FIF Funding Supports Four Life Sciences Startups: Reverso Therapeutics, Harantech, Vibrant and Joipaw
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Four innovative startups from Geneva developing solutions in pet health, life sciences, and digital therapeutics have received support from the FONGIT Innovation Fund (FIF). Harantech and Reverso Therapeutics, both UNIGE spin-offs, along with Vibrant, a Wyss Center project, each received a CHF 50,000 FIF Grant to support the translation of their research into tangible health solutions. Joipaw secured a CHF 100,000 FIF Seed Loan to advance its smart activity platform for dogs.
CHF 50,000 FIF Grant awarded to Reverso Therapeutics: advancing safer reversible anticoagulants
Reverso Therapeutics, a University of Geneva spin-off based at the Science Innovation Hub and led by PhD researcher Millicent Dockerhill, has received a FIF Grant of CHF 50,000. Recently awarded Best Academic Project at BioInnovation Day 2025, the project is developing a reversible drug for patients on anticoagulants, addressing a major unmet need in patient safety. Their innovation enables self-administration of an injectable anticoagulant that can be rapidly reversed in the event of bleeding—a key limitation of current therapies. The FIF grant will enable Reverso Therapeutics to advance the development of its therapy toward clinical use.
CHF 50,000 FIF Grant awarded to Harantech: safe shipment of pre-seeded organoid plates
Harantech, a project led by Dr. Sanae El Harane at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva and developed in collaboration with CSEM, has received a FIF Grant of CHF 50,000. The UNIGE spin-off is bringing to market AirLiwell technology, a proprietary air-liquid interface platform that greatly improves organoid treatment, enabling researchers and industry partners to receive ready-to-use cultures without additional manipulation. This innovation paves the way for scalable, cost-effective preclinical research and therapeutic development. FIF funding will accelerate the development of their technology while strengthening their intellectual property strategy.
CHF 50,000 FIF Grant awarded to Vibrant: tackling adolescent anxiety through digital therapeutics
Vibrant, co-founded by Dr. Sriparna Ghosal and Dr. Camille Piguet and developed at the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, has received a FIF Grant of CHF 50,000 to advance its pioneering digital therapeutic. The project is creating a scalable solution that integrates immersive virtual reality with real-time heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback to reduce adolescent anxiety, retrain emotional regulation circuits, and identify biomarkers for personalized and adaptive mental health care. The grant will support prototype development and preparation for product launch.
CHF 100,000 FIF Seed Loan awarded to Joipaw SA: promoting cognitive and emotional well-being in pets
Joipaw, the Geneva-based startup co-founded by Dersim Avdar and Marco Jenny, has received a FIF Seed Loan of CHF 100,000 to advance its smart activity platform designed to keep pet dogs mentally and physically active indoors. By addressing chronic boredom and lack of daily stimulation, which can harm dogs’ health and cause anxiety for their owners, Joipaw is tackling a widespread challenge in pet care. Its science-based approach combines an innovative gaming console, composed of a touchscreen specifically designed for dogs and a reward system that uses positive reinforcement to support canine cognitive health, strengthen the human-animal bond, and create new opportunities for people with disabilities to engage with their dogs. The FIF Seed Loan will support the development and market launch of Joipaw’s unique solution.
About the FONGIT Innovation Fund (FIF)
The FIF supports innovative startups and scale-ups in the Canton of Geneva and is a fantastic launchpad for life sciences projects that are actively working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Entrepreneurs can apply for three types of financing: the FIF Grant (up to CHF 50,000), the FIF Seed Loan (up to CHF 100,000), and the FIF Growth Loan (up to CHF 400,000).
The FIF is supported by the State of Geneva, the Fondation Genevoise pour l’Innovation Technologique (FONGIT), the Fondation Modus, the United Nations International Trade Center (ITC), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The next FIF application deadline is 10 September 2025.
➡️ Source: Press Release FONGIT | 📸 © FONGIT, Joipaw