W.A. de Vigier Awards 2020: Four out of five winners are cleantech startups

The W.A. de Vigier Promotion Prize is the oldest award for young entrepreneurs in Switzerland and, with annual prize money of CHF 500,000 (five times CHF 100,000), is one of the most highly endowed promotion prizes in Switzerland. In its 31 years of existence, the foundation has distributed a total of over CHF 11 million in start-up capital across a wide range of sectors. To date, this has resulted in around 90 successful startups, several IPOs, profitable company sales and, above all, numerous new jobs.

W.A. de Vigier Awards 2020 presented online

"As we wrestle with a global pandemic, it is clear that we face a much greater challenge with the consequences of climate change. Our generation has urgent environmental problems to solve, as evidenced by the particularly high number of Cleantech Startups among this year's applications and winners. These cleantech companies have the potential to make the rebuilding of the Swiss economy after the Corona crisis more environmentally friendly," says Regula Buob, executive director of the W.A. de Vigier Foundation. "The drive and resilience that these young leaders display is impressive. Nothing and no one can stop them - even in challenging times like these," Buob continues. Due to Covid-19, the award ceremony took place in the studios of CNN Money Switzerland and not as usual in the de Vigier summer house in Solothurn.

The winners of the W.A. de Vigier Award 2020

Bloom Biorenewables AG from Marly (FR) - Sustainable alternatives to fossil molecules
Petroleum is present in most everyday products, which is harmful to our environment. Bloom can convert wood and agricultural waste into renewable materials that completely replace petroleum. Thanks to this solution, businesses can turn to a green and locally available alternative, satisfy environmentally conscious customers, meet government guidelines, save C02 taxes and help fight climate change. "Because of Covid-19, the price of oil has dropped, we are now competing with an even cheaper product. But we need to think ahead and make a fundamental change, replacing petroleum with green alternatives," says Remy Buser, CEO of Bloom Biorenewables AG, about the impact of the pandemic on his company.

 EH Group Engineering AG from Prangins (VD) - Innovative fuel cell technology for clean energy
Hydroelectric power would be a productive and clean source of energy, but it is too expensive, too complex, and too unreliable to gain widespread market acceptance. EH Group developed a technology that harnesses the power of hydrogen in a compact, reliable way at low cost and with minimal initial investment. Thanks to our solution, major manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace and marine industries are far ahead of their competitors when it comes to innovating for a greener future - the only future we have. "I can't deny that this is a very difficult time. But we keep going, we don't give up at all. We have phone conversations with our team members every day - my team is the most valuable asset I have. My employees will help shape the company as it grows, and I can feel their unwavering commitment," says Mardit Matian, CEO of EH Group Engineering AG.

 FenX AG from Zurich (ZH) - Sustainable high-performance insulation for the construction industry
When choosing insulation materials, the construction industry must either compromise on price, flammability or environmental friendliness. FenX transforms industrial waste into easy-to-build and high-performance insulation boards that are both non-combustible and recyclable. Our solution meets all customer needs: achieving excellent insulation and meeting all market requirements in terms of safety as well as eco-labels, all at no extra cost. "We are in the very fortunate position that the construction industry has not stopped during the pandemic. There are delays, but nothing too dramatic. We have also received invaluable support from investors who have been willing to back us with convertible bonds. In order for the company to emerge stronger from this challenging period, our team has reduced salaries to a minimum," reports Etienne Jeoffroy, CEO of FenX AG.

 Microcaps AG from Zurich (ZH) - Precise microcapsules on an industrial scale
Ensuring that drugs are released at the affected body site and at a specific rate is a major challenge because the size of the capsules that deliver these active ingredients has been uncontrollable. Microcaps developed a patented technology that allows us to control the size of these microcapsules with Swiss precision so that they all behave exactly the same. This means we can directly adjust and predict the release profile of a drug. Our solution is also highly relevant for fragrances, flavors and probiotics. "We tried to estimate early on how Covid-19 might affect our business. Now we are trying to make projections for after the crisis. Of course, we asked our board for help and turned to our network to make sure we have a handle on those things we can control," explains Alessandro Ofner, CEO of Microcaps AG.

Oxara AG from Zurich (ZH) - Turning excavated waste into sustainable building products
Every construction project begins with the excavation of tons of soil debris. However, landfill space for this excavated waste is becoming increasingly scarce. There is also a shortage of concrete, which is needed for construction. Oxara developed a chemical mixture that turns excavated waste into environmentally friendly building material, saving the construction industry millions in landfill costs while providing it with enough sustainable material to build with. "Business is slower, but we are currently able to invest more time in our technology. We have informed our partners and customers that we are not able to deliver as originally planned, and we are coming together as a team to look for creative solutions given the situation," explains Gnanli Landrou, CEO of Oxara AG.

W.A. de Vigier Foundation