Elythor wins top honors at PERL Awards 2024 for its innovative drone technology

Elythor emerged as the top winner of the 22nd edition of the Prix Entreprendre Lausanne Région (PERL) awards.

The 22nd edition of the PERL Awards celebrated the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit the startup ecosystem of the Lausanne region. Among the distinguished participants, Elythor emerged as the top winner, receiving the Lausanne Region Trophy and a CHF 50,000 prize for its advanced drone technology designed to inspect and maintain energy infrastructures both on land and at sea.

This year’s ceremony highlighted the significance of the PERL Awards in fostering regional economic growth and innovation. Since its inception in 2003, the PERL Awards have been a crucial platform for launching entrepreneurial projects, supporting over a hundred initiatives. The diversity of the awarded companies reflects the dynamic and creative ecosystem prevalent in Lausanne and its 27 member municipalities.

The 2024 PERL Awards saw a notable increase in participation, with 44 applications submitted, representing a 19% rise compared to the previous year. The selection process involved extensive evaluation sessions, culminating in eight hours of deliberation by the jury, chaired for the first time by Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand, Municipal in charge of the economy at the City of Lausanne.

Elythor’s super drone received top honors

The Lausanne Region Trophy 2024, valued at CHF 50,000, was awarded to Elythor, a Lausanne-based company. Elythor’s cutting-edge drone is capable of inspecting the state of energy infrastructures under extreme weather conditions, both on land and at sea. Notably, Elythor also won the Public Prize, worth CHF 10,000, securing 283 votes and resonating with both the public and the tech-savvy jury.

Social innovation also rewarded

In addition to Elythor, three other companies received the Innovation Award, each worth CHF 10,000. These include csky.ai (Prilly), which leverages artificial intelligence to ensure the privacy of sensitive communications; Ex Nunc Intelligence (Ecublens), which provides quick, well-argued responses to complex legal questions; and Uzufly (Ecublens), which uses drone technology to model cities, aiding urban planning and helping the public visualize future projects. The Jury’s “Coup de Coeur” prize, also valued at CHF 10,000, was awarded to Atipikey, a Lausanne-based company offering inclusion services for and by neurodiverse individuals.