Beehelpful project wins StartCup Ticino 2015

Beehelpful had the best of 53 projects and won the prize of 50,000 CHF (offered by the sponsors of the event) during the final stage of the competition that took place tonight at SUPSI in Lugano Trevano.

Beehelpful

Bees are more than just honey producers: pollination feeds mankind. Bees are slowly disappearing resulting in a dramatic social impact. Beekeepers from around the world are trying to treat beehives with chemicals without lasting results. Beehelpful has developed a new class of hives to improve the health of bees and to reduce the use of chemical treatments. Beehelpful provides the perfect patented solution to guarantee the future of the human food chain.

The nomination process

The final part of the competition comprises two phases, with two different juries to grant impartiality: the 10 projects nominated were able to pitch their ideas to the ad-hoc jury of business experts and representatives of the two main sponsors (BSI and Swiss Post). Five projects were then chosen for the final round. Tonight the winner (Beehelpful) was picked by the audience through e-vote. The vote of the audience made up a third of the total votes, while the vote from the ad-hoc jury weighed two thirds of the total votes.

Thanks to a cooperation between CP Start-up and CTI Invest, all finalists were able to pitch their projects to potential investors during the Swiss Venture Day, held for the first time in Ticino on December 3rd at Franklin University in Sorengo.

As in 2014, the five finalists automatically gained access to the finals of the Swiss Economic Award, the prestigious national competition for the best up-and-coming start-up.

“Thanks to StartCup Ticino, several promising business are standing out. Some of them are still at an early stage and that shows the entrepreneurial creativity and dynamism of our Canton. They deserve greater attention from the public”. Said Roberto Poretti, Coordinator of CP Start-up USI SUPSI and StartCup Ticino.

In his speech Alfredo Gysi, Chairman of the Foundation for the Lugano Faculties underlined: “In the last twenty years Ticino has proven to be a particularly fertile territory for innovation and new business ideas and the proof lies in the several projects that joined this year’s StartCup. This dynamism has captured the attention of entities from across the Alps, as shown through the active participation of CTI and the Swiss Economic Forum. For this success we also have to thank USI and CP Start-up that, in the past ten years, have become a reference point for those willing to house their start-up in Ticino.”

“Since 2009 BSI supports start-ups born in Ticino. We want to invest not only in the future of the entrepreneurs but also in the social and economic fabric of our region. The great international success of several start-ups born in Ticino is the proof that our canton should be stimulated and supported”, says Renato Santi CEO of BSI Switzerland and member of the StartCup jury.

According to Peter Restivo, La Posta CH sales manager “La Posta has always believed in innovation and progress. The StartCup Ticino brought us closer to the companies that want to grow thanks to new ideas. It is very important for us to be able to bring our experience to the businesses, making our clients more competitive in today’s complex market. La Posta is happy to give its support to this event in Ticino, one of the cantons where business innovation is a guarantee for the businesses itself and for the territory”. 

Closing the event, guest of honour Michael Friedrich, one the most well-known Swiss Serial Entrepreneur. Last year’s winners Gondola Medical Technologies (formerly Ecker Technologies) shared with the audience how StartCup Ticino was crucial for the development and growth of their project.

The other four finalists

Clara

About 2,000 cyclist and 6,000 pedestrians are killed in Europe in road accidents. One of the major causes of collision is poor visibility, especially close to intersections. Clara is a revolutionary smart jacket with bright turning signals and a braking system to improve safety.

Life Glove

The correct sequence and technique are key elements for the patient’s survival during a cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Med-Group SA has designed a portable device to help everyone and run an effective life support in the event of cardiac arrest. Through audio and visual, the device is able to guide and correct the operator while performing CPR, it also provides feedback and emergency calls thanks to a GPS systems. The device also stores and transmits clinical and environmental data.

Modulo SIA

TrusTTechnology SA produces superior technical quality and highly aesthetic SIA (Intelligent Self-Assembling Structures) ideal for private events, trade and tourism. The remote controlled assembly is completely automatic and it only takes 60 seconds to assemble. Several additional optionals can be integrated into the basic structure. The products currently available on the market are not user friendly, they are not quick to deploy, and they take up too much storage space and require multiple human resources for all operations. Module SIA offers the perfect solution to these problems.

TimeRepublik

TimeRepublik is a digital co-working space that brings the concept of “time bank” a step further thanks to the web and its use on a global scale. Its members are mainly start uppers, freelancers, micro entrepreneurs and students. Featured in Time magazine, it is considered one of the most successful Global Time Banking platform made up of almost 100,000 services, broken down in 400 categories that are offered to users from over 100 countries. All users are paid for their services in time that they can spend on other services.

The StartCup Ticino

The StartCup Ticino was born as a natural development of the ”BSI Prize for the best business idea in Canton Ticino” which has been awarded annually from 2009 to 2013. The entry of another major partner such as La Posta in 2014 increased the value of the prizes. Among the winners are SwissLeg in 2013, Newscron winner in 2012, Designergy in 2011, bmob in 2010 and VisSee in 2009.

The ad-hoc jury of StartCup Ticino

President
Jean-Pierre Vuilleumier - Managing Director CTI Invest

Members
Claude Amiguet – Managing Director NEODE, Neuchâtel; CTI Coach
Christian Brand – Co-Founder BG&P AG, Bern; start-up expert
Silvia Panigone – Managing Director Europe I-Bankers Direct, LLC; CTI Coach
Pietro Restivo – Swiss Post Sales Manager
Renato Santi – CEO BSI Switzerland
Pascale Vonmont – Dwputy Director of Fondazione Gebert Rüf; Strategic Committee Delegate Venture Kick