Start-ups active in the life sciences supported by FONGIT can now benefit from privileged access to the research laboratories of the Science Innovation Hub. This university pre-incubator, which is part of the UNIGE’s innovation ecosystem, aims to help researchers exploit the commercial potential of their fundamental research.
"This partnership will enable Geneva’s most promising start-ups to benefit from first-rate research conditions capable of fostering the emergence of flagships while rationalizing investments," explains Jérôme Lacour, dean of the UNIGE’s Faculty of Sciences.
Promoting and strengthening excellence in Geneva
Emerging spin-offs from the UNIGE and the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) who have been able to benefit from the INNOGAP grant of CHF 30,000 offered by Unitec, the technology and skills transfer office of the UNIGE, the HUG and the HES-SO Geneva, will now have accelerated access to the additional funding of CHF 50,000 offered by the FONGIT Innovation Fund (FIF).
The INNOGAP grants support researchers from the UNIGE or the HUG in their efforts to advance their scientific discoveries towards a concrete application. For Antonio Gambardella, Director of FONGIT, "the objective is to promote and enhance the research carried out within our academic centers of excellence to contribute - through innovative entrepreneurship - to creating the economy and jobs of tomorrow".
FluoSphera, the first start-up to be supported
Created at the beginning of 2021, the FIF is a financing tool resulting from the collaboration between FONGIT and the State of Geneva.
FluoSphera, a spin-off of the University of Geneva, was recently awarded an INNOGAP grant of CHF 30,000 and was quickly awarded a complementary grant of CHF 50,000 from the FIF. FluoSphera is active in the life sciences and uses the precision of fluorescent light to measure several biological processes in different cell types simultaneously.
