Our congratulations go to Co-Me members Matthias Peterhans and Prof.
Dr.-Ing. Stefan Weber from the Center for Computer Assisted Surgery of
the University of Bern. They have passed the first stage of the Venture
Kick competition with their startup company ‘CAScination’, a
collaborative effort of the Institute of Surgical Technologies and
Biomechanics and the ARTORG Center. The team has been granted a support
of CHF 10’000 for the development and marketing of their business idea:
a navigation system for soft tissue surgery.
Their solution for
image guided therapy especially on the liver has been developed in
close collaboration with the Department of Visceral Surgery of the
Inselspital Bern (Prof. med. Dr. Daniel Candinas) and the VRAI Group at
the EPF Lausanne (Dr. Charles Baur). A first prototype is currently
under clinical evaluation. The soft tissue navigation system provides
instrument guidance and enables precise and safe surgical treatments.
CAScination will introduce a CE approved navigation platform to the
clinical market starting at the beginning of 2010.
The Venture Kick Competition
Venture
kick started in 2007 as an initiative of private investors. A high
caliber jury of investors, entrepreneurs and technology experts
evaluates startup companies in a three-stage competition. In stage 1
the business idea is structured, in stage 2 the business case is
developed and in stage 3 the business plan is completed. Those projects
which are selected by the jury receive a grant and professional
coaching to help them master the next stage. The first financial
incentive is CHF 10,000, the second is CHF 20,000 and the last is CHF
100,000.
