Double success for ETH entrepreneurs at the Venture Awards

Baxiva is focusing on sugar structures for broad-spectrum vaccines, whilst RegCheck uses AI to review regulatory documents

23-Jun-2026
Venture

The RegCheck team at the 2026 Venture Awards ceremony: Aharon Yechezkel, Anna-Marie Makarova and Alistair Venables (from left).

Two young companies with ties to ETH Zurich – Baxiva and RegCheck – have won first place in their respective categories at this year’s Venture awards. The awards were presented in Lausanne on 15 June 2026.

Venture

The Baxiva team at the 2026 Venture Awards ceremony: Christoph Rutschmann, Tim Keys and Johannes Karl Mühl (from left).

Baxiva develops vaccines designed to help the immune system recognise certain bacteria at an early stage and mount a targeted response. To achieve this, the company uses characteristic sugar structures found on the surface of bacteria. It links these structures to virus-like particles, which are intended to trigger a strong immune response. The technology could make it possible for a single vaccine to protect against several bacterial strains.

Baxiva’s most advanced programme targets pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli). These bacteria are among the most common causes of urinary tract infections and are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

Baxiva emerged from research conducted at ETH Zurich. Co-founder Giorgia Greter further developed the project as an ETH Pioneer Fellow. More information about her and her research is available in this ETH news. The company was founded in 2025.

A trial run for regulatory review

RegCheck is developing an AI-powered platform for companies operating in highly regulated industries, such as medical technology. The software checks their documentation and identifies missing information or inconsistencies at an early stage. This allows companies to address problems before submitting their documents to a regulatory authority or certification body.

The platform can also continuously monitor whether documentation and internal processes remain compliant with regulatory requirements, for example when a standard changes. RegCheck is not aimed solely at companies seeking regulatory approval or certification. It can also support certification bodies and auditors in their work.

RegCheck holds the ETH Start-up label. This label recognises companies founded by current or former ETH members whose business model is not directly based on research conducted at the university.

Alongside Baxiva and RegCheck, ETH spin-off  Aithon Robotics also reached the final in the “Industrials & Engineering” category. The company develops drones for the inspection and maintenance of hard-to-reach infrastructure.

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