Selection

Startups

Startup projects for which support is to be provided must be approved by Empa board. The approval process proceeds as follows:

  1. The applicant must submit his/her concepts and business plans to the business incubator managing director.
  2. The Advisory Committee evaluates preselected project applications according to their innovation potential, market relevance and commercial feasibility. The Advisory Committee carries out an assessment of application documents, the project and the founding/management team. 
  3. The Advisory Committee submits recommendations and milestones for the startup project.
  4. The Advisory Committee recommends, through the business incubator managing director, that an applicant be rejected or accepted.
  5. The business incubator managing director presents the startup project to Empa board for decision.
Empa and Eawag Spinoffs

An Empa or Eawag spinoff is defined as a company formation in which one or more Empa/Eawag employees are involved and whose business activities are completely or partially based on the commercial realization of Empa/Eawag research results.

A spin-off is entitled to use the Spinoff Label of Empa or Eawag during the startup phase.

Spin-off projects for which support is to be provided must be approved by Empa or Eawag board, respectively. The approval process proceeds as follows:

  1. The applicant must submit his/her concepts and business plans to the business incubator managing director.
  2. The Advisory Committee evaluates preselected project applications according to their innovation potential, market relevance and commercial feasibility. The Advisory Committee carries out an assessment of application documents, the project and the founding/management team. 
  3. The Advisory Committee submits recommendations and milestones for the spinoff project.
  4. The Advisory Committee recommends, that an applicant be rejected or accepted.
  5. The managing director of the business incubator, presents the spinoff project to Empa or Eawag board for decision.
Members of the Advisory Committee

Felix Angehrn, M.A. HSG, management consultant

Andreas Bangerter, CEO PRISMA Informatik AG

Dr. Francesco Colonna, Head of Innovation Lab STÄUBLI

Gabriele Dobenecker, Head Empa  Entrepreneurship & Industry Relations

Andreas Fähndrich, Owner PartnerPunkt GmbH

Peter Frischknecht, Head of Campus | Head of Start-up support (Startfeld) at Switzerland Innovation Park Ost AG

Philippe Fuchs, Attorney LL.M., Partner at PETERER Attorneys at Law

Dr. Patrick Griss, Executive Partner Zühlke Ventures

Dr. Pierangelo Gröning, former Empa Department Head and Member of the Board

Tobias Hauri, Owner Truninger-Plot 24 AG

Dr. Wilfried A. Heinemann, Dr. Heinemann Associates Consulting

Christoph Lang, Markenbotschafter Flughafenregion Zürich

Gabriele Mayer, Head of Operations Eawag

Marlen Müller, lawyer, Empa Legal Service & Technology Transfer

Stefan Steiner, Managing Director venturelab Deutschschweiz, IFJ Institut für Jungunternehmen AG

Richard Weng, M.S. (ETH & MIT), MBA, board member & entrepreneur