IMD is pleased to announce the winners of the 8th Annual IMD Start-up Competition. This year IMD chose 18 ventures*; 14 to work with full-time MBA students and four who will collaborate with the Executive MBA class in 2006. We had many ventures to choose from; over 50 this year. The overall quality was the best we've seen. All candidates are to be congratulated.

During the first six months of their program, MBA participants work in teams with the start-up companies and ventures, under the guidance of Professor Benoit Leleux , as part of an important component of the MBA program devoted to business growth and entrepreneurship.

Together with IMD's Jim Pulcrano, Executive MBA participants work from March to September with their start-ups, culminating in a "pitch" to venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. Understanding how to nurture novel ideas and work with entrepreneurs is key for all of these senior managers.

MBA and EMBA particpants are immersed in the start-up environment and get a chance to help these young companies refine their strategy and their business plans, and to re-think how they "sell" their ideas to potential investors and customers.

Past winners go far!
Many of the start-ups that have participated in the initiative since its inception in 1999, have gone on to earn distinguished awards, such as id Quantique (Prix de Vigier 2002), ABMI (Winner of the Wall Street Journal European Innovation Award 2003 and the Prix de Vigier 2004), or Lyncée Tec (Prix de Vigier 2004).

In December 2005, Bilan, the Swiss business magazine, ranked the start-ups that had raised the greatest funds during last year in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Out of the top-ten, start-ups that have worked with IMD MBAs and EMBAs took 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th & 8th places: respectively: Endosense (Sfr.26million), Xigen (Sfr.26million), AC immune (Sfr.21million), BeamExpress (Sfr.17million) and SpinX (Sfr.15million).

Other recent news of IMD-supported start-ups:

• Med-Discovery has raised Sfr.5 mio. The EMBAs worked with them in 2004.
• GlycArt has been acquired by Roche for Sfr 240 mio.
• VisioWave has been acquired by GE for an undisclosed amount.

*Winners of the 2006 IMD Start-up Competition

Working with the EMBAs:
Covalys
Provides proprietary tools for protein research to the life sciences market. Having launched first products in 2004, Covalys' challenge is to position its technology amidst competition from much bigger players.

Exalos
A leading developer and manufacturer of advanced super-luminescent light-emitting diodes, selling optoelectronic components to navigation systems, medical imaging, fiberoptic test equipment and sensor industries.

Fasteris
Provides services for biotechnology laboratories, its core business being DNA sequencing, molecular biology and microbiology services.

HeiQ
A Swiss spin-off company of ETH Zurich producing high-performance additives and masterbatches for synthetic fibers and plastics. Working with the MBAs:

Cinetis
Imagines, develops and commercializes products and services around film digitization. It develops next-generation film scanners in collaboration with Swiss universities.

Domteknika
Proposes solutions where innovation should foster growth and profitability. Mainly active in advanced vehicles, household appliances, kitchenware and water filtration systems.

Endosense
Develops and commercializes solutions to enable the adoption of percutaneous catheter ablation for the treatment of arterial fibrillation.

Eminens Laboratories
The innovative development, high quality manufacturing and distribution of Swiss performing nutritional supplements and other health products that improve well-being.

Equimodus
Equimodus was created around Formacube: a re-discovery of the learning process through an inventive pedagogical approach with new support: cubes and connecting parts

Factory121
Using the Internet to revolutionize the watch industry, 121TIME has the ambition to become a leading watch-making brand in the same manner Dell became world-leader in computing equipment.

HPL
Development of next generation lithium-ion batteries for use in high-power applications, such as hybrid electric vehicles, uninterrupted power supply and power tools.

IR Microsystems
IR Microsystems commercializes low-cost infrared gas sensors and spectrometry sub-systems for safety and process control.

JMC Guitars
Builds handmade and customizable acoustic and electric guitars as well as other lutherie products.

ProTech T Solutions
Offers solutions to secure containers carrying or storing explosive gases and liquids against violent fires and explosions provoked by accidents or other unforeseen events.

Sensimed
Develops a novel, less invasive microtechnology product for use in detection and clinical mangement of Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness.

Vascular Office
Research & development in mini-invasive cardiovascular devices and techniques.

weControl
Miniature flight control systems for unmanned aerial vehicles.

XL Biosim
Provides high-performance yet convenient bio-simulation acceleration solutions for drug discovery and life science laboratories.

Click here for more information on the IMD Start-up Competition.