RTDT receives ZKB Pioneer Award Technopark 2026

(CONNECT) RTDT Laboratories won the ZKB Pioneer Award Technopark 2026 on May 12 against four other finalists and won the prize money of CHF 100,000. CHF 10,000 each went to GlycoEra and RoBoa. Two further finalists, CCRAFT and Unbound Potential, presented themselves to the 350 guests. The audience award went to CCRAFT.

RTDT Laboratories, a Technopark Zurich-based spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, has developed Aerosense, a sensor system for wind turbine rotor blades. It records dynamic pressure, vibrations and mechanical loads in real operation. With the digital twin created from the data, operating and manufacturing companies can analyze flow behavior, optimize blade designs and further develop control algorithms in a targeted manner.

"The efficiency of wind turbines is a key lever of the energy transition," said jury chairman Lothar Thiele in his laudatory speech, according to a press release. "RTDT impresses with a technologically leading solution that intelligently combines sensor technology, AI-supported analysis and control, thereby significantly improving both the efficiency and service life of the systems. From the visionary basic idea to the sophisticated engineering, the solution is a pioneering technological achievement."

GlycoEra from Wädenswil ZH is also doing pioneering work: the biotech start-up from Wädenswil ZH uses its proprietary protein degraders to specifically remove pathogenic proteins from autoimmune diseases instead of broadly suppressing the immune system.

The combination of scalability, practicality and clearly defined fields of application of the innovative, snake-like robot from RoBoa in Zurich, also an ETH spin-off, particularly impressed the jury. It is suitable for narrow pipe systems and complex infrastructures, for example.

The CSEM spin-off CCRAFT from Neuchâtel won the audience award worth 5,000 Swiss francs. The start-up produces high-performance chips from thin-film lithium niobate. It converts electrical signals into optical signals, allowing data to be transported particularly quickly using fiber optic cables.

Unbound Potential from Thalwil ZH is developing a new type of non-flammable flow battery for storing renewable energy. Instead of a cost-intensive membrane, two immiscible electrolytes are used. Without critical raw materials, it achieves efficiencies of up to 85 percent.

The ZKB Pionierpreis Technopark is awarded annually by Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) and Technopark Zurich and has been one of the most prestigious prizes for deep-tech start-ups in Switzerland for 25 years. ce/mm