Carewell wins 2025 PERL Award for innovation in healthcare staffing

The Lausanne Region Trophy at the 23rd Prix Entreprendre Lausanne Région (PERL) ceremony has been awarded to Carewell, a Pully-based start-up optimizing healthcare staffing through a digital platform that merges technological and social innovation.

Held at Beaulieu-Lausanne on 7 May 2025, the PERL Awards once again highlighted the strength of Lausanne’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Out of numerous contenders, Carewell stood out for its high-impact solution addressing a pressing challenge in healthcare: managing staff shortages and shift replacements in medical institutions.

Carewell’s digital platform allows healthcare providers to streamline their internal human resources and access external qualified personnel when needed. It enhances operational flexibility for institutions while empowering medical staff with more manageable schedules. With pilot projects already underway at key healthcare institutions in the cantons of Vaud and Geneva, such as EHC, GHOL, La Lignière and Butini, the solution has already shown traction in the field.

The start-up’s approach met the PERL jury’s criteria for innovation, economic viability, job creation, and regional impact. The CHF 50,000 prize will help the company further develop its platform and strengthen its presence in a Swiss temporary staffing market valued at CHF 800 million.

Digital innovation serving a growing regional need

As the healthcare sector faces persistent staffing shortages, Carewell’s model responds to a structural issue with a scalable digital tool. By combining internal resource optimization with curated access to external workers, the platform seeks to become a reference point for temporary staffing in healthcare, contributing to a more resilient and flexible system.

In addition to the grand prize, three companies received Innovation Awards worth CHF 10,000 each: Aerospec (real-time air quality diagnostics), Hafnova (cybersecurity solutions), and OptiZone (ligament injury prevention via wearable sensors). The Jury’s Coup de Coeur went to SaisiR, which develops interfaces to help stroke survivors regain autonomy.

This year’s Public Prize was awarded to OptiZone, based on over 800 public votes, further proof of the diversity and engagement of Lausanne’s innovation ecosystem.