Three new startups join the USI Startup Centre incubation programme

On Tuesday, November 19, the fifth edition of the Incubation Kick-off Pitch took place at the Campus Est, featuring three projects: BIMINI Biotech, GraphSight, and Shootify. The event aims to present innovative startup projects incubated at the USI Startup Centre to the academic community.

The Incubation Kick-off Pitch is an event that aims to introduce early-stage science-driven startups entering the two-year incubation programme offered by the USI Startup Centre to the academic and innovation community. During the event, founders present their project in a 10-minute pitch, followed by a Q&A session. This dynamic format encourages interaction paving the way for valuable connections and future collaborations with other startups, researchers, students, and stakeholders from the local innovative ecosystem. 

Each incubated startup receives an in-kind voucher worth 60,000 CHF that represents the total value of the services and support that the team will receive throughout the incubation period. The USI Startup Centre team offers a comprehensive programme that supports innovative startup projects originating from academia and includes structured coaching activities, specialised advisory from vertical experts, dedicated workshops, and assistance with grant applications and fundraising.

These are the three recently incubated startup projects that showcased their solutions during the fifth edition of the event:

BIMINI Biotech - a startup developing small molecule modulators of Wiskott Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp), a novel target in lymphomas and leukemias. BIMINI has first-in-class functional antagonists and agonists of WASp, that have the potential to deliver solid efficacy in the relapsed/refractory setting.

GraphSight – a startup that addresses the challenge of integrating intermittent solar energy into grids by delivering highly accurate day-ahead and intraday energy forecasts. Using historical data and advanced AI, our solution generates data-driven predictions without relying on complex physical models. By improving forecast precision, GraphSight helps traders optimise operations, reduce financial losses, and integrate renewable energy seamlessly into the grid.

Shootify - a startup that offers an AI-powered tool that turns simple garment photos into stunning, professional on-model images. Brands simply upload their basic photos and instantly receive high-quality images featuring customisable models that reflect diverse body types. Shootify's digital process reduces costs by up to 70% and production time by 90%, enabling brands to showcase their collections swiftly and adapt to market demands with unparalleled flexibility.