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BIC of CERN Technologies calls for innovative ideas leveraging accelerator technologies

11.4.19
BIC of CERN Technologies
"The cutting-edge accelerator science and technology can provide viable solutions to business problems" - Prof. Dr. Leonid Rivkin

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As of today, start-ups and spin-offs, as well as small high-tech companies, younger than two years, can apply to become the next Business Incubation Centre (BIC) of CERN Technologies incubatee. Candidates can present their business ideas leveraging on accelerator and related technologies or apply to find out if it can help them solve a technological challenge they are facing. The winner of the program will get beneficial access to CERN’s IP, technology and business coaching, as well as seed money CHF 50,000.


Last year, PARK INNOVAARE, CERN, the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, and the University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) launched the high-tech entrepreneurship program Business Incubation Centre (BIC) of CERN Technologies. It aims to connect young companies with accelerator and related technologies and enable innovative products and solutions. The first run of the incubator program experienced a very high number of candidates. Ideas came from eleven different countries and covered a wide a wide range of fields: pharma research, non-invasive treatments, security scanners, imaging technologies, non-destructive testing, sensor technologies, optimization in agriculture.

After a thorough analysis and a process matching projects with IP and technology, the six best candidates progressed to the second phase of the competition: supported, where needed, by a business coach, they prepared a business plan and presented it to an independent expert committee.

First incubatee, Securaxis SA, uses noise sensors to makes cities more secure

The first so-called incubatee – the winner of BIC of CERN 2018 – is the company Securaxis SA from Geneva. The company’s CEO Glenn Meleder, who worked for the International Red Cross (ICRC) for many years, want to solve the security problems occurring in crisis regions as well as those occurring in modern cities. With his team, he is developing an acoustic sensor security system that will help make the cities of the future more secure. The start-up’s real-time detection sensor for high-energy incidents – such as explosions, fires or collisions – can be used to identify and characterize noises. This will enable people in crisis areas to identify sources of danger, or areas of intervention, at an early stage. For modern cities, Securaxis is also developing acoustic sensors that monitor and optimize traffic on the one hand and, on the other hand, that can identify fires, collisions or the imminent collapse of bridges or buildings. Securaxis have created both types of sensors using artificial intelligence (AI), sound localization, the Internet of Things (IoT) and now CERN's C2MON data collection system.

The next BIC of CERN Technologies competition set to launch in April 2019

The BIC team is pleased to give the start signal for the next competition: Starting now, high-tech start-ups and small companies (not older than two years) who have a business idea involving accelerator and related technology can sign up for the competition. Companies facing a technological challenge, that may not be directly connected to accelerator technology on the first sight, are also encouraged to apply. CERN Knowledge Transfer team will review the ideas and match them with relevant CERN technologies if possible.

As with last year’s procedure, the incubatees will be chosen by an independent committee in a two-stage selection process. The committee is made up of representatives from PARK INNOVAARE, CERN, PSI and FHNW as well as representatives of industry and the financial sector. For the first phase of the competition, the deadline for submitting projects is May 31, 2019. The winner will be announced in mid-October.

The winner of the BIC of CERN Technologies program will enter a two-year incubation program. The key elements of the provided support include access to preferential conditions for using CERN IP but also access to the complementary expertise of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and seed money of CHF 50,000 per company. These measures are supplemented by intensive start-up coaching provided as part of the FHNW workshop program.

For companies and individuals interested in more information, the other data and all the information concerning the BIC of CERN Technologies program are available here.