Industry News

The technology transfer centre ANAXAM offers industry access to analytical methods with neutron and synchrotron radiation and supports its industrial customers in being able to offer innovative and high-quality products. SMEs in particular benefit from ANAXAM and can thereby strengthen their competitiveness.

ANAXAM has already helped numerous customers to improve their production processes and products.

The seminar "Introduction to Neutron and Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction for Industrial Applications" aims to introduce the basic principles of Diffraction and how Diffraction analytics using Neutrons and Synchrotron X-rays facilitate investigating industrial materials.

Benefit from ANAXAM's know-how and competences and learn how to take your company a step forward with ANAXAM.

WHEN: 22 November 2023; 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

The seminar takes place online and is free of charge.

More information and link to register:

https://www.anaxam.ch/de/events/introduction-neutron-and-synchrotron-x-ray-diffraction-industrial-applications 

The language of the seminar is English.

Araris Biotech AG is a spin-off company from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and ETH Zurich focusing on the commercialization of a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)-linker technology.

At the this year’s edition of the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award, where Switzerland’s best startups with the greatest potential are celebrated, Araris ranks TOP14!

It is now the fifth year in a row, starting 2019, that Araris is selected by a Jury of investors and startup experts.

What a great success for Araris, after positions 19 in 2022 and 11 in 2021. 

We congratulate Philipp Spycher (CEO) and his team for this great achievement!

The Technology Transfer Centre ANAXAM offers industry access to analytical methods with neutron and synchrotron radiation and supports its industrial customers in being able to offer innovative and high-quality products.

The seminar "Introduction to Neutron and Synchrotron Imaging for Industrial Applications" aims to introduce the basic principles of imaging and to show how imaging analytics with neutron and synchrotron radiation facilitates the investigation of industrial materials.

Benefit from ANAXAM's know-how and competences and learn how to take your company a step forward with ANAXAM!

WHEN: 15 November 2023; 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

The seminar takes place online and is free of charge.

More information and link to register:

https://www.anaxam.ch/de/events/introduction-neutron-and-synchrotron-x-...

The language of the seminar is English.

Promising method for diagnosing breast cancer: a research team from PSI, ETH Zurich, the Cantonal Hospital Baden and the University Hospital Zurich has further developed and improved the method for the early detection of breast cancer and promises hope for diagnostics.

Breast cancer is still the most common type of cancer in women today. In the course of her life, one in nine women is affected. In Switzerland alone, about 6000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. This means that this type of cancer accounts for about one third of all cancer diagnoses in women.

The mammography used up to now only provides two-dimensional images, which often leads to unclear or incorrect diagnoses. The improved procedure based on X-ray phase contrast should not only provide considerably more reliable results, but will also be less painful for patients. Tumours should now be detected earlier than before due to the three-dimensional representation of the images, which in turn means that appropriate therapy can be started earlier and valuable time can be gained.

The research team plans to start clinical trials by the end of 2024, as soon as the prototype of the necessary device is ready for use. A project duration of one to two years is planned for the test series that will then follow, until the development of a commercial device could begin.

More information can be found here:

PSI and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, have entered into a collaboration for the joint development of the production of a novel therapeutic radionuclide, terbium-161. In this collaboration, PSI and ITM will combine their respective technologies and expertise in the production of terbium-161, including clinical and commercial use in targeted radionuclide therapy for the treatment of cancer. The goal is to be able to offer cancer patients new and better treatment options.

Terbium-161 has been identified as a very promising therapeutic isotope for targeted radionuclide therapy in cancer due to its excellent physicochemical properties: The convincing therapeutic capabilities of terbium-161 have been demonstrated in various preclinical studies at PSI. The collaboration with ITM - a pioneer and major player in the field of radiopharmaceutical applications - aims to combine PSI's long-standing research with ITM's extensive knowledge to drive further innovation in radionuclide therapy.

With this collaboration, ITM expands its research and production portfolio alongside Lutetium-177 and Actinium-225, which are currently the most widely used medical radioisotopes for targeted radionuclide therapy and which ITM supplies to hospitals and pharmaceutical partners worldwide.

ANAXAM, cross-ING and inspire AG cordially invite interested industry representatives to their information event on 29 June 2023 on the topic of "AM in the field of tension - what can added value cost?”

Successful AM solutions are characterized by the fact that they are understood and supported by the entire company. The additional benefits made possible by additive manufacturing - the "added value" - must be transported and communicated from the development department through marketing and sales to the customer.

From 15 to 16 June 2023, the Swiss NanoConvention will take place in Neuchâtel. The platform offers the opportunity to exchange, discuss and network with key players from science and industry.

PSI will be there - visit us at our joint stand with Park Innovaare, the innovation park next to PSI, and find out more about how we can support industry and SMEs with their technical challenges and innovation processes. In combination with the possibilities of state-of-the-art material analytics, we can help you to improve both your products and your manufacturing processes.

XRnanotech, one of our spin-off companies, will also be present at our booth.

The main topics of the conference include Nano for Medtec, Life Sciences, Optics, Quantum Computing and Imaging. The two-day programme will feature plenary lectures, thematic sessions, discussion platforms and ample opportunity for in-depth and informal networking. A poster session and an exhibition are also planned.

We are looking forward to meeting you at booth no 26 soon!

Detailed information on the event can be found at:

https://swissnanoconvention.ch/2023/

Change at the top of innovAARE AG, the operating company of Park Innovaare in Villigen: The Board of Directors has elected Mr. Robert Rudolph as the new CEO, who will take office at the beginning of April 2023. The retiring CEO Dr. Benno Rechsteiner is leaving Park Innovaare at his own request to take on a new challenge. Dr. Rechsteiner has been employed at innovAARE AG since June 2018 and has contributed significantly to important milestones for innovAARE AG: In summer 2019, an investor for the new construction of Park Innovaare was found in the form of CPV/CAP Pensionskasse Coop. In autumn of the same year, the groundbreaking ceremony for the building complex was celebrated. Under Dr. Rechsteiner's leadership, the development and expansion of the innovation campus followed, where numerous promising companies have already settled.

With Robert Rudolph, the management of the Innovaare park is getting a new and well-known face. Mr. Rudolph was previously employed as head of technology transfer at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and as a member of the executive board of the Swissmem industry association he was most recently responsible for the topics of digitalisation, innovation, research and start-ups. In this role, he became a expert on the Swiss innovation landscape and the needs of industry with regard to research and development.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr Christian Brönnimann expressed his thanks to Dr. Rechsteiner for his successful work in setting up the Park Innovaare generation project: "Thanks to Benno Rechsteiner's commitment in finding investors, the groundbreaking ceremony for the park was held and the first buildings were erected on a total area of 38,000 square metres. With Robert Rudolph at the helm, we now have a CEO with far reaching industrial contacts. We are convinced that Mr. Rudolph, with his background and network, brings the best prerequisites to lead the Park Innovaare into a successful future!"

The Dutch high-tech company VDL Enabling Technologies Group (VDL ETG) and its subsidiaries such as VDL ETG Switzerland AG are banking on closer cooperation with research institutions. On 9 February 2023 VDL signed a rental agreement with Park Innovaare, a business innovation hub next to the PSI campus in Villigen Switzerland. VDL ETG has already been working with PSI for many years, and this step now makes it an official member of Park Innovaare’s innovation ecosystem.

The technology transfer centre Swiss PIC was founded at the beginning of January 2023. Swiss PIC will be located in the Park Innovaare, in the immediate vicinity of PSI, one of its founding partners alongside other industry and research stakeholders. The new centre aims to facilitate innovation in packaging and integration of optical systems and to make these accessible to industry.

This year's KMU Swiss Symposium will take place in Baden, Kt. Aargau, on 23 March - we are pleased to be physically present again this year!

The KMU Swiss Symposium offers a platform for exchange and inspiration - this is made possible by exciting presentations, various booths with innovative projects and networking.

Listen to exciting presentations on the topic of "The power of trust - manipulation versus trust" by, among others, Swiss Army Chief Thomas Süssli; or Ivano Somaini, Security Analyst at Compass Security Schweiz AG.

PSI will be there - visit us at our joint booth with the Hightech Zentrum Aargau and find out more about how we can support industry and SMEs with their technical challenges and innovation processes.

In a joint collaboration, the technology transfer centre ANAXAM, PSI and Audi Sport successfully demonstrated the potential for optimising car brakes. Neutrons from the spallation neutron source SINQ at PSI were used for this purpose. Using a jointly developed measurement method, it was now possible for the first time to look live into the brake caliper and thus sound out optimisation possibilities. For the industrial partner Audi Sport, this collaboration yields promising results.

This project is a great example of successful technology transfer and shows how PSI's large-scale research facilities and ANAXAM's expertise can optimise a well-known product and contribute to new ideas. 

Applied materials analysis with neutron and synchrotron radiation: For over 2.5 years, the technology transfer centre ANAXAM has been operating on behalf of industry, and it has completed more than 70 successful customer projects with international industry and research partners to date – time for a look back.

A fruitful collaboration between our spin-off Excelsus Structural Solutions, Novartis Pharma Basel, the Institute of Crystallography of the CNR (Centro Nazionale Ricerche) in Bari, Italy and the University La Sapienza in Rome brought to the development of a simple theoretical model that describes the structure and functionality of a VitE-TPGS drug delivery system (DDS) of micelles with dimensions in the nanoscale.

This can play an important role in the efficient distribution of a drug in the body and opens the gate to new opportunities for the pharmaceutical industry.

A Technology Briefing on photovoltaics will be held at Empa in Dübendorf on 1 December.

When: 01.12.2022; 14:00 - 18:00

Where: Empa Academy, Dübendorf

The event, jointly organized by the research institutes CSEM, Empa and PSI, will highlight the potential of photovoltaics, present next-generation PV technologies and address questions about how the technical system integration of the plants can succeed and what impact greater dependence on PV will have on our CO2 emissions, material consumption and the economy.

The event is aimed at experts and interested parties from industry and research. Learn more about how solar energy can help us to meet our growing energy needs while contributing to our climate goals.

We look forward to your participation!

A reason to celebrate: The PSI spin-off "Excelsus Structural Solutions" will commemorate its 10th anniversary from 20 to 21 October 2022 at Park Innovaare in Villigen. The company uses PSI's large-scale research facilities to carry out measurements for clients primarily from the pharmaceutical industry.

PSI and Apollo Health Ventures have launched Focal Biosciences. The newly established biotech company aims to redefine the treatment of age-related diseases by reprogramming deregulated processes in cells that cause the detrimental processes underlying many serious diseases of aging that represent a significant health burden. The newly founded entity will initially operate out of the Paul Scherrer Institute.

We wish Focal Biosciences every success for the further development of the company.

https://www.psi.ch/en/media/our-research/paul-scherrer-institute-and-apollo-health-ventures-launch-focal-biosciences

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-90639.html

Araris Biotech AG is a spin-off company of PSI and ETH Zurich, which is engaged in the development of novel antibody-drug compounds for the targeted therapy of cancer cells. The company has successfully closed a financing round in the amount of 24 million US dollars. Proceeds from the financing round, which was led by 4BIO Capital and Pureos Bioventures with participation from new investors, will be used to further develop Araris' antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates. Araris is thus one step closer to its goal of helping cancer patients better and more effectively.

Dr. Philipp Spycher, CEO of Araris Biotech AG began his entrepreneurial endeavors with the PSI Founder Fellowship that helped kick-start his ideas of building a business around the technology that he helped to develop at PSI.

We are delighted with the success of Araris and congratulate the team warmly on this milestone!

https://www.ararisbiotech.com/

https://www.ararisbiotech.com/#news

Visit the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI at the Open Day on 23 October 2022 from 10 am to 5 pm. Learn more about our research in the fields of matter and materials, energy and the environment and human health, at the largest research institute within Switzerland: 38 stations with exciting content await you!

Date: 23.10.2022, 10:00 - 17:00

Location:

Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland

More information at: https://www.psi.ch/en/tdot

With the "Swiss Sustainability Forum", NZZ is launching a new dialogue platform on the topic of sustainability. The forum will take place for the first time this year and will be held in Bern from 22.09. - 24.09.2022.

The "Business Day" on 23.09. bears the vision "Towards a Sustainable Swiss Future" and deals with central topics such as the circular economy, decarbonisation and generational dialogue. Around 500 representatives from business, science and politics will be brought together for discussion and shaping the future. Speeches, deep-dive- and networking sessions will enable dialogue, inspiration and information on the question of how we can make Switzerland more sustainable together.

Speakers include Adrianne Gilbride, Ellen MacArthur and Solomon Baumgartner Aviles.

PSI supports the Swiss Sustainability Forum as a partner and will be present at the "Sustainable Switzerland Business Day" in Bern. 

Detailed information on the programme and registration for the conference at

https://forum.sustainableswitzerland.ch/ssf-business-day/

Networking and exchange, inspiration and new ways of thinking can make an important contribution to innovation. That’s why we as PSI support the this year’s edition of the Swiss Innovation Forum (SIF) 2022 in Basel as a partner.

On 23 November, motivated start-ups, committed investors and courageous idea generators meet at the Congress Centre Basel. In a cross-sector exchange, they develop new ideas to drive the Swiss innovation landscape forward.

Highlights of the programme:

💡 Keynotes by Tricia Wang (founder, Sudden Compass), Dr. Prof. Heino Falcke (astronomer), Miriam Meckel (HSG professor), Marc Gläser (CEO, Stöckli) and many more.

💡 Presentation of the Swiss Technology Award 2022, the most important technology prize in Switzerland.

💡 Experience Zone with exciting cases from Switzerland as a country of innovation.

PSI will be there - visit us at our booth and find out more about energy research at PSI and our ideas for sustainable fuels and gases, decarburization and against power shortages.

Detailed information and registration for the conference at www.swiss-innovation.com/en/

At this year's "SwissSkills", which will be held in Bern in September, a competition for young professionals with an entrepreneurial mindset will be held for the first time. The topic of entrepreneurship is to be taken into account more and more as part of the education programmes in order to promote initiative and entrepreneurship.

The PSI team, consisting of electronics technician Eric Brouwer, Noah Piqué and computer scientist Janik Meier, has been nominated for the "Entrepreneurship" competition discipline at SwissSkills 2022. We are keeping our fingers firmly crossed for the team for the upcoming competition, where it is not primarily about technical knowledge, but about creativity and own ideas.

More information at:

www.entrepreneurskills.ch

"ENERGIE - Geht der Schweiz der Strom aus?"

When: 6. September 2022, 9am - 6pm

Where: Halle 622 Zürich-Oerlikon

Language: German

On the Swissmechanic Business Day various renowned speakers offer perspectives from  on the topic "ENERGY - Is Switzerland running out of electricity?". Innovations and products will be exhibited, including the Paul Scherrer Institute's ESI Cube - a mobile exhibit of the "Energy System Integration" experimental platform, which is available to research and industry partners. The Cube makes the complex topic of energy storage and conversion comprehensible in a playful way.

Industry decision-makers meet to hear the technical presentations and inform themselves about the newest products and innovation.

The Business Day is an excellent opportunity to get informed about highly relevant and concurrent topics such as the securing of the Swiss energy supply in the years to come or the security of nuclear energy. Make use of this opportunity to network and join!

More information about the detailed program, speakers and event registration can be found here: https://www.swissmechanic.ch/business-day

Deadline for registration: August 16th 2022

When: 8 September, 12:45 - 18:00 h

Where: PSI Villigen Switzerland

The event "Quality Assurance of 3D-printed Metal Components" deals with the challenges, needs and problems regarding to the quality of 3D-printed components.

The cross-ING AG, Inspire AG and ANAXAM are jointly organising this event at PSI, which is aimed primarily at industrial users. The focus is primarily on quality in the area of tension between the three aspects of "quality - costs - material".

Learn more about the opportunities and challenges of additive manufacturing and take advantage of the opportunity for discussion and networking.

Language of the event: German.

More information on the detailled programme, the speakers and registration can be found here:

https://www.anaxam.ch/de/QSmetalAM-2022

From 5 July to 6 July 2022, the Swiss NanoConvention will take place in Fribourg. The platform offers the opportunity to exchange, discuss and network with key players from science and industry.

PSI will be there - visit us at our joint stand with the Hightech Zentrum Aargau! In combination with the possibilities of state-of-the-art material analytics, we can help you to improve both your products and your manufacturing processes.

Technology transfer - meaning the transfer of research results to industry - can take place in various ways. Founding a spin-off is a very efficient way of transferring or commercialising a technology developed at PSI to industry. In recent years, PSI has founded a number of such spin-offs from various research areas. Even years later, PSI is still in close contact with most of its spin-offs, from which both sides can benefit. The company "SwissNeutronics AG", based in Klingnau, is the oldest PSI spin-off and was spun off as early as 1999. For more than 20 years, SwissNeutronics and the PSI have repeatedly worked together successfully on various projects and can mutually benefit from synergy effects.

After the topping-out ceremony of the Park Innovaare took place in autumn 2021 as an important milestone, construction continues to progress according to plan. From 2024, companies and researchers will work together at one place.

Around two and a half years have now passed since the groundbreaking ceremony for Park Innovaare was held in 2019. Since then, the project has taken shape as planned and is well on schedule, despite various challenges such as a pandemic or shortage of raw materials. In the meantime, the scaffolding has been removed from the buildings and the focus of further construction work is on the interior fittings. With more than 35,000 m2 of space, the Park Innovaare offers laboratories, clean rooms and workshops, as well as offices, co-working spaces and meeting rooms - a versatile range of facilities for a wide variety of needs. There will also be meeting rooms to promote exchange between research and industry, as well as a restaurant.

The first tenants, including PSI as the main tenant, are expected to be able to move in at the beginning of 2024. Around 70% of the space has already been let; further customer acquisition is currently underway so that the Park Innovaare ecosystem can be further expanded in the coming months and other companies can benefit from direct access and exchange with the PSI by locating on site.

ANAXAM offers industry access to advanced analytical methods using neutron and synchrotron radiation (X-rays) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)

In a wide range of application fields, ANAXAM supports industry and SMEs in improving materials, products and processes in a wide range of application fields, thus strengthening their competitiveness and innovative power.

The event is organised and held jointly with KMU Swiss (event language: German).

Register for the event and learn how your company can also benefit from collaborating with ANAXAM:

When:  28th April 2022, starting at 4:00 pm

Where:  PSI West, Auditorium

PSI scientists have developed a ground-breaking achromatic lens for X-rays which facilitates the glimpse into the nanoworld. This allows the X-ray beams to be accurately focused on a single point even if they have different wavelengths. Soon, the newly developed lens will also be used in industry.

What started as an idea a few years ago has been established itself at PSI as a valuable funding instrument for talented researchers or engineers: the PSI Founder Fellowship (PSIFF for short). It is aimed at researchers with an entrepreneurial spirit and is supported by UBS.

This year, two fellows from PSI are starting the program: Dr Sebastian Gliga from the "Photon Science Division" and Dr Lars Gerchow from the research division "Neutrons and Muons" convinced the PSIFF jury with their business ideas. We warmly congratulate the two budding young entrepreneurs and look forward to working with them!