Biopôle SA is delighted to announce that Bewe has been awarded the Pre-Clinical Top-Up, marking the next phase of a long-standing relationship between our campus and the University of Fribourg spin-off, which is developing a neuroscience-based digital intervention for unhealthy food cravings.

Indeed, Bewe previously participated in Biopôle’s Investment Readiness Programme and Start-Up Fund, which not only financed R&D and infrastructure but also helped the start-up’s team hone their business plan and investment strategy. Having now secured CHF 2m from a range of investors – including Arcanys Ventures, Capital Risque Fribourg, Kickfund, the Fondation pour l’Innovation et la Technologie (FIT) and Swisspreneur – Bewe is eligible for and has been awarded the Pre-Clinical Top-Up, a convertible loan of CHF 250,000 which is designed to support start-ups facing high clinical validation costs.

Advancing the clinical evidence

Bewe will use the funding to accelerate a series of clinical studies designed to generate evidence for its digital therapy in combination with anti-obesity medication. The company is collaborating with academics at Stanford University and the Centre Pluridisciplinaire Neuchâtelois de l’Obésité, a multi-expert weight management clinic in Neuchâtel, to evaluate how behavioural therapy can improve long-term treatment outcomes and reduce weight regain after medication is discontinued.

‘This feels like a full circle moment: Biopôle has been instrumental in our journey from an early-stage spin-off to a company preparing for clinical validation and international expansion,’ said Frédérik Plourde, CEO of Bewe. ‘This funding will enable us to generate the real-world evidence needed to unlock further partnerships with healthcare providers, payers and the pharmaceutical industry as we prepare for our next stage of growth.’

An exciting road ahead

Over the next year, Bewe will start enrolling patients into its US and Swiss clinical trials alongside launching its AI-powered Digital Twin platform, which is designed to deliver personalised cognitive interventions and enhance treatment effectiveness. Looking further ahead, the company aims to reach 1 million users and expand its clinically validated platform beyond obesity into other addictive behaviours, including alcohol and nicotine, across Switzerland, Europe, the UK and the US.

We are excited to follow Bewe’s continued journey from early-stage support through to clinical and commercial scale-up.