccessible. Its unique combination of scale and precision positions Pure-DEL as a next-generation drug discovery solution—opening the door to treatments for diseases that have long resisted available medicines.

The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will allow Pure-DEL to advance its business and to prepare for fundraising by meeting with investors and prospective partners, while also expanding the platform's capabilities.

The Biotech startup is led by four ETH scientists. Dr. Dimitar Petrov and Dr. Michelle Keller (future Co-CEO/CSO) co-developed the platform during their PhDs. They are joined by Dr. Andreas Gloger, an expert in library screening and protein engineering, and Prof. Jörg Scheuermann, a DEL pioneer. Together, the team combines deep expertise to turn complex science into practical drug discovery.

“The Venture Kick program has been instrumental in transforming our technology into a strong business case,” highlighted co-founder Michelle Keller. “We are grateful to Venture Kick for increasing the visibility of our science-driven start-up. Especially the Kicker's Camps and the feedback from the jury were very helpful for refining our business plan and our pitch.”

Pure-DEL Co-Founders Michelle Keller, Andreas Gloger, Dimitar Petrov, and Jörg Scheuermann

Additional Links
Pure-DEL's profile on Venture Kick CHF 40,000 for next-gen DNA-encoded libraries

Bewy: AI-powered property management that cuts costs and boosts transparency
Property owners in the DACH region pay up to CHF 20B+ in property management fees each year, yet 9 out of 10 are unhappy with their property managers. Issues include poor communication, neglected maintenance, unexpected costs, and weak tenant service.
The founding team – Luca (growth/ops), Marcandrea (product), and Gilles (tech) – come from the University of St. Gallen and ETH Zurich and bring years of experience in startups, consulting, and real estate. Bewy is an AI-powered property management company (service provider) that automates internal workflows, reduces costs by up to 50%, and provides landlords with real-time transparency. With CHF 3B market potential in Switzerland alone and an early-mover advantage, Bewy is well-positioned to disrupt outdated incumbents.
The Venture Kick funds will be used to incorporate Bewy, integrate SaaS automation tools, onboard the founding property manager, and launch pilot mandates. This enables the startup to validate product-market fit, build the MVP, and prepare for scalable growth.

Biodelphis Therapeutics: A New Generation of Targeted Drugs to Treat Cancer.
Currently available therapies have a limited success in solid tumors like pancreatic cancer or lung cancer, especially in advanced or treatment-resistant cases. There is a strong need for novel therapeutic strategies with different mechanisms of action to improve outcomes.
Several proteases play central roles in the development of cancer, but have so far been difficult targets for drugs. The new peptide-based inhibitors developed by Biodelphis Therapeutics overcome safety and bioavailability issues thanks to targeted delivery and their high specificity, thereby avoiding any toxicity on healthy tissues. The startup is incubating at EPFL, and its founding team includes Dr. Aaron Petruzzella, Prof. Elisa Oricchio, and Prof. Bruno Correia. Their non-natural peptide inhibitors hold great promise for cancer patients who do not respond to currently available therapies.
The team plans to use the Venture Kick funds to obtain a full analysis of their IP to examine the Freedom to Operate in strategic clinical areas as a part of their business development plan.

nureo: Next-generation of 3D design tools for engineering 
Design tools for engineers have not really changed in decades. Today, the 3D design of products is still a manual and repetitive process, often taking several days to weeks. This drives up costs, slows rapid iterations, and delays time-to-market. 
nureo develops the next generation of 3D design tools to automate repetitive design tasks and cut the manual effort by up to 90%. The startup was founded by Dr. Manuel Biedermann (CEO), Patrick Beutler (CTO), and Dr. Urs Hofmann (COO). Together, the team brings decades of expertise in the field of design automation, software, and manufacturing, and is collaborating with a number of industry leaders. The startup targets the global engineering software market, currently valued at around USD 15 – 25 B. 
The Venture Kick Funds will be used to drive the business development and support the launch of nureo’s design tools, offered through their web-based platform and as add-ons for existing software.

Additional Links
CHF 10,000 for AI property management, interceptor drones, sustainable enzyme design, targeted cancer drugs, and 3D engineering tools

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain tumor, with a median survival of only 15 months. Despite decades of research, the standard of care—surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy—has remained largely unchanged for more than 20 years. One of the biggest therapeutic challenges is the tumor’s ability to suppress immune responses through a complex network of myeloid cells, which prevents current therapies from achieving lasting efficacy. 

The biotech startup GlioCART is developing a new generation of cell therapy — the first of its kind for glioblastoma — that targets both the tumor and the protective environment around it. By engineering immune cells to detect and kill cancer cells as well as reprogram immune cells that shield them to eat them, the therapy addresses a key resistance mechanism that has limited the success of earlier treatments. This dual approach could provide patients with a more durable and effective option against one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. 

With around 80,000 new glioblastoma cases each year, the mission of the University of Basel spin-off is to bring lasting therapeutic progress to patients who currently have no curative options. The addressable market, valued at USD 3 billion today and projected to reach USD 6 billion by 2033, highlights both the urgent medical need and GlioCART’s potential to collaborate with leading biopharma companies to deliver this innovation to patients worldwide. 

The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will support GlioCART in accelerating its strategic development and partnerships, building on a strong intellectual property foundation and a clear path towards commercialization and bringing its therapy to patients globally.  
 
The founding team brings together expertise across business strategy, clinical research, immuno-oncology, and data science. Dieter Willmann (CEO), Gregor Hutter (CMO), Patrice Zeis (COO), and Valerio Sabatino (CSO) form a multidisciplinary group combining years of experience in translational medicine, platform development and business growth. Their complementary backgrounds equip the biotech startup to advance a new generation of targeted cancer immunotherapies. 

“Venture Kick supported GlioCART in building a strong corporate and IP foundation, positioning the company for sustainable growth and future strategic partnerships,” highlights co-founder Gregor Hutter.

COO Patrice Zeis, CEO Dieter Willmann, CMO Gregor Hutter, and CSO Valerio Sabatino 

Additional Links
GlioCART's profile on Venture Kick CHF 40,000 for Glioblastoma cell-therapy

For years, European firms relentlessly outsourced production, prioritizing cost reduction over long-term strategy. A decade later, China absorbed industrial know-how and now outcompetes on price, while the US leads in innovation. Western companies are caught between these forces – facing shrinking margins and increasing dependency. Their only viable alternative is reshoring to restart innovation, yet both labor and automation costs remain higher in Europe, hindering progress.

The ETH and HSG startup Forgis enables reshoring by making automation smarter, faster and more cost-effective. Its hardware- and application-agnostic AI platform functions as a software brain integrated at the machine level, accelerating robot programming by a factor of four, while reducing downtime detection and resolution. This innovation allows manufacturers to increase flexibility, minimize quality scraps, and compete globally.

The industrial automation and smart manufacturing market represents a trillion-dollar opportunity, expanding rapidly on the back of AI-driven innovation. The startup has already established a strategic partnership with IBM, completed pilot projects, and secured commitments with Fortune 500 manufacturers.

The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will accelerate sales acquisition and advance product development.
 
The team brings together technical and entrepreneurial expertise. CEO Federico Martelli, Master’s in Strategy and International Management (SIM) at the University of St. Gallen (HSG), leads the company alongside CPO Camilla Mazzoleni and CTO Riccardo Maggioni, both from ETH Robotics. With experience across robotics, software engineering, and business strategy, the team enables the ICT startup to develop innovative solutions for the automation sector.

“Venture Kick was instrumental in giving us that milestone-driven external push to close the deal now, develop that feature now, and get things done now,” highlights CEO Federico Martelli.

From left to right: CTO Riccardo Maggioni, CPO Camilla Mazzoleni, and CEO Federico Martelli

Additional Links
Forgis' profile on Venture Kick CHF 40,000 for reshoring

A Venture Kick winner and Top100 Swiss Startup, Virometix recently completed patient enrollment for the Phase I clinical trial of V-212, a synthetic, peptide-based vaccine designed to prevent Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. The vaccine combines conserved antigenic epitopes from pneumococcal surface proteins with Virometix’s proprietary Synthetic Virus-Like Particle (SVLP) technology, which integrates adjuvant components directly into the vaccine structure. This design removes the need for biological carrier proteins and enables a streamlined synthetic manufacturing process.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (NCT06975319) is being conducted at the Centre for Vaccinology (CEVAC) of Ghent University Hospital with 60 healthy volunteers. Topline safety and immunogenicity results are expected in the first quarter of 2026.

The fresh funding will support the completion of this trial, preparations for a Phase Ib combination study with an approved pneumococcal vaccine, and ongoing optimization of the SVLP platform. Virometix also aims to advance its next-generation pneumococcal vaccine programs toward preclinical development.

Additional Links
Virometix profile on Venture Kick

Every year, more than 15 million people suffer a stroke, and nearly half of them leave rehabilitation unable to walk independently — not because recovery is impossible, but because intensive therapy remains too expensive and limited to specialized centers. Autonomyo addresses this gap with Skywalk, the world’s first intelligent safety frame designed for safe, assisted gait training at home. When paired with the company’s wearable exoskeleton and digital rehabilitation platform, the system enables patients to practice walking daily in a controlled and affordable way.

Autonomyo’s technology has already been successfully tested at CHUV (University Hospital of Lausanne), showing promising results for home-based motor recovery. The company is now working toward CE certification and FDA readiness in 2025 to enter European and US markets.

With the new funding and ongoing crowdfunding campaign, Autonomyo—a Venture Kick winner—plans to accelerate the industrialization of its Skywalk and Exoskeleton V3, expand digital training programs, and scale production to reach thousands of households worldwide. By involving the public in its next growth phase, Autonomyo invites supporters to participate in its mission to restore independence to millions of people affected by mobility loss.

Additional Links
Autonomyo's profile on Venture Kick

German document automation provider LAWLIFT has acquired CASUS Create, a business line from Swiss Legal Tech company CASUS—a Venture Kick winner. The deal strengthens LAWLIFT’s presence in Switzerland and enhances its offerings for law firms and corporate legal teams.

For CASUS, the sale marks a strategic shift toward its AI-Associate platform. The AI-powered tool helps legal teams review, proofread, benchmark, and edit documents, and integrates directly within Microsoft Word to simplify workflows.

Existing CASUS Create customers will transition smoothly to LAWLIFT, with free template migration and access to a modern platform featuring enterprise-grade support.

The partial exit allows CASUS to focus fully on AI development, while LAWLIFT expands its reach across the DACH region.

“Venture Kick gave us the momentum to turn an early idea into a real company. Their support helped us validate our concept quickly, build early traction, and gain the confidence to move fast,” highlighted Co-Founder Fabian Staub.


CASUS Co-Founders Céleste Urech and Fabian Staub

Additional Links
CASUS' profile on Venture Kick