The winners of the Swiss Excellence Product Award 2026 have been announced: MoleSense was honoured in the Startup category on 17 September at Technopark Winterthur, while KEMARO AG secured the award in the SME category. A total of seven finalists presented their innovations at this year’s award ceremony, showcasing the broad spectrum of technological innovation in Switzerland.
The decision has been made: at the Swiss Excellence Product Award 2026, held on 17 September at Technopark Winterthur, MoleSense and KEMARO AG were named the winners. MoleSense, based in Epalinges in the canton of Vaud, impressed the jury in the Startup category with a non-invasive wearable designed to measure molecular biomarkers through the skin. In the SME category, KEMARO AG from Eschlikon in the canton of Thurgau prevailed with its autonomous high-performance sweeping robots for industrial environments. The two winners emerged from a field of seven Swiss finalists.
MoleSense wins in the Startup category
The Swiss Excellence Product Award 2026 in the Startup category goes to MoleSense. The company develops a non-invasive wearable for measuring molecular biomarkers through the skin.
Its first application focuses on hormone monitoring in reproductive health. An intelligent patch is designed to continuously measure hormone levels, complement blood tests and help optimise and personalise treatment timing. The platform combines biosensor technology, microfluidics and digital data analysis.
In her laudatory speech, Prof. Dr Petra Moog highlighted the high level of technological innovation and the combination of scientific excellence with a concrete medical application. She also emphasised the international scaling potential of the young company from Western Switzerland.
Also nominated in the Startup category were optohive AG, RELiYOO AG from Technopark Winterthur and SensorX Solutions AG.
KEMARO wins in the SME category
In the SME category, the award went to KEMARO AG. The company develops autonomous high-performance sweeping robots for demanding industrial environments, with a particular focus on large production and logistics facilities.
The K900 Gen II combines LiDAR and 3D sensor technology with intelligent algorithms, allowing it to autonomously clean even complex industrial areas. Patented self-cleaning technologies and a compact design increase both autonomy and the range of possible applications.
What began as a Swiss product idea has since developed into an internationally deployed robotics solution. KEMARO now employs around 60 people. According to the company, approximately 1,300 KEMARO robots are already in use in 40 countries.
The laudatory speech was delivered by Dr Clemens Jakobi, President of the Swiss Excellence Foundation. He highlighted the company’s entrepreneurial journey from product development to international scaling and its successful positioning in a specialised market.
The other finalists in the SME category were Fixpod GmbH and Timber Structures 3.0 AG.
Seven finalists showcase the diversity of Swiss innovation
The seven finalists once again demonstrated just how broad the spectrum of technological innovation in Switzerland is. The solutions presented ranged from connection technology for timber and modular construction to autonomous robotics and innovative timber floor systems, as well as medical technology, brain monitoring and greenhouse gas detection.
All finalists were given the opportunity during the award ceremony to present their products and the stories behind their companies. Moderator Regula Elsener guided the audience through the evening and, alongside the technologies themselves, highlighted the entrepreneurial experiences and personal journeys behind the innovations.
The Swiss Excellence Product Award recognises market-ready products from Swiss SMEs and startups. The evaluation focuses in particular on the degree of innovation and uniqueness of the solution, its value creation potential, the quality of the business model and marketing concept, and the strength of the team.
Exchange on growth and successful innovation
Even before the official award ceremony, the focus was on personal exchange. From 4.00 pm, the World Café, organised in collaboration with genisuisse, gave finalists, guests, jury members and members of the Board of Trustees the opportunity to exchange experiences and perspectives in small discussion groups.
The subsequent panel discussion also addressed key questions surrounding innovation and company growth. Representatives from KEMARO and RELiYOO joined jury president Stefan Philippi to discuss the conditions companies need in order to successfully develop and scale new technologies. Topics included well-functioning and actively practised processes, as well as access to capital to support further growth and international market expansion.
The evening concluded with an apéro riche, providing further opportunities for personal exchange between finalists, guests and representatives from business, science and the innovation ecosystem.
With MoleSense and KEMARO, two companies have been recognised in 2026 that demonstrate in very different ways how technological development can be combined with practical applications and successful entrepreneurial implementation.
