African Market Discovery for Swiss Startups
AIT – SASBI Residency Program
In partnership with Innosuisse Startup Training the Academia Industry Training: Swiss-Africa Science and Business Innovators Program aims to foster knowhow transfer and start-up eco-system enabling in African Lioness States. A maximum of 10 Switzerland based entrepreneurs with scientific linkages (sciencepreneurs) will be selected to take part in a 1 to 3 weeks residency program in the African Lioness States of Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa with the aim to get a better understanding of the African economic environment, to validate their business idea and investigate the potential success of products or services in the local market.
The selected participants are free to choose the country they want to visit, where they will benefit from business contacts of local partners, e.g. Swiss embassy, innovation offices at local universities, innovation hubs of the AfriLabs Network, etc. These entry points will lead to relevant connections for potential cooperations.
Upcoming Call: Oct 2022
Focus: Clean Tech
This call should enable Swiss Cleantech startups to explore market opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Cleantech solutions will be necessary to combat the global challenge of Climate Change. Within the AIT (Academia Industry Training) Cleantech call there are a number of opportunities to explore market opportunities in South Africa and further countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In South Africa, the Swiss South African Tech for Impact Cluster for Cleantech and Green Energy aims to take the first step towards a new approach to international innovation collaboration between Switzerland and South Africa. As part of the development of this cluster, an AIT programme in Cleantech will give Swiss Entrepreneurs an opportunity for market access, market validation, and market testing that will help to strengthen this cluster based collaboration. This first call aims to enrich the Swiss contribution to the World Science Forum and also go beyond the conference to include acceleration, support on impact frameworks and make deeper connections to support beyond the initial trip as part of a growing cluster.
In addition to the South African program there will be opportunities to engage with further University and Industry partners to gain a better understanding of the market in other countries and interact with the local innovation ecosystem.
Eligibility
Science-based start-ups and innovators from Switzerland looking to expand or test solutions that can have an impact in Sub-Saharan Africa in the area of Cleantech.
Funding
Approx 2,000 CHF for funded travel opportunities
Application
Apply at https://www.f6s.com/aitcleantech-application/apply
Selected Startups 2021
anavo medical
| Founder | Tino Matter |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
Seromas are fluid-filled cavities that develop in a variety of patients. Especially cancer surgeries and tissue reconstructions carry high seroma risks. They can delay cancer therapy or cause additional surgeries. Current options fail to heal seromas. We make seromas resorb using an injection of nanoparticles, providing relief to millions of patients globally.
breathe
| Founder | Thomas Lumpe |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
Our “breathe” ventilator combines high quality design and a modern standard of care for transport ventilators with an affordable price. Its intuitive design and robustness to harsh environmental conditions enable doctors to use it with confidence in any circumstances. As most LMICs have very limited access to transport ventilators, there is a great potential to bring transport ventilators to new users and replace the obsolete devices that are currently in use. Our customers are hospitals, NGOs and governments, who want to increase the capacity of local healthcare systems in a sustainable way.
Diaxxo AG
| Founder | Michele Gregorini |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
Diaxxo has developed a fast, affordable and accurate Point-of-Care (PoC) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) device that diagnoses several diseases with a simple sample-to-result approach and without the need of a cold chain. Family doctors and medical centers will benefit from the immediate diagnosis of viral and bacterial diseases
ennos AG
| Founder | Karin Jeanneret Vezzini |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
ennos is a Spin Off Company of BFH Biel, Switzerland that developed 2 models of a surface solar water pump for small holder farmers. We offer various digital solutions for dealers and users. We are in the process of developing a course on “solar powered water pumps” for training centers in Africa. We are in the market in both East and West Africa.
Gaia Technologies GmbH
| Founder | Claudio Reinhard |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
De-centralised treatment and valorisation of agricultural side-streams to high-value prodcuts (ingredients for cosmetics, food, nutraceutical) while ensuring full circularity (biogas, soil health, biochar) and a fair economic return for the primary sector.
Hatusha
| Founder | Rayan Armani |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
Hatusha: connecting Supply and Demand across Europe, Africa and the Middle East for agricultural machinery and goods. We already have a network of partners in Europe and the Middle East, and are looking to find partners in the African ecosystems. Our key areas of focus are the industrial machinery manufacturers in Europe for agricultural goods, and the potential for African countries to produce their goods locally so that supply-chains dont introduce multiplying prices for the end-consumer. The key points to address here are (1) trust and (2) price transparency. We want to enable emerging markets to have their independent, own local manufacturing power.
Perovskia SA
| Founder | Anand Verma |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
PEROVSKIA SOLAR is a Swiss cleantech startup that provides digitally printed customizable solar cells to OEMs. Our vision is to enable a solar cell on every device. The solar cells are tailored to seamlessly integrate into electronic devices, IoT & sensors. Our versatile technology offers breakthrough performance at disruptive costs. Perovskia solar cell operates efficiently even in low light conditions like homes & offices. We offer solutions from design to integration into electronic devices. We enable solar cells to be designed around products and not products around the solar cells. Perovskia is working with several market-leading companies in consumer electronics.
PneumoScope
| Founder | Mary-Anne Hartley |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
An AI-powered Electronic Stethoscope to standardise, automate and improve the diagnosis of respiratory disease. We target private individuals for home-based telemedicine consultation in Europe & Africa. The humanitarian business model also seeks to provide cost-price models to the public health sector and NGOs in resource-limited settings.
Testmate Health SA
| Founder | Siew-Veena Sahi |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
Testmate Health’s rapid test is a pregnancy-style self test, which for the first time, will provide users with an option for direct at-home self-testing with immediate results. Testmate Health enables prompt detection of the four common STDs (Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and mycoplasma genitalium) without having to visit a clinic or wait days for a result. Customers can order rapid testing kits, perform it in the complete anonymity & privacy of their home and receive results immediately without posting samples to a lab. The test kit is compatible with a smartphone that scans the results and guides the user towards appropriate follow-up if necessary. STDs are just the beginning, with test kits for HPV (human papilloma virus), urinary tract infections, pre-eclampsia & prostate cancer planned in the pipeline.
Wildlife-Box
| Founder | Olivier Staehli |
| Stay Period | 2022 |
AI-based bioacoustic monitoring device that can be leased to detect lions and hyenas in real-time. This provides data for rangers and tourism organizations to minimize wildlife-human conflicts (including livestock). The market potential coincides with the lion (20’000) and hyena population (50’000).
Call 2021 AIT-SASBI Residency Program
Eligibility
Open to high-level and carefully selected researchers in the fields of mobile health, innovative finances, sustainability (i.e. energy, material sciences, tourism, agritech, social innovation):
Master, PhD, Postdoctoral researchers at Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences and research institutes or centres of technological excellence in Switzerland with research track record working on a non-profit basis and seeking to explore the successful market application of their high-level applied research in African markets.
Deadlines
Deadline for application: November 1, 2021 Selection of participants: First week of December 2021
Kick-off workshop in Switzerland:
Mid of December 2021
Business discovery program in African Lioness States: first half of 2022
Program
1 to 3 weeks recidency program Participants can choose which of the African Lioness States they want to visit for the up to three weeks residency. They can also pick the most suitable time to travel to the respective country in the first half of 2022. The residency will be completed by meetings with Swiss Embassies and Chambers of Commerce, Innovation Offices at local universities, and innovation hubs of AfriLabs.
Information
The program covers the expenses for the flight to one of the five African countries as well as accommodation for up to 21 days. Project related inter-regional flights can be considered, all other expenses are to be borne by the participant. See detailed conditions of participation on venturelab.ch/sasbi-market-discovery
#
Past Camps
2019/2020 SABII Program and Eligibility
The Africa Market Discovery Camp aims to boost the entrepreneurial know-how and exposure of 10 Swiss Sciencepreneurs seeking growth opportunities with and in Africa.
Offered free of charge to ambitious young entrepreneurs, this highly competitive program guarantees access to African innovation hotspots at a key event for entrepreneurs and investors, the AfriLabs Annual Gathering. Industry meetings with selected experts and stakeholders from different fields, information sessions on “How to do business in Africa”, interaction with African startups and entrepreneurs will lead to relevant connections for potential cooperation.
Selected young entrepreneurs receive a unique opportunity for exposure to top African entrepreneurial expertise and markets. A half-day workshop in Switzerland will introduce to market specificities.
The program is open to high-level and carefully selected researchers in the fields of mobile health, pharmacometrics, innovative financing and digital humanities/knowledge transfer: Master, PhD, Postdoctoral researchers at Universities, Universities of Applied Science and research institutes or centres of technological excellence in Switzerland with research track record working on a non-profit basis and seeking to explore the successful market application of their high-level applied research in African markets.
The program revolves around the participation at the Afrilabs Annual Gathering event in major African business hub and will be completed by additional business meetings, peer group mentorings and general exchange with African entrepreneurs. A Swiss exhibition booth will be available for individual showcasing.
Africa Market Discovery Camp 2020 – Marrakesh
Preparatory Workshop in Basel / Allschwil
You will find information on the October / November Workshop 2021 on this page very soon.
So long you can find the agenda of last year’s workshop here:
Wednesday 23rd of September 2020 14h00 – 17h00
SABII Africa Market Discovery Camp
Preparatory Workshop for Swiss start-up companies
Location: Allschwil Innovation Park (details tbd)
| 13h30 | Arrival of participants | |
| 14h00 | Welcome by host
Mr. Erich Thaler, University of Basel/ National and Int. Cooperation |
|
| 14h10 | Words of Welcome
Swiss Embassy in Morocco (confirmed); Moroccan Embassy in Switzerland (tbc) |
|
| 14h30 | Mr. Philip Morger/ Mr. Suhail El Obeid, Switzerland Global Enterprise
Promoting Swiss Enterprises Abroad; the example of Morocco |
|
| 14h50 | Mr. Michael Rheinegger/ Ms. Helina Bischoff, Swiss African Business Circle
Swiss enterprises in Northern Africa: A reality check |
|
| 15h10 | Health break | |
| 15h30 | Ms. Pauline Koelbl, CEO afriprospect
Scaling Businesses in Africa: A case for a regional approach |
|
| 15:50 | Ms. Susanne Grossmann, FINANCEcontact
SECO Start-up Fund. Investment projects in African target countries |
|
| 16h10 | Mr. Erich Thaler, University of Basel/ National and Int. Cooperation
Fact Sheet SABII: Practical things to know about your stay in Morocco The Joint Swiss – African entrepreneurs’ workshop: 14th of October (online) Input together with Mr. Nicolas Briner, Venturelab |
|
| 16h30 | Networking & Discussion | |
| 17h00 | End of Workshop | |
Download the Preliminary Agenda Draft Here as a PDF
Africa Market Discovery Camp 2019 – Addis Ababa
The Africa Market Discovery Camp brings together Swiss entrepreneurs comitted to internationalizing their businesses and linking them up to Africa.
With the support of partners Switzerland Global Enterprise, swissnex, Venturelab, innosuisse and Afrilabs this international development is embedded in highly professional contexts both in Switzerland and Africa.
These are the selected participants for the African Market Discovery Camp 2019:
Daniel Spring | Aventura.aero
aventura.aero created the world’s first heavy-duty gyrocopter that doesn’t need a helicopter license to fly with nor requires complex maintenance.
https://aventura.aero
Daniel Chiumia | Chiweto
Chiweto provides mobile telephony-based information and insurance services to small-holder farmers in developing countries.
https://chiweto.ch
Ludwig Clément | CommoChain
CommoChain is a communication platform between stakeholders of the international trade of commodities and raw materials.
https://commochain.io
Jimmy Loup | CosKin
CosKin allows a scientific analysis and diagnosis to guide salespeople and consumers to the right needed of cosmetic products.
http://coskin.ch
Christian Greis | derma2go
Derma2go is an interactive, online consultations platform, that offers patients to contact their dermatologist without seeing him in-person.
https://derma2go.com/
Amin Kasimov | DIY Solar Lamps
Low cost DIY solar lamp to teach children the fundamentals of electronics, renewable energy and sustainability through hands-on approach.
Manu Perez Belmonte | enable | digital
enable | digital specializes in solving IT for companies that provides essential products and services to consumers in frontier markets.
https://enable.digital
Nina Hurwitz | Improving Cancer Care
Online diagnostic support in pathology using iPath, a software designed specifically for professional dialogue.
Michael Eschmann | MPower Ventures
MPower Ventures supplies to local franchisees a fully-fledged electricity grid solution so that they can focus on sales & distribution.
https://mpower.africa
Call and Program 2019
