Bionter: The Venture Leader Biotech revolutionizing analytical testing to improve healthcare

30.08.2022 10:00, Tracy Woodley

This fall, the Venture Leaders Biotech will represent Swiss innovation in the United States. To select the 10 featured startups, a jury of professional investors and medtech experts reviewed 90 applications. These startups improve diagnostics, treatments, and well-being with innovative solutions that cover artificial intelligence, sensors, smart devices, and robotics. Allow us to introduce you to each of the Venture Leaders Biotech 2022 ahead of the September 2022 roadshow in Boston and Cambridge: Meet Tobias Werk, the CEO of Bionter.

Name: Tobias Werk 
Location: Riehen, BS, Switzerland 
Nationality: German and Swiss 
Graduated from: University of Heidelberg, Ph.D., 2016 
Job title: CEO of Bionter
Number of employees: 3 
Money raised: CHF 3 million 
First touchpoint with Venturelab: 2020, foundation of Bionter 




Explain in one or two short sentences what your startup does and why.
We at Bionter revolutionize analytical testing in the biotech sector by innovating and tailoring technology to the true needs of the pharmaceutical industry. With our solutions biotech companies can develop their drugs faster and assure highest quality. Why are we doing it: Our work allows us to make an important contribution to patient safety and to improve people’s health. 

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
For more than a decade, I have worked  in pharmaceutical development in various positions. R&D was always where my heart was beating faster and I created many ideas for optimizing analytical testing within the drug development process. 

Since I didn’t know anyone who could bring these ideas to the market it was up to me to do it myself. 

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision? 
It is a critical success factor for us to gain a meaningful share in the particle counting market. The Venture Leaders program would give us the opportunity of raising customer awareness on several levels in our core market areas. Thus, we anticipate valuable networking opportunities in the US. Networking is key in a winning sales process and with the support of Venture Leaders program we can thrive faster into the US life science community. 

Who does your product or solution help, and how?
Many injectable drugs contain particles that may be critical for patient safety. For example, particles can occlude blood vessels or induce an immune response that renders the biotech miracle drugs inefficacious. The available particle counters consume the precious drug during the testing. We developed EVE – a particle counter that does not destroy the sample. This opens opportunities for the user: They can drastically reduce the amount of drug needed in routine testing by using the sample for other analytical endpoints. In case they find particles in a sample it is now possible to use the identical sample for particle identification and characterization to find and eliminate the root cause. 

What are you most excited about at work right now?
The first two years of Bioner were dedicated to develop our first commercial product and generate early customer feedback. The feedback of the potential customers that tested our prototype under “real life conditions” was amazing and all of them were heavily interested in buying the product as soon as ready. With our launch end of May we were entering our second stage. These are thrilling times for me because we are now generating awareness of the product and build a fully fledged company with an international commercial organization. This feels like our rocket is taking off. 

How did you build your team?
In my opinion the initial team selection is the most crucial contribution to the success of the startup. Thus I took my time, shared ideas with my board and was looking for people with a purpose in line with our company`s  purpose. At the same time, I made sure that these team members had strengths in areas where I didn't have any, so that we are complementing each other and become a diverse strengths-oriented team. 

Which market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup?
Our first product is a particle counter. The particle counter market which is over half a billion USD and grows with a CAGR of 11% in the next 5 years.  

What are your key achievements to date?
The key achievement for me has been the positive customer feedback on our technology that proves we have innovated a solution to a real problem. I am proud that we managed to develop, prototype and manufacture a high quality product in a very lean way within only 2 years. We received various awards and grands during that short period of time and it seems relevant people in the industry are becoming aware of Bionter and recognize its potential.

What is one thing not many people know about you?
That I originally wanted to study art. Painting and creative work is still very important in my life and also helps to visualize my ideas for Bionter. 

What is your favorite book and why?
Big 5 for LIFE – the book led to intense discussions with my wife on what we want to do in our lives. This triggered the decision to follow my purpose and found Bionter although I had a great job and fulfilling life already.  

What is the most challenging aspect of being a founder?
In the initial phase of a startup resources are very limited. That means that you cannot work exclusively strength-oriented. It was challenging for me to have a full-time job and at the same time being responsible for everything at Bionter - from customer relationship management to developing the prototype - while also remaining a caring father and husband.    

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a founder?
You can build an organization with a true purpose and unique collaborative spirit which is much easier than transforming an organization that has already a culture in place. 

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
To be courageous. For instance, it took a lot of courage for me to found Bionter although, I already had great job. Nevertheless, it is of course fulfilling on a completely different level for me to work the way I do work now and therefore, I am grateful to have taken this decision.  

What is the best advice you have ever received and from whom?
My wife advised me to mark my calendar with a reoccurring meeting to care for myself. Only by caring for one self you can care for your team and family. 

The Venture Leaders Biotech program is co-organized by Venturelab and Swissnex Boston and supported by Debiopharm, EPFL Lausanne, ETH Zurich, EY - Ernst & Young, Swiss Biotech Association, VISCHER, Hansjörg Wyss, and Venture Leaders alum Ulf Grawunder.