Innovation against COVID-19
Picture taken on February 3, 2020 © EPFL / Alain Herzog
Telework and social distancing have become the norm and have changed the daily life of many companies and their employees. Some EPFL Spin-offs and Start-ups based at Innovation Park have been able to adapt more easily than others and offer products and services useful to the community that we would like to share on this page.
Under development – Swoxid proposes a reusable antiviral mask based on their innovative filter, which combines three important functions: a small pore size to filter viruses; gold-silver-copper antiviral particles; and sterilization by exposure to UV light, allowing reuse (more than 1000 times).
Available now – OneDoc, online appointment with a doctor, dentist or therapist in Switzerland.
OneDoc is based at Campus Biotech Innovation Park in Geneva.
22.4.2020 – available in few weeks – In view of the current Covid-19 crisis, Helvitek Labs modified its activities, moving from anti-pollution masks to supplying health care personnel with novel facial structures to prevent injuries caused by prolonged use of respiratory masks.
23.4.2020 – in progress – Researchers from Empa, ETHZ, EPFL and the Spiez laboratory, together with a large number of partners from the health care sector and industry, are launching the “ReMask” project. The technological objectives are: reuse of existing masks, nationwide production of effective protective material and the development of alternative masks with new properties to bind and eliminate viruses.
Technis has implemented the “Stop&Go” solution to help public places to regulate the flows automatically, in order to enforce the state limits related to Covid-19.
Rovenso has adapted its safety robot to add UVC disinfection functionalities to neutralize work areas of industrial sites and common areas.
June 2020 – HMCARE develops and plans to produce and market HelloMask, fully transparent surgical masks. Developed by the EssentialTech Center at EPFL in collaboration with Empa.
Available now – Local Heroes is a community web platform developed by Coteries LAB whose objective is to share good addresses of food producers and traders in the region.
Through the application’s website, users can send letters to nursing-home residents who may feel isolated from friends and family. 1lettre1sourire is one of the three applications chosen by the public during the Lauzhack at the beginning of April.
eVe is an online platform created by 4 students from EPFL and HEC to help businesses meet their needs during this unprecedented period. The aim is to bring together competent students and companies looking for talent to get out of the crisis faster.
29 April 2020 – Students from EPFL, Unil and young professionals worked during the COVID-19 period to provide the Swiss population with a volunteer application allowing anyone to buy or sell home-made meals by/for their neighbours.
The App Shekamou is now available on Apple Store and soon on Google Play.
July 2020 – As a result of the call for ideas launched at the outset of the pandemic, NCCR Robotics is funding a collaborative project between three spin-offs: Dronistics (EPFL), SUIND (ETHZ) and Volaly (IDSIA). The “Covid-19 drone delivery project” will develop a system for collecting medical samples from people isolated, quarantined, sick, or immobilized in their households. The system includes a foldable drone, an autonomous landing system and a gesture-based software for directing the drone. Source: NCCR Robotics
29 July 2020 – Astrocast is currently in discussions with partners in the distribution of vaccines not only against coronavirus but also for other diseases. The company has already placed two demonstration satellites in orbit and is planning five launches by the end of the year. Source Heidi.news
Coorpacademy has developed online courses for medical staff for the management of patients with severe respiratory impairment related to CoV-2 SARS (COVID-19).
Magma Learning, has developed a personalized online learning platform. With the closure of the EPFL Campus imposed by the Coronavirus, this start-up offers students the possibility of continuing their studies at a distance. All EPFL courses are now available on Ari9000.com.
Based at Biopôle, Abionic is developing a diagnostic tool to anticipate septic shock. Sepsis of bacterial origin is a frequent co-infection in patients intubated for COVID-19.
Ava Women develop a bracelet to monitor ovulation. This device can simultaneously monitor temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate, which are important indicators for detecting a case of Coronavirus. The company is currently marketing its device at a preferential price to partners to develop technologies to detect and monitor the disease.
The CANDY project, supported by Innosuisse and endowed with one million francs, will develop and patent a contactless scanner for the identification of hand veins by venous recognition. A collaboration between the start-up company Global ID and the Idiap Research Institute.
EPFL researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-based system that can listen to your cough and indicate whether you have COVID-19.
Available now – SmartCardia Launches Cloud Based AI Platform and Patch for Real-Time Patient Monitoring, and monitoring of Covid Patients.
Relief Therapeutics is entering a clinical study with an American partner company to show whether the already approved drug Aviptadil can also help corona patients.
EPFL COVID-19 Research Projects
Research initiatives to fight COVID-19
EPFL is up and running where its research activities can contribute to fight against COVID-19. This page presents current research projects that address the pandemic.
Additional information
Information for EPFL Innovation Park Companies
Find information and communication about the measures taken by the different economic actors and partners concerning the current situation.
EPFL’s preventive and official measures
EPFL has a dedicated page – go.epfl.ch/coronavirus – where you can find the most recent information on coronavirus (COVID-19).
News
Other useful links
- Swiss Startups Tackling Coronavirus by Venturelab
- Les start-up suisses multiplient les solutions face au Covid-19 sur Heidi.News (article pour les abonnés)
- MassChallenge Startups developing solutions to Tackle COVID-19 by MassChallenge