InkVivo Technologies raises CHF 1.1M in pre-seed funding

InkVivo, a biotech startup developing innovative drug delivery systems, has successfully closed a CHF 1.1 million pre-seed financing round, led by TiVentures and Claves Investments, to advance the development of its first-in-class polymer platform for drug (re)formulation. The funding will primarily support clinical development of lead drug formulations and the expansion of the product pipeline.

One of the critical challenges in drug development lies in improving how medicines are formulated and delivered to enhance efficacy and achieve better therapeutic outcomes for patients. InkVivo, a biotech spin-off from ETH Zurich, developed a proprietary polymer platform to address this challenge and enable faster formulation optimisation and more precise delivery of oral and long-acting injectable drugs.

The startup, founded by Elia Guzzi, Stefano Cerutti and Leonardo Tognola, is currently incubated at USI Startup Centre and has received multiple awards. Its proprietary technology has been tested with a wide range of active ingredients (e.g., small molecules, biologics, and micronutrients), demonstrating sustained drug release and absorption in a pilot study with healthy volunteers. Operating on a B2B model, the company combines internal product development with strategic partnerships. Currently, the team is advancing two pilot collaborations with a pharmaceutical and a nutraceutical company to accelerate product development and commercial validation. This funding round, led by TiVentures and Claves Investments with the participation of experienced business angels, will contribute to advancing the clinical development of lead drug formulations and further expand the product pipeline.

Elia Guzzi, co-founder and CEO, commented:

“This round marks an important step for InkVivo’s mission to unlock the full therapeutic potential of active ingredients through smart formulations. Our platform allows us to rethink how medicines are delivered, replacing frequent dosing and poor absorption with solutions that are more effective, longer-lasting, and easier for patients. At the same time, we help industry partners reformulate drugs faster, extend product life cycles, and unlock new IP opportunities. With this funding, we are advancing our lead product targeting anemia and scaling up new collaborations with pharmaceutical partners.”

For more information on InkVivo Technologies, please visit https://inkvivo.tech/.