Igeho Rising Star Award: Public voting

Which founders and start-ups will make it to the final? Which six teams will get the opportunity to present themselves live in Basel?

You have a say!

Nine founders and start-ups have cleared the first hurdle - assessment of the dossiers by an independent jury of experts - and are now in the public voting. Six of these nine teams can look forward to reaching the final:

• Field Food: EggField - like eggs, but grown in a field
• FRANS drinks: Pre-mixed cocktails for restaurants, bars and caterers
• Innoptim: World's first 100% interconnected restaurant management system
• IRISgo: The IRISgo cup – thermos cup revolution Swiss made
• kooky: Sustainable data platform & return infrastructure for circular economy and reusable solutions
• Luya Foods: Juicy and versatile organic alternatives to meat made from soybean okara and chickpeas
• olanga: olanga.market, the B2B online platform for overproduction and non-standard products
• Simon & Josef: Personalised room service to enhance the guest experience
• Switzerland Hospitality Financing – Hofi: Swiss networking platform to simplify the financing of projects

Three of the tickets for the final will be awarded by the public vote. Three more will be chosen by the jury*.

Below, the start-ups will present their innovations in detail. The descriptions of the challenges and the approaches to solving them were developed and submitted by the respective start-ups.

Vote for your three favourites until 18.9.2023 (23:59)!

➡ Public voting (EN) ⬅

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EggField - like eggs, but grown in a field

Field Food (Illnau)

Initial situation and challenge

As with other animal protein sources, there are high environmental costs and ethical issues associated with the production of eggs. Chickens are fed soya, which is associated with biodiversity and habitat loss and contributes to CO2 emissions in the countries of origin. Ethical concerns relate to the shredding of roosters and the culling of hens before moulting. As a large proportion of all eggs are used as an ingredient, the production conditions for egg ingredients are often exceptionally poor. Consumers are increasingly aware of these circumstances and are looking for alternatives without sacrificing enjoyment. 

Innovation

EggField mimics the functions of chicken eggs without artificial substances. EggField is at least equal to egg in terms of foaming, binding, emulsification & gelling, has a neutral taste profile, higher microbiological resistance than egg ingredients & a lower risk of bacterial contamination.
With EggField, restaurateurs can create new plant-based, non-GMO products without allergens (hen's egg/soy), which is important for flexitarian diners.
In extraction, concentration and filtration processes, we produce a liquid component (EggField One) from pulses, which can be combined with a vegetable protein powder (EggField Plus).

Learn more: www.eggfield.com

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FRANS drinks produces high-quality, seasonal and regional pre-mixed cocktails for gastronomy, bars and catering businesses to relieve front-line staff.

FRANS drinks (Basel)

Initial situation and challenge

The catering industry is severely affected by the shortage of skilled workers. Trained staff with expertise and the time to produce high-quality and individual cocktails in a hectic business environment are rare. Therefore, it is hardly possible to stock a seasonal and regional range that has a consistent quality. Spirits stocks also require space and involve risks in the sense of dead capital. All in all, this leads to a limited and inferior range of beverages and to lost sales potential.

Innovation

Thanks to FRANS drinks, restaurants and catering businesses can offer a high-quality, seasonal and regional range of cocktails. This is consistent in quality, varied and prepared in a few simple steps. The pre-made alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are supplied in 1L bottles and can be served with ice and a maximum of one soft drink additive. In this way, preparation time can be shortened many times over and portioning difficulties reduced. FRANS drinks offers creative, regional and seasonal cocktail creations such as Rhubarb Spritz, Coffee Negroni or Elderberry Spritz.

Learn more: www.fransdrinks.ch

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100% interconnected restaurant management system in the world!

Innoptim (Le Mont-sur-Lausanne)

Initial situation and challenge

Managing reservations is one of the most difficult things for a restaurant, owners of restaurants spend a lot of time and energy, up to 3 hours per day. Restaurateurs are constantly disturbed by calls, emails and SMS in their daily tasks. Existing solutions do not allow 100% automation, as reservations can be integrated on their website, but it is still necessary to validate them and assign the tables. The software available on the market is only partially tailored to their needs and does not sufficiently enable or promote the digitalisation of their facilities.
On the customer or consumer side the needs are not covered either, indeed there are very good applications to find a restaurant but the real-time interaction with the restaurant is never 100% certified, it is often essential to wait for a validation. You can search for a list of restaurants and then question the availability of this establishment, but search for availability according to a number of people for a specific date and time is not possible.

Innovation

To fill the concerns of catering professionals with reservation management, we have solved the weak points by creating the first 100% interconnected system in the world! The web platform Futuraurant.com (Future x Restaurant) allows a complete interaction (work platform-website of the restaurant-mobile application customers). Thanks to the establishment of the restaurant, the creation of the list of tables and all its combinations, we can recreate exactly all the possibilities of customer placement and thus automate the filling. In addition, the system with an algorithm continuously optimizes the placement in order to fill the establishment as much as possible.
Customers or consumers can use the Reservaurant mobile application (IOS & Android) to reserve a place in a restaurant in 3 seconds! 

Learn more: https://www.futuraurant.com

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The IRISgo cup – Thermos cup revolution Swiss made

IRISgo (Horw)

Initial situation and challenge

Disposable cups are a huge environmental problem, while conventional reusable cups do not offer the full drinking experience due to their small drinking opening and a lack of elegant design. In addition, many reusable cups are not leak-proof, and the composition of multiple parts often makes cleaning more tedious than it should be.
Consumption often rules out sustainability, but the IRISgo cups make it possible to combine the two. A sustainable lifestyle without having to sacrifice enjoyment and convenience. The thermal cup with innovative closure system is revolutionizing the drinkware market.

Innovation

Combining sustainability with enjoyment.
With the Swiss Made IRISgo cup, we have developed a thermos cup that allows drinks to be enjoyed anywhere. The innovative closure system with a large drinking opening makes coffee to go a relaxed enjoyment experience and is no longer just a hecHc stop on the way to work. With just one twist, the IRISgo cup is sealed leak-proof and no longer has an annoying lid that also makes cleaning a breeze. Leak-proof and insulated (6h cold, 3h hot) with double-walled stainless steel, the IRISgo cups offer above all drinking enjoyment like from your favourite cup at home.

Learn more: irisgo.ch

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kooky - Sustainable data platform & return infrastructure for circular economy and reusable solutions

kooky (Zurich)

Initial situation and challenge

The price of single-use packaging is too low, leading to the perception that reusable options are always "too expensive" and inconvenient. It is essential for market participants to recognize the benefits and possibilities of reusable solutions, especially regarding sustainability, customer loyalty, and the potential for generating digitalized ESG reports. The "Pain Points" lie in the strong reliance on partner engagement, as consumers' choices are influenced by the options available. Additionally, cities need to acknowledge that adopting reusable options can significantly reduce waste volume in public waste bins.

Innovation

The innovation of kooky is a neutral data platform that acts as a basic technological layer for the circular economy, allowing to manage circular transactions, items and functional units (such as boxes, points of sale, etc.) and to perform financial settlements.
The platform offers the possibility to transfer the deposit system to the 2Go and takeaway market by issuing reusable containers at the POS for a deposit fee and returning them to return boxes. Intuitive handling increases usage and the catering industry has no additional costs. System partners clean the cups and deliver them again.

Learn more: www.kooky2go.com

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Juicy and versatile organic alternatives to meat made from soybean okara and chickpeas 

Luya Foods (Bern)

Initial situation and challenge

More and more people are reducing their meat consumption for reasons of sustainability, health, or animal welfare and wish to have a diverse, balanced, and culinary convincing offering in gastronomy. In addition to traditional alternatives such as tofu, there are now primarily meat substitutes on the market that do not fully convince consumers and restaurateurs due to their long ingredient lists and highly processed manufacturing. There is a growing demand for versatile products based on natural ingredients that are minimally processed. 

Innovation

Luya is revolutionizing the market with an alternative organic protein source made from okara (the pulp of soybean) and chickpeas. Through a traditional mushroom fermentation process, we produce new, high-quality organic protein sources. Luya is not a meat substitute, but it can be used just like meat, offering completely new culinary possibilities. It is juicy, delicious, and highly versatile. Due to the gentle processing and natural fermentation, Luya requires no additives. By utilizing organic okara, a by-product of tofu and soymilk production, we avoid the need for new cultivation areas and reduce CO2 emissions by an impressive 98% compared to beef. 

Learn more: luya.bio

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With our olanga.market, the B2B online platform for overproduction and non-standard products, we help to effectively prevent food loss at source

olanga (Brugg)

Initial situation and challenge

Food worth 600 bn. USD is lost annually at or immediately after harvest (an important part of food waste), because overproduction and substandard products are often not used as food for humans, but are ploughed under, for example. This is also the case in Switzerland, where one third of food is lost on its way from the field to the plate. olanga wants to mediate these products, which are of impeccable nutritional quality, between producers and buyers and thus make an important contribution to avoiding food waste. The great difficulty is to change the existing processes of both producers and buyers.

Innovation

We are committed to sustainable and efficient agriculture by developing innovative solutions to avoid food-waste and food-loss. Innovation in the field of food-waste (or resource efficiency in general) necessarily needs a combination of new technical solutions with behavioural changes. olanga offers a technical solution for reducing food-waste at source with the B2B online platform for brokering surplus and non-standard products. In parallel, we advise our clients on how to market their surplus with little effort. This generates additional income for them and reduces the burden on the environment.

Learn more: olanga.market

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Enhance the guest experience and save natural and financial resources in hotels by providing personalized room service

Simon & Josef (Giffers) 

Initial situation and challenge

Say goodbye to outdated red/green room signs. According to a recent study, over half of hotel guests desire the ability to customize housekeeping based on their individual needs. The era of standardized, protocol-driven room cleanings is over. Hanging the towel on the rack to keep it or tossing it on the floor for exchange only works 9 out of 10 times. 81% of travelers prefer a stay in a sustainable hotel, so it's time for a change. 

Innovation

S&J transforms room cleaning into a digital, practical, and efficient guest experience. This innovative solution conserves natural resources like water, reduces cleaning costs, and reduces staff load. Starting from a 2-night stay, every guest can easily personalize or cancel room service via their smartphone. No new app, no additional tablet in the room, no complex hardware or software installation required. An individual QR code per room is presented on a small card, inviting the guest to request personalized room cleaning. 6 seconds to cancel and 15 seconds for personalized cleaning – that's all it takes to satisfy the guest's desires. 

Learn more: simonandjosef.com

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As a Swiss networking platform, Switzerland Hospitality Financing helps to simplify the financing of projects in the hospitality sector

Switzerland Hospitality Financing – Hofi (Bern)

Initial situation and challenge

• Difficult access to funding sources: Hofi facilitates access to finance, whether for start-ups or established companies. In the hospitality industry, the financing market is often opaque and complex, making it difficult to access financing.
• Scarce resources in many companies: the platform offers opportunities to finance investments that cannot be made with your own funds.
• Lack of financing know-how: Some companies do not have sufficient know-how in the financing market.
• Little networking in the industry: As a platform, Hofi helps support and sustainably develop the tourism industry.

Innovation

Hofi serves as an innovative networking platform for the hospitality industry. As a solution to existing problems in the industry, it facilitates the access of hotels, restaurants and tourism projects to sources of financing by allowing them to find and consolidate suitable financing partners. The platform reduces administrative effort, simplifies complex financing structures and offers technical support. This facilitates targeted investments. This strengthens the industry and promotes its sustainable development. Hofi creates added value for all participants, creating an efficient financing market for the hospitality industry.

Learn more: www.the-hofi.ch

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Vote for your three favourites until 18.9.2023 (23:59)!

➡ Public voting (EN) ⬅

*If a start-up is selected by the public vote as well as by the jury, the next-placed start-up in the public vote moves up and thus also reaches the final. You can find the members of the expert jury on our website.