CCRAFT: the world's first foundry for the production of chips based on thin-film lithium niobate technology (TFLN)
Thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) is now recognised as a revolutionary material for next-generation optical chips. The problem is that there is no industrial-scale production ecosystem for these TFLN chips. CCRAFT has decided to address this significant market gap.
CCRAFT is creating the world's first independent foundry capable of producing chips based on TFLN technology. Thanks to an innovation that enables high volume production with high quality and numerous features, these high-performance, energy-efficient and scalable optical chips offer what current silicon-based platforms cannot. This technology is essential for data centres that run artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and quantum technologies, hinting at the enormous potential of the platform developed by CCRAFT.
The CHF 100,000 Tech Seed loan from FIT will enable CCRAFT to finance its initial establishment and strengthen the protection of its intellectual property.
databaum: data intelligence for regenerative agriculture
Agriculture can only be truly sustainable if every drop of water, every treatment and every intervention is precisely targeted. databaum is developing an artificial intelligence platform that transforms raw data from the field into intelligent decisions, helping farmers protect their yields, reduce inputs and support regenerative practices.
At the heart of the databaum solution is a network of four complementary sensors that capture the microclimate of each plot in real time, measuring soil water content, rainfall volume, humidity and frost risk, soil temperature and foliage moisture. All of this data is transmitted to the databaum platform, where AI models transform it into operational recommendations that farmers also receive on their mobile phones via notifications: when to irrigate, when to wait, when disease pressure is increasing, when it is possible to do without phytosanitary treatment. The platform not only helps them to react immediately in the event of an alert, but also to plan better in advance.
databaum will use the CHF 100,000 FIT Tech Seed loan to finalise and launch its irrigation management system in collaboration with EPFL, as well as to develop its international business activities in France, Italy, Spain and Germany.
Lemna Bio: artificial intelligence at the service of understanding biological interactions
Biological interactions are at the core of both health and disease. The majority of failures in drug discovery stem from an incomplete understanding of these interactions. This gap in biological understanding often leads to selecting inappropriate targets, pursuing ineffective mechanisms of action, or encountering unexpected side effects.
Lemna Bio develops artificial intelligence models capable of deciphering molecular interactions to identify reliable therapeutic targets, optimal engagement strategies, and effective drug candidates. By modelling biology, Lemna Bio's AI generates explainable hypotheses that connect the atomic scale to the broader functional biological context, paving the way for a new generation of medicines.
Thanks to the CHF 100,000 Tech Seed loan, Lemna Bio will be able to continue validating its AI systems and further develop its platform to make it accessible to customers.