The Bern Economic Development Agency (BEDA) helps innovative international companies and undertakings to relocate and settle in the Canton of Bern – such as Aseptuva AG and CSEM. BEDA works on this with the intercantonal partner Greater Geneva Bern area which has a network in selected target markets abroad.
Aseptuva AG
Aseptuva AG is developing new disinfection technology for medical devices based on ultraviolet radiation. Unlike commercial UV technologies, the application is harmless to human tissue, allowing infections to be prevented directly on the body – a solution that hospitals have been eagerly awaiting for a long time.
No wonder, then, that even before its market launch Aseptuva was able to win numerous hospitals in Switzerland and abroad as future customers of its product. Its location close to the Inselspital in Bern plays an essential role in progressing its research work.
This technology is expected to save thousands of patient lives a year and billions in healthcare costs worldwide. Aseptuva’s longterm goal is to establish its technology as the standard for infection control in hospitals. In doing so it is making a major contribution to optimizing healthcare.
CSEM AG
Another lighthouse of the innovation ecosystem of the Canton of Bern and Switzerland is being built on the Inselspital campus: the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), known worldwide for its applied research in the fields of microtechnology and nanotechnology, will launch a new unit, the Digital Health Center.
The unit is expected to employ up to 70 people in the medium term. The aim of the Digital Health Center will be to combine the expertise of the Inselspital and the University of Bern in the fields of medical and clinical research with CSEM’s expertise in microelectronics and prototyping. The CSEM finances its activities within the framework of a public-private partnership: approximately one third of the funds come from public sector (the federal government and the Cantons), one third from research mandates put out to tender and one third from private industrial companies. The CSEM is regarded throughout Switzerland as a unique and highly efficient institution for the creation and spin-off of startup and spin-off companies.
The Canton of Bern is making a substantial contribution to the establishment and expansion of the institution, and the Bern Economic Development Agency has already provided the startup contributions over the past two years. The corresponding new credit application for the years 2023-2025 will be dealt with by the Grand Council in the summer session 2023.