The Valais-based start-up Notrixx, supported by The Ark incubator and born from HES-SO Valais/Wallis, has won the prestigious Best Early-Stage Start-Up Award at the Innovation Day held on November 17, 2025, in Zurich. This accolade, granted after the InnoSuisse Business Concept training, gives Notrixx remarkable national visibility during its critical launch phase.

A celebration of pioneering spirit

Innovation Day, organized by Start-up Campus Switzerland, wrapped up InnoSuisse’s 2025 Business Concept courses, showcasing several promising new companies. Notrixx stood out for its groundbreaking work in the early-stage category. Anika Hoffmann, postdoctoral researcher at HES-SO Valais/Wallis and founder of Notrixx, described the award as an excellent starting point and emphasized the journey ahead to bring their innovation to market.

From academic research to cutting-edge biotech

Originating from the Life Sciences Institute at HES-SO Valais/Wallis, Notrixx was created by Anika Hoffmann, who completed her PhD under Professor Franka Kalman. The company is developing a next-generation endotoxin detection test designed to identify bacterial contaminants that pose serious risks in pharmaceutical and injectable products.

Unlike standard enzymatic biological tests, Notrixx’s chemical analysis technology offers quicker, more accurate, and animal-free endotoxin detection, addressing costly and time-consuming interference issues in pharmaceutical quality control.