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Startup Stories: Beyond the Hype – Successes and Failures of AI in Healthcare

Feel the startup groove

16. March 2026 18:00 - 21:00

Startup Stories: Beyond the Hype – Successes and Failures of AI in Healthcare

Artificial Intelligence is transforming healthcare – but not always in the ways headlines promise. Between groundbreaking innovations and costly missteps lies a reality that is rarely discussed openly.

Join us for an inspiring edition of Startup Stories, where founders, innovators, and healthcare experts share honest insights into the real successes and failures of AI in healthcare. In collaboration with Swiss Healthcare Startups and University Hospital Zurich – Health Innovation Hub, this event goes beyond buzzwords to explore what truly works, what doesn’t, and why.

Through authentic startup stories and practical case studies, we will dive into questions such as:

  • Where does AI create real clinical and economic value?
  • Why do promising pilots fail to scale in healthcare environments?
  • What can entrepreneurs, researchers and clinicians learn from setbacks?

Whether you are building an AI-driven health startup, working in clinical innovation, or shaping the future of digital health, this event offers valuable lessons, fresh perspectives, and meaningful connections.

Networking Apéro included

Continue the conversations over a relaxed apéro and connect with fellow entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, researchers, and innovation leaders from the Swiss ecosystem.

Be part of an evening that replaces hype with honesty, and inspiration with experience.

 

More information about the speakers will follow. The event will be held in English.

This Startup Stories event is an Innosuisse Entrepreneurship Training powered by Innosuisse and is organized in collaboration with the  Swiss Healthcare Startups and the USZ Health Innovation Hub.

Speakers

Diana Hardie

Diana Hardie, CEO Swiss Healthcare Startups, digital health startup founder. She is a seasoned healthcare strategist and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience across pharma, corporate and startup landscapes. As a co-founder and executive leader in a successful Swiss digital health startup, Diana has gained deep expertise in navigating the challenges and key drivers of healthcare innovation. Now, as CEO of Swiss Healthcare Startups, she fosters collaboration, mentors emerging ventures, and shapes the healthcare ecosystem to accelerate the adoption of innovation.

Dr. Lukas Jäger

Lukas Jaeger, Dr. Sc. ETH, Innovation Manager, Innovation & Startup Center - Health Innovation Hub, University Hospital Zurich. Lukas' passion for innovation and medicine fuels his professional journey. With profound experience from various domains within life sciences, spanning clinical and academic research, medical affairs in the pharmaceutical industry, and innovation promotion at ETH Zurich, he has explored diverse areas within life sciences. Now, he brings his wealth of knowledge and skills to empower innovators at University Hospital Zurich.

Prof. Dr. Cristina Rossi

Cristina Rossi holds a PhD in biophysics and has worked as a Data Analyst in academia across multiple countries, including Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. In 2019 she went on to co-found b-rayZ, a startup of the University Hospital Zurich, where she serves as the CEO, primarily overseeing fundraising and industry partnerships.

Philippe Ganz

Philippe graduated from ETH in Biomedical Engineering. After gaining first Industry experiences he co-founded aiEndoscopic AG a MedTech spin-off from ETH, USZ, and UZH. aiEndoscopic introduces artificial intelligence to simplify complex tasks in endoscopy. During his five-plus years with the startup, Philippe built a broad, hands-on skill set across incorporation, regulatory affairs, and venture financing. In 2021, he was recognized in Forbes “30 under 30”.

Perrine Lhuillier

A purpose-driven professional, Perrine brings over 15 years of experience in impact-driven organizations, including a decade in senior leadership roles. As a University of Zurich Entrepreneur Fellow, she now channels her passion for human-centric innovation into neurodAIgnostics, a spin-off she co-founded with UZH Prof. Dr. Nicolas Langer. Together, the neurodAIgnostics team is on a mission to enhance the speed and accuracy of cognitive assessments using artificial intelligence.

Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Michael Krauthammer

Professor Michael Krauthammer completed his medical studies in Zurich and earned his doctorate in the United States in the field of biomedical informatics. Since 2004, he has been engaged in research and teaching at Yale University, initially as Assistant Professor and later as Associate Professor. In 2018, he returned to Zurich and assumed the position of Full Professor of Medical Informatics. As an internationally recognized expert, he is dedicated to researching artificial intelligence in medicine. In 2017, he was elected Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics. Additionally, he is co-founder of Oncobit, a HealthTech spin-off of the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich. Oncobit enables AI-powered monitoring for personalised cancer treatment.

Dr. med. Francesco Costa

He is a medical doctor currently training in hand surgery, with clinical and research experience across Switzerland, India, and Japan. After his first exposure to healthcare innovation at MIT, he chose to dedicate his career to this field. Working in clinical settings, he began developing technology to address recurring problems in everyday clinical workflows, with a strong focus on compliance and usability, including microsurgical training models, telemedicine solutions, and AI solutions that can be trusted in clinical environments. He is founder and partner of health-tech and cybersecurity ventures (Novaloop AG, Security Lab Health Tech AG).

Cuno Moser

Cuno Moser is a digital health and healthcare innovation expert with more than a decade of experience working with hospitals, MedTech companies, and healthcare startups. He has held leadership roles as CEO, founder, and consultant in digital health ventures, focusing on data-driven healthcare, medical systems, and the commercialization of digital health solutions. Today, he works as Business Development Principal at Zühlke, where he supports the development and scaling of innovative healthcare technologies and ecosystems.

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