FIF awards grants to three Geneva-based academic spin-offs

The Fonds pour l’Innovation et le Futur de Genève (FIF) has awarded CHF 50,000 grants to three academic spin-off projects originating from Geneva’s research ecosystem. In a first for the program, the recipients include two spin-offs from the University of Geneva and one project from CERN, reflecting the diversity of innovation emerging from local institutions.

One grant was awarded to POSICS, a project led by Professor Domenico della Volpe at the University of Geneva’s Faculty of Science. POSICS is developing a compact wireless system for radio-guided cancer surgery that combines multi-angle gamma detection with 3D imaging and augmented reality visualization, enabling real-time tumor localization during surgical procedures. The funding will support regulatory preparation and the development of an augmented reality demonstrator in collaboration with Geneva University Hospitals and the Fondation Campus Biotech Geneva.

A second grant was awarded to Geneva Connection Technologies, a CERN spin-off led by Dr. Mateus Vicente Barreto Pinto. The project focuses on developing cost-efficient, high-precision interconnection technologies for radiation detectors, addressing a critical bottleneck in advanced scientific and medical imaging systems.

The third grant supports Vectopia, a University of Geneva spin-off led by Dr. Maude Rolland. Vectopia is working on a new approach to lentivector manufacturing aimed at reducing costs and expanding access to gene therapies. The funding will enable preparation for GMP-compliant production and clinical translation.