Building Their Own Companies With Timber and Robots
January 9, 2017 | ETH ZurichEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
ETH Zurich can once again look back on a successful year of spin-offs: as in 2015, a total of 25 new companies were incorporated in 2016. This is thus the tenth time in a row that over 20 spin-offs have been founded at ETH in a single year – a unique achievement in Switzerland’s higher education landscape. Furthermore, ten of the newly founded ETH spin-offs were created through the Pioneer Fellowship programme.
For Detlef Günther, Vice President Research and Corporate Relations, the consistently high number serves as proof that ETH Zurich is following the right path by providing support to students from an early stage. “A university’s greatest achievement is to help young people put their ideas into practice. We have students who, as Pioneer Fellows in 2016, have already founded a company after the course of their Master’s degrees. This takes conviction, commitment and courage, as the path to success can be a long one,” says Günther.
The topical focus of the 25 new spin-offs reflects the entire breadth of research at ETH Zurich. With eight new companies, the field of information and communications technology is once again well represented. There was also a welcome increase in the field of mechanical engineering, where no fewer than six new spin-offs were founded – twice as many as in the previous year. In the field of biotechnology, four spin-offs were founded, matching the figure for 2015.
From research project to new company
Among the newly founded spin-offs, two companies offer solutions in the field of timber engineering. This is not by chance; on the contrary, the startup Swiss Timber Solutions emerged from the House of Natural Resources project. This unique building, owned by ETH Zurich, is used for testing innovative technologies and new structural parts made from Swiss hardwood. The spin-off deals with questions relating to the fire protection, structural design and maintenance of timber structures. The second spin-off, Swiss Wood Solutions, develops and markets high-quality timber products around the world. For Detlef Günther, these are impressive examples that demonstrate how knowledge transfer works at ETH Zurich: “When we inaugurated the House of Natural Resources a year ago, we were fascinated by the possibilities that our researchers discovered in timber construction. Now, these findings are already leading to the establishment of new companies.”
Robotics is another stand-out area among last year’s new startups. With the companies Aerotainment Labs, ANYbotics and Wingtra, renowned walking and flying robots from ETH are poised to make the leap into independence. These robots vary widely and can be used for inspection tasks on difficult terrain, for monitoring tasks in the agricultural sector, or even for animation and entertainment.
Suggested Items
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: The Latest Advancements in Dry Storage
04/30/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Marcy LaRont and Super Dry Totech's Jordan Mandel discuss the latest developments in dry storage solutions, the J standard, and the ongoing challenge of moisture management while highlighting the industry's shift towards smart solutions and the importance of seeking expert help for moisture mitigation.
Keysight Secures New Test Case Validations for Narrowband Non-Terrestrial Networks Standard
04/30/2024 | Keysight TechnologiesKeysight Technologies, Inc. has validated new conformance test cases for 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 17 (Rel-17) standards for non-terrestrial networks (NTN) using narrowband internet of things (NB-IoT) technology.
IDTechEx Report on Quantum Technology: Nano-scale Physics for Massive Market Impact
04/30/2024 | PRNewswireThe quantum technology market leverages nano-scale physics to create revolutionary new devices for computing, sensing, and communications. Across the industry, quantum technology offers a paradigm shift in performance compared with incumbent solutions.
TSMC Certifies Ansys Multiphysics Platforms, Enabling Next-Gen AI and HPC Chips
04/30/2024 | PRNewswireAnsys announced the certification of its power integrity platforms for TSMC's N2 technology full production release. Both Ansys RedHawk-SC and Ansys Totem are certified for power integrity signoff on the N2 process, delivering significant speed and power advantages for high performance computing, mobile chips, and 3D-IC designs.
New Appointment Strengthens Ventec’s Value-Added Equipment Division
04/29/2024 | VentecVentec announces the appointment of Leigh Allinson as Commercial Director for its value-added PCB Equipment division 'Ventec Giga Solutions'.