SPARK Western Switzerland Officially Launches, Empowering the Next Generation of Life Science Innovators

The SPARK Western Switzerland program has officially launched, joining the prestigious SPARK GLOBAL network comprised of 50 academic institutions worldwide. Organized by the Innovation Office of the University of Basel, the one-year pre-incubation program is designed to empower academic researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs in the life sciences and health fields to successfully navigate the journey from early discovery to the development of viable solutions. Over the next 12 months, eight selected teams from the University of Basel, EPFL, and ETH D-BSSE will progress through three transformative phases—refining their ideas, learning the fundamentals of drug and medical device development, and propelling their startup concepts forward. Teams will gain real-world knowledge and skills, access to a global network, and personalized mentorship from two experts with both scientific and business backgrounds.

Kick-Off & The Path from Lab to Market

To kick-off the program, SPARKees and mentors gathered for a full day of pitching, feedback, and collaborative workshops designed to spark entrepreneurial thinking.“It was so nice to see SPARKees and mentors together in the same place and witness the collaboration and knowledge transfer between them,” said Clémence Le Roux, Program Manager of SPARK Western Switzerland. “I’m really looking forward to what’s to come.”

Inspiration was in the air as Simon Ittig, CEO and founder of T3 Pharmaceuticals AG, shared the highs and lows of his own journey from idea to impact. The afternoon’s "Path From Lab to Market” session led by Marco Cavallari of CSL Behring, our generous event sponsor, highlighted the importance of translating science into treatments that change lives.

The TPP Model as a Roadmap

The momentum continued on Friday with a deep dive into the Target Product Profile (TPP) model, led by Roopa Ramamoorthi, Director of the Catalyst Program and InVent Fund at the University of California San Francisco. Her session offered valuable insights into the various TPP frameworks and how they can be used to assess and guide project development. Roopa’s global perspective, combined with SPARK’s translational focus, served as a powerful reminder of the importance of innovation ecosystems that are both globally connected and locally grounded.

For our SPARKees, this is only the beginning - we can’t wait to see what the next 12 months bring.