Venture Kick funds 4iLabs with 150,000 Swiss francs

Cancer researcher Gabriele Gut from the University of Zurich (UZH) has developed 4i technology to improve cancer treatment and is preparing to launch 4iLabs in early 2021. The startup is being supported by the UZH Entrepreneur Fellowship and the InnoSuisse BRIDGE Proof of Concept program, as was reported in a press release from Venture Kick. Venture Kick has awarded 4iLabs a further 150,000 francs in startup funding.

Gabriele Gut uses the patented 4i technology to get a deeper and more efficient molecular view of tumors than with existing processes. The four i’s are “iterative indirect immunofluorescence imaging”. These will help scientists in pharma, academia and hospitals in fields such as drug discovery and provide clinicians with evidence-based therapy recommendations for each patient by means of Gut’s Oriflamme diagnostics report. The second product i4Labs plans to launch is DeepTissue Phenotyping services, an innovative multiplexed tissue imaging service.

According to the press release, the startup targets cancer-related industries that are expected to become a US$40 billion market in the next four years.

Venture Kick is a “philanthropic initiative” of a private consortium. It is organized as a charitable foundation and hosted by Fondation des Fondateurs as an umbrella charity.