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The evaluation of the business plans by the jury determined the top5 teams for the presentations at the “Business Creation Award Ceremony” on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at the Bierh\u00fcbeli in Bern. Three of these teams have a background in medical technology research at the ARTORG Center of the University of Bern as well as at Inselspital, and for another team the team leader is alumni of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences (WISO) of the University of Bern.<\/p>\n
Investigation of glaucoma using virtual reality glasses convinces jury and audience
\nAt the award ceremony, the top 5 teams had the task of convincing the jury and the 200 guests in the Bierh\u00fcbeli with a five-minute presentation of their project and its economic potential. The audience was involved in the decision on the winners by means of public voting.<\/p>\n
Both the competition jury and the public voted for the team PeriVision from the ARTORG Center of the University of Bern. The team around Jan Stapelfeldt, Serife Kucur and Raphael Sznitmann has developed a software solution that allows to efficiently measure the visual field impairment of glaucoma patients using virtual reality glasses. Today, the measurements must necessarily be performed in a hospital or an ophthalmologist’s office. In the future, thanks to the technology, they can be supplemented or even replaced by location-independent measurements in general practitioners’ offices, pharmacies or at the patient’s home. More than 75 million people worldwide are affected by the chronic eye disease and depend on its monitoring. The team is working closely with ophthalmologists at Inselspital and will use the prize money of 10,000 Swiss francs for the planned founding of the company at the end of 2019.<\/p>\n
Urological medical device and financial investment app in second and third place
\nThe second prize of 5,000 Swiss francs also went to a team based at the ARTORG Center called “Urodea” around Francesco Clavica and Dominik Obrist. In collaboration with the Clinic and Polyclinic for Urology of the Inselspital and other experts, the two designated founders have developed a non-invasive medical product. The product facilitates bladder emptying in the very unpleasant urological condition “Under Active Bladder Syndrome” (UAB) and thus brings quality of life for patients.<\/p>\n
The third prize of 3,000 Swiss francs was won by Julian Liniger, a 27-year-old alumnus of the WISO faculty, with his project “Relai”. His business idea is an app that automates investing in cryptocurrencies and makes it possible even for laypeople by providing descriptive information. With the planned launch of the product and company foundation, Julian Liniger is writing the next chapter of his entrepreneurial career. He already founded a start-up in the financial sector during his studies.<\/p>\n
Encouragement from Rector Christian Leumann
\nIn his welcoming speech, Christian Leumann emphasized the importance of transferring knowledge- and technology-based innovations from the university to business and society. He expressed his encouragement to all participants of the competition as well as to all others present who promote entrepreneurial projects at the University and the Bern University of Applied Sciences. The Rector also thanked the sponsors, among them the Berner Standortf\u00f6rderung, who made the competition possible together with the organizers, representatives of the Bernese economy as well as numerous students, researchers and professors.[\/vc_column_text]