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Now in its second edition, the RiseUp Summit is dedicated to fostering a vibrant, equitable landscape for female entrepreneurs, with a focus on sustainable growth and purpose-driven innovation. More than 50 expert speakers took the stage to share their insights, sparking meaningful discussions and new collaborations to drive the future of entrepreneurship.

"Diversity isn't just a buzzword at RiseUp — it's the foundation of our vision for a better entrepreneurial ecosystem," said the event organizers. "We're committed to empowering female founders and ensuring their voices lead the way in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future."

Celebrating Female Leadership and Diversity

The summit featured 25 engaging sessions that delved into crucial topics such as breaking down barriers for women in business, advancing diversity in leadership roles, and scaling startups sustainably. A highlight of the day was the pitch competition, where female entrepreneurs took center stage, presenting innovative, high-impact businesses that are tackling pressing global challenges.

The keynotes resonated with attendees by focusing on how diversity can drive stronger, more adaptable businesses and how female leaders can champion sustainability while building resilient companies. Participants left with actionable insights, powerful connections, and the confidence to push their ventures forward.

"The RiseUp Summit is a testament to the growing influence of women in entrepreneurship. It’s not just about networking; it’s about forging partnerships that fuel long-term change," said one attendee.

A Movement for the Future

As the RiseUp Summit continues to grow, so does its impact on the startup ecosystem. The event is more than just a gathering — it’s a movement dedicated to building a future where diverse voices and female leaders shape the way forward for sustainable, purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

For more information, visit: riseupsummit.ch

Press Contact:

Vanessa Mohrig & Marcela Durand

Female Founders Initiative Switzerland
Email: info@female-founders.ch

Materials researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH) have developed a layered material that is both rigid and load-bearing and has a high level of vibration and noise damping. Ioanna Tsimouri achieved a feat in her doctoral thesis with Andrei Gusev and Walter Caseri, writes the ETH in a press release. The two characteristics are actually incompatible.

The composite materials developed by Tsimouri are made up of several layers of glass and silicon plates that are connected by rubber-like polymer layers. Tsimouri first worked with Gusev to calculate how thick the polymer layers need to be for the layered material to be both stiff and damping. Computer models showed that the glass and silicon layers, which are only tenths of a millimeter thick, must make up at least 99 percent of the volume of the entire layered material. "If the polymer layer is too thin, there are hardly any damping effects," explains Tsimouri in the press release. "If it is too thick, the material is not stiff enough."

The coating materials have already proven their mechanical properties in frequency- and temperature-dependent experiments. Production on an industrial scale should also be possible: "If a manufacturer has the appropriate machines, they can also produce the laminate in panels measuring several square meters," says Caseri. The researchers have therefore applied for a patent for their technology. In their opinion, the material could find a variety of applications in sectors ranging from construction to mechanical engineering, aerospace and sensor technology. ce/hs

In the USA, the first patient has been treated with the biotechnologically produced dermo-epidermal skin graft denovoSkin developed by CUTISS. The four-year-old boy suffered from complex scars and contractures following the healing of extensive skin burns, CUTISS reported in a press release. According to her, the patient has already survived two transplants with denovoSkin.

The skin graft developed by CUTISS is produced biotechnologically from a small biopsy of the patient's healthy skin. It should therefore make the large-scale removal of the patient's healthy skin for transplants superfluous. In contrast to conventional, cultivated epithelial autografts, denovoSkin consists not only of a top layer of skin, but has a two-layered dermo-epidermal structure.

The operation now being carried out in the USA is more than just a technology application, CUTISS CEO Daniela Marino is quoted as saying in the press release. "At CUTISS, we are committed to advancing treatments that can make a real difference to patients' lives." CUTISS was founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the University of Zurich and is based at the Bio-Technopark Schlieren-Zurich. The denovoSkin manufactured by CUTISS in Switzerland has already been transplanted into more than 60 patients ranging from newborns to adults as part of clinical trials in Europe. ce/hs