Work hard, play hard

Dear reader

Public recognition and a total cash prize of CHF200,000 await five computer game development teams at the tender ‘Call for Projects: Swiss Games 14/15’. And if you believe the members of the jury, which is presided over by Ru Weerasuriya, CEO and creative director of US videogame developer Ready at Dawn, the Swiss development scene is on the right track to reach an international breakthrough. This is demonstrated by projects such as the recently published game Feist from Zurich development studio Bits & Beasts, and the virtual reality project from Geneva-based Artanim Interactive, which has qualified for the final of the Immersive Realities (AR/VR) contest at SIGGRAPH 2015 Los Angeles.

It usually takes longer than planned for start-ups to effectively earn money with their projects. When it eventually works, then the pleasure is all the greater. This applies not only to a game such as Feist, but also, for example, to the EPFL spin-off NBMolecules. The company, which was founded in 2002, has now signed its first license and supply agreement for one of its innovative products with MIS Implants Technologies, one of the world’s leading dental implant manufacturers.

Medtech company Aeon Scientific has been quicker; five years after its founding, approval has been given for Aeon Phocus, an electromagnetic system to steer ablation catheters for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.

A successful exit was also reported this week: NZZ Media Group has acquired a majority stake in Architonic, the international leading online community for architecture and design. The platform receives more than 16 million visitors a year.

And here the gift of the week: when ZKB reopens its headquarters in Zurich city centre in mid-August, it will provide 20 free workplaces available on an hourly and daily basis.

Have an enjoyable national holiday weekend.

Claus Niedermann
Editor-in-chief startupticker.ch