Science4Life awards prizes to six start-ups with innovations for medicine and the energy transition
Drug testing, risk analyses or new procedures for respiratory diseases
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In 2026, the start-up scene continues to experience an upswing: this year's concept phase of Science4Life e.V. shows how strong the German start-up landscape is, especially in the development of innovations. The most promising start-ups from the life sciences, chemistry and energy sectors were selected from 91 submissions.
"The particular diversity of our winning teams' projects shows just how broad the innovation spectrum is in Germany. From data-driven approaches to novel materials, solutions are being created here that combine economic potential and social benefits. Such start-up teams not only strengthen individual sectors, but also the future viability of our entire innovation ecosystem," says Dr. Rainer Waldschmidt, Managing Director of Science4Life e.V. and Managing Director of HA Hessen Agentur GmbH and Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH. His co-chairman at Science4Life e.V., Dr. Stefan Bartoschek, R&D Workforce Engagement Business Partner at Sanofi Germany, adds: "I was particularly impressed: The teams here are not concerned with visions on paper, but with concrete solutions with a clear application perspective. It is precisely this focus on implementation that enables the healthcare sector to move more quickly from research results to improvements for patients."
The ten best teams in the concept phase of the Science4Life Venture Cup took part in the two-day Academy Days in advance, where they further developed their business concepts in individual coaching sessions and workshops with experts. The five winners from the fields of life sciences and chemistry and the winner of the Science4Life Energy Award were then presented with prize money. The startup competition is now entering its final phase: the business plan phase. Start-ups can now register and submit their business plans by April 13, 2026 - even if they have not taken part in the previous phases.
Innovations from life sciences and chemistry
The five winning teams of the Science4Life Venture Cup came out on top with science-based innovations in genome editing, data-based respiratory therapy, animal-free safety testing, low-resistance anti-infectives and stable RNA drugs. All of which focus on regulatory safety and better patient care.
BiObservR is developing the first scientifically validated one-stop-shop platform for regulatory-compliant risk analysis in genome editing. The team from Freiburg i. Br. aims to meet the increasing demand for validated off-target analyses and the stricter requirements of the regulatory authorities. Such analyses are an essential prerequisite for the translation of new cell and gene therapies based on genome editing. The idea originated from research at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg using the patented CAST-Seq (in-cellula) method for assessing the desired (on-target) and undesired (off-target) effects of gene scissors.
The Munich-based start-up CAELIA Health is transforming respiratory medicine. For the first time, the team is making inhalation measurable with every breath, enabling personalized and data-based optimization. This enables millions of patients with asthma or COPD to live a life free of symptoms. CAELIA Health is based on an intelligent spacer system that combines sensor technology, app and analysis to provide continuous therapy feedback.
InnoZell from Constance offers a cell-based early warning system that - like the human body - recognizes traces of foreign substances, e.g. bacteria, extremely reliably. With this bio-detector, drugs and medical products can be tested and monitored for contamination quickly, cost-effectively and completely without animal testing.
The PROTON team in Braunschweig is developing a new active substance that can be used to specifically treat or prevent Staphylococcus aureus infections. The risk of resistance developing is significantly reduced compared to conventional antibiotics.
Severe COPD patients need therapies that reach the lungs efficiently and work in everyday life. RNhale from Planegg develops inhalable RNA drugs and makes RNA available as a stable dry powder. It can be stored at room temperature and produced in a scalable manner. This eliminates cold chain and handling hurdles and brings innovative therapies to patients faster.
This start-up is driving the energy transition forward
The Energy Award was won by heatbrAIn from Bergisch Gladbach. The start-up is a DLR spin-off based on research into analyzing the heating requirements of buildings. The team uses AI and precise data models to finally understand exactly where and how much heat is needed today and tomorrow - for fast and well-founded planning of new heat supply solutions.
The five best teams in the concept phase of the Science4Life Venture Cup 2026: (in alphabetical order)
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BioObserver
CAELIA Health
InnoZell
Proton
RNhale
The winning team of the Science4Life Energy Award 2026 concept phase:
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heatbrAIn
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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Genetic diseases once considered untreatable are now at the center of innovative therapeutic approaches. Research and development of gene therapies in biotech and pharma aim to directly correct or replace defective or missing genes to combat disease at the molecular level. This revolutionary approach promises not only to treat symptoms, but to eliminate the cause of the disease itself.
Topic world Gene therapy
Genetic diseases once considered untreatable are now at the center of innovative therapeutic approaches. Research and development of gene therapies in biotech and pharma aim to directly correct or replace defective or missing genes to combat disease at the molecular level. This revolutionary approach promises not only to treat symptoms, but to eliminate the cause of the disease itself.