The 13 finalists for the ZKB Pioneer Prize Technopark 2026 have been announced. Among them are three startups from the RUNWAY community. On May 12, the finalists will compete for the grand prize of CHF 100,000.
The ZKB Pioneer Award Technopark 2026 has announced 13 finalists. Most of the selected startups come from the Technopark Alliance ecosystem. Among them are three startups from the RUNWAY and Technopark Winterthur community: Chiral, Aseptuva, and Unbound Potential.
Chiral develops manufacturing equipment for semiconductor production that can be used to manufacture electronic transistors based on nanomaterials. This enables the startup to help semiconductor manufacturers produce next-generation chips reliably and on an industrial scale.
The startup Aseptuva relies on Far-UVC technology to reduce hospital infections. The solution is designed to prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAI), relieve the burden on healthcare workers, and counteract the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – with the aim of improving care and saving lives.
Unbound Potential is developing a novel membrane-free redox flow battery technology. Current RFB systems cannot compete with Li-ion technology due to their high initial costs, system complexity, and limited efficiency. Unbound Potential’s innovative technology aims to make this possible.
The startups CCRAFT, FimmCyte, GlycoEra AG, KLARK – der Klimabeton, NovaMea, RoBoa, RTDT Laboratories, Scrimber CSC AG CSC, SolidWatts, and Winduction AG have also been nominated. On May 12, 2026, five of the 13 finalists will compete for the grand prize of CHF 100,000.
(Image: Technopark Zurich/Boris Adolf)
