SPARK Western Switzerland launches
Posted on March 10th, 2025
The SPARK Western Switzerland program has officially launched, joining the prestigious SPARK GLOBAL organization, a network of local programs at academic institutions supporting the translation of innovative ideas into healthcare solutions.
Headquartered at the Innovation Office of the University of Basel, SPARK Western Switzerland offers a one-year pre-incubation program to empower academic researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs in life sciences and health by providing them with real-world knowledge and skills, global networking, and expertise to successfully navigate the journey from early discovery to the development of viable solutions.
The SPARK Western Switzerland program includes workshops, education, networking opportunities, and mentoring with world-class expert guidance and regular meetings from mentors in the life sciences, health technologies and entrepreneurial ventures. The program offers sessions organized by the University of Basel Innovation Office and by the EPFL Innovate4Life, and projects from both institutions will join the first cohort in 2025. In the future, SPARK Western Switzerland welcomes the prospect of collaborating with other Swiss universities and thus welcoming more projects.
On February 6, 2025, the Innovation Office of the University of Basel hosted an official launch of SPARK Western Switzerland. The event brought together founders, innovators, mentors, experts, and special guests in a collaborative environment. SPARK representatives from SPARK Finland, SPARK Norway, SPARK The Midlands, and SPARK Berlin showcased their own SPARKee projects, demonstrating the true power of cross-border collaboration in bridging science and entrepreneurship.
SPARK Western Switzerland Program Manager Clémence Le Roux said, “It was truly inspiring to see the SPARK Europe community come together to officially launch SPARK Western Switzerland. We’re very happy to be part of SPARK and to contribute to this incredible network.”
SPARK GLOBAL is a non-profit organization that supports high-quality translational projects and discoveries to address unmet medical needs. SPARK GLOBAL was founded in 2015 as a grassroots initiative based on the successful SPARK model at Stanford University, and has since expanded to over 40 academic institutions worldwide. The mission of SPARK GLOBAL is to advance academic discoveries into medical solutions through education, mentorship, and financial support of selected projects. SPARK GLOBAL supports local programs at academic and non-profit institutions seeking to turn innovative ideas into solutions for patients and society.
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