ESA BIC Switzerland supports five start-ups

(CONNECT) The journey in the ESA BIC CH support program has begun for five Swiss start-ups: DNAir, RoBoa, Gamma Earth, a-metal and Niatsu. ESA BIC CH is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH). "This group brings together a large number of different start-ups that are tackling challenges in robotics, additive manufacturing and environmental intelligence," reads a statement from ESA BIC CH. "We look forward to supporting them with resources, advice and a collaborative community."

DNAir from Wangen-Brüttisellen ZH has developed and patented sensors that collect eDNA from the air 100 meters above the ground. Converted into meaningful data, they provide information on biodiversity, detect pathogens, contribute to the optimization of agricultural practices or to resilient urban planning and strengthen biosecurity.

RoBoa, a spin-off from ETH Zurich, produces a snake-like autonomous robot that can maneuver through tight spaces where no human, no other robot and no drone can move. Thanks to its modular design, the RoBoa can be adapted to various applications in industry and rescue operations.

Gamma Earth from Saint-Prex VD offers artificial intelligence solutions for earth observation and remote sensing with ten times the super resolution for multispectral and hyperspectral satellite image data. Areas of application include cloud detection and removal, atmospheric corrections and the classification of land use and land cover.

A-metal has developed a cost-effective, compact and safe machine for entry-level metal 3D printing. It combines an innovative cartridge system for the safe handling of powder, which does not require a laboratory environment. "We want to make additive metal part production accessible to the wider industry," says the company based in Technopark Zurich.

Niatsu, also from Zurich, provides the food industry with a tool that calculates emissions along the production and supply chains for their products. Thanks to the recently granted access to ESA earth observation data, Niatsu can record agricultural cultivation processes and transportation routes much more precisely. ce/mm