What if we didn't treat people only when they were sick, but fed them in such a way that they stayed healthy? “Nutrition as a Service” (NaaS) is more than a technological concept. It is an attempt to incorporate nutrition into the infrastructures of the future – not as a cost factor or lifestyle choice, but as a systemically relevant prerequisite for health, resilience, and planetary sustainability. In the discourse on the Planetary Health Diet, the emphasis has often been on the what: plant-based, less meat, local cycles. But the how is at least as important. How do we organize access to healthy food? How do we personalize recommendations without creating new inequalities? And how do we scale quality in a system that has so far been optimized for quantity? This is where NaaS comes in—as a bridge between individual health knowledge and automated implementation. Since the personal chef with strong preventive skills remains a utopia, new business areas for individualized communal catering are opening up at the interface between wearables and other health data. Or, in the private sphere, through the use of Culinary Processing Units as multifunctional kitchen assistants with linked nutritional optimization based on health data provided via a secure cloud. NaaS combines personal health data such as genetics, microbiome, and metabolism with digital intelligence. Platforms analyze this information, calculate personalized nutritional profiles, and forward them to automated kitchens. Robots use this information to prepare individually tailored dishes – precisely, scalably, and with consistent quality. Real-time feedback, for example via sensors in wearables, allows this nutrition to be continuously adjusted. What is good for people is no longer a theoretical assumption, but is implemented in concrete terms. This is one way to overcome the mind-behavior gap. The result is a nutrition system that adapts rather than standardizes, that accompanies rather than prescribes – and that understands health as a dynamic process that must be maintained continuously rather than selectively. NaaS is thus a quiet paradigm shift: away from standardized nutrition for average people – toward individualized health care that begins with food. At the same time, NaaS opens up systemic potential: if nutrition has a preventive effect, it relieves the burden on health and social systems in the long term. If automated processes reduce food waste, the ecological balance is improved at the same time. And if personalized recommendations lead to greater self-efficacy and more enjoyment, a new culture of eating emerges – one that combines responsibility, mindfulness, and joy. The Planetary Health Diet reflects a globally applicable target range for healthy and sustainable nutrition. It is understood as a balance between ecological resilience and human health. However, in order to achieve this balance in practice, systems are needed that reduce complexity, support decision-making, and make it suitable for everyday use. This is where NaaS offers an operational complement: it translates the normative idea of the Planetary Health Diet into concrete, individual proposals for action. It creates a dynamic fit between global orientation knowledge and local, personal implementation. In this way, the Planetary Health Diet can not only exist as a model, but also become effective as an infrastructural practice – scalable, connectable, and adaptive. But what exactly does NaaS communicate? If we look at the term through a systemic lens, it becomes clear that it is not just a technical service, but a new form of self-description of the food system. This system observes itself – and in doing so develops new structures of expectation. It irritates itself. Because NaaS stands on the threshold between functionally differentiated systems: health, economy, science, politics, environment, and technology. Each of these systems operates with its own code—healthy/sick, pay/don't pay, true/false, legal/illegal, preserving/destroying, functional/dysfunctional—and NaaS attempts to temporarily link these codes without abolishing them. This linkage creates tensions. While the healthcare system aims for long-term stability, the economic system depends on short-term willingness to pay. The technological infrastructure promises efficiency, but must legitimize itself in relation to political and ethical standards. Nutrition thus becomes a medium of communication for risks, responsibility, and creative possibilities – but not in a neutral sense, rather always within a specific system that observes its environment. The fact that nutrition is now data-based, personalized, and automated does not change the operational coherence of the systems involved – but it does shift their mutual irritations. Nutrition thus becomes a risk concept: those who eat “wrong” cause costs. Those who eat “right” are acting responsibly. This morality is not an objective truth, but the result of communication – with corresponding consequences for participation, access, and self-interpretation. Nutrition as a Service could therefore be read as an attempt to stabilize communication about nutrition by offering technical infrastructures that operationalize individual decisions as system expectations. The central distinction shifts: no longer healthy/unhealthy, but appropriate/inappropriate for the profile. The body becomes a source of data, nutrition an adaptive response to algorithmically generated difference patterns. This raises the question of whether humans become too much of an object of technical control in such a system. When nutrition is no longer experienced but calculated, there is a danger that individual autonomy will be replaced by algorithmic accuracy. What begins as empowerment through personalization can turn into a subtle form of control – especially when decisions are no longer comprehensible but only appear logical within the system. In addition, the underlying data is highly sensitive. Those who process it gain deep insight into lifestyle, health, needs – and potentially weaknesses. The question of data sovereignty and digital ethics thus becomes a key issue for such an infrastructure. Trust is not created solely through functionality, but through transparency, participation in design, and legally enshrined limitations on access and evaluation. This form of nutrition generates new self-descriptions: humans are no longer thought of as eating bodies, but as controllable variables in the context of digital supply systems. Whether NaaS makes people more independent or creates new dependencies is not determined by the technology itself, but by how we talk about it, use it, and regulate it. A systems theory approach invites us not to make hasty normative judgments. NaaS is neither the solution nor the problem. It is a form of communication that shows how the food system reassures itself – under conditions of functional differentiation, technological dynamics, and ecological limitations. To be truly healthy, it is not enough to be fed. That is the level of feed: calorie provision, energy security, pure supply. But health only arises at the level of food – where food unfolds diversity, taste, textures, and culinary culture. Only nourishment closes the circle: a diet that not only satisfies hunger but also nourishes – physiologically, emotionally, microbially, socially, and sensorially. Enjoyment is not a luxury, but the evolutionary biological translation of “this is good for me.” Enjoyment connects the molecular level (nutrition) – including numerous bioactive substances beyond calories – with the experiential level of eating. While feed merely provides calories, nutrition establishes the functionality of physiological systems. Food as medicine describes its preventive or healing effects, but nourishment goes further: It encompasses the complex, holistic concept of nourishment that intertwines taste, identity, well-being, and regeneration. Perhaps this is precisely where the opportunity lies: thinking of NaaS not as a technological utopia, but as an infrastructural evolution. Not as a substitute for cooking, but as a new form of enabling. Not as a sacrifice, but as an opening. A future in which canteens become places of vitality, in which schools not only teach nutrition, but bring it to life. In which cities, alongside energy and transport networks, understand nutrition as infrastructure – FoodArchitecture. Because perhaps the healing of our system does not begin with medicine, but with a spoon – and the right system behind it. Gisela Hühn and Tilo Hühn

When José Amado-Blanco gets up in the morning, he says to himself “come on, let's go change the world!” And the 35-year-old has already done just that in one area. Together with Tobias Gunzenhauser and Luca Michas, the food technologist founded the startup Yamo seven years ago. They started with the production of healthy baby food back in 2018, and have since added fruit purées, bars and drinks for older children to their range. What began with playful research among friends is now a startup with 30 employees that not only sells its products in Switzerland, but also in many other European countries including Spain, Germany, the UK and Belgium. This idea was born in 2016 and stemmed from the desire of the two co-founders Gunzenhauser and Michas to live vegan for a month. To help them avoid animal ingredients during this time, they studied the ingredient lists of various foods. What they read on the packaging of products like muesli, ravioli and spreads shocked them: they couldn't quite believe how many unhealthy additives the products contained! They contemplated which food would likely be the most natural? Their conclusion: baby food! But their assumption was wide of the mark: they also found dubious ingredients in the nutritional information of the food made for our little ones. They resolved to do things better. To get their startup off the ground, the business administrator Gunzenhauser and the marketing manager Michas still needed somebody who knew something about food technology. José Amado-Blanco came to join the team through a personal contact. He had just completed his Master in Life Sciences in Food and Beverage Innovation at the School of Life Sciences and Facility Management. Together, the three young entrepreneurs founded Yamo. In the early days, José Amado-Blanco was responsible for product development. “I kept nagging my former ZHAW lecturers until they provided me with a laboratory space and measuring equipment,” he recalls with a smile. Amado-Blanco purchased carrots, potatoes and apples and fiddled with recipes. The goal was to create an organic baby food that tastes great and is 100% natural – without any added sugar, added salts or concentrates. “I kept nagging my former ZHAW lecturers until they provided me with a laboratory space and measuring equipment.” José Amado-Blanco, ZHAW graduate The food technologist gave the result of his cooking skills to around 50 mothers for testing. He and his comrades-in-arms not only wanted to know from them what they thought about the new baby food, but also how they felt about the food they provided for their little ones in general. The young entrepreneurs realised that most mothers cooked the baby food themselves. Those who gave their children purchased baby food did so with a tinge of guilt. “It was here that we identified a gap in the market,” explains José Amado-Blanco: “Offering healthier baby food that parents can give to their children with a clear conscience.” The sticking point was how to preserve the baby food. Conventional sterilisation processes that use heat not only kill microorganisms, but also destroy vitamins and change the product’s flavour and colour. Amado-Blanco found the solution in high-pressure pasteurisation. When this physical process is utilised, it is only undesired microorganisms and enzymes that are deactivated by the pressure, while the remaining quality characteristics of the food remain unchanged. However, high-pressure pasteurisation is expensive and is therefore used only in rare cases, such as for the preservation of guacamole, seafood and meat for the catering industry. In the case of baby food, the Yamo founders thought that parents may be prepared to pay a little more for good quality. “I’m a strategist who knows something about the product and also ensures that things are going well financially.” José Amado-Blanco, startup co-founder And they were right: when they launched their baby foods on the market in 2018, the sales curve quickly turned up sharply. The founders soon developed further products. These are produced according to Yamo's recipes by partners abroad: the baby food in the Netherlands, the fruit purées in Spain, the bars in France and the Tetra Paks in Germany. The products are now often also sold in large supermarket chains; in Switzerland, for example, at Coop and Alnatura. However, Yamo generates the largest share of its turnover via online shipping. It was not only the startup that underwent rapid change, but also the task performed by Amado-Blanco, who transitioned from his role as tinkerer to a management post. This was even more to his liking. He enjoys dealing with the big picture and with innovations that are as complex as possible. “I’m a strategist who knows something about the product and also ensures that things are going well financially,” he says. Amado-Blanco shares that it is this combination of science and business that interests him and that this is what he learned during his training. He transitioned to the field of food technology after dropping out of his biology studies. As natural sciences alone were too restrictive for him and too far removed from practice, he completed a Bachelor in Food Science and Management at the Bern University of Applied Sciences before subsequently doing his Master’s degree at the ZHAW in Wädenswil. He travelled to Honduras for his Master’s thesis, where he attempted to find out why a third of the cocoa harvested there went mouldy. Amado-Blanco travelled through half of Central America in order to learn about the experiences of other cocoa producers. He found that the Honduran sun is not strong enough to dry the cocoa. The solution: mechanical drying systems. Finally, the student helped local engineers in designing and building this equipment. During his studies, José Amado-Blanco realised that he is a founder in nature. “I was inspired by two lecturers at the ZHAW in Wädenswil,” he says. “They had both founded startups themselves and we had very interesting conversations about this.” If you want to establish a startup, you need one quality above all others, states Amado-Blanco: “You have to feel comfortable when faced with uncertainty. You never know what the next day will bring.” “If your work is fulfilling, then you also need less compensation in return.” José Amado-Blanco Many would think that a startup might be a scene of bedlam. However, Amado-Blanco hits back at this assumption: “That isn’t the case. But if a company does grow quickly, you can’t keep up when it comes to adapting its structures.” He states that a structure that has been developed for three people will not work for six. And no sooner have you adapted it to cater for six employees than you’ve already got a workforce of ten. What's more, a change, such as a new competitor on the market, may lead to a major crisis, he continues. “And then the employees and investors look to the founders to respond. This is something you have to be able to live with.” On top of this, there is the burden on your time. José Amado-Blanco worked an average of 70 hours per week for seven years, sometimes even clocking up 80 hours. During this time, he took only five weeks of holiday – in total. But for him, this was the right this to do: “I am not a fan of the term work-life balance. I don’t make a distinction between work and leisure, but rather try to combine the two in a meaningful way.” Amado-Blanco shares that his goal is always to work in such a way that he would continue in precisely the same manner even if he was no longer dependent on being paid. “If your work is fulfilling, then you also need less compensation in return,” he emphasises. And yet Amado-Blanco has just taken some time off: he recently returned from a three-month trip to Asia. Before setting off, he left the operational side of Yamo’s business. However, he still remains a partner. “It’s time for a change,” he says. He does not yet know where his next professional adventure will take him. He is applying for advertised roles, but in an ideal world he would like to launch a startup again. “I am working on three ideas,” he reveals. While he is happy to share that two of them are in the food sector, José Amado-Blanco doesn't want to say any more just yet. The only thing that is certain is that in future he would like to look after his one-year-old niece regularly. Seraina Sattler

It is 10 a.m. and there is a buzz of activity on the grounds of the military airfield in Dübendorf. Where fighter jets once roared into the sky, several student working groups are now tinkering with their projects. The site is evolving into an innovation hub that will one day be the largest in Europe. And right in the middle of all of this is the Academic Space Initiative Switzerland, or ARIS for short. In the ARIS workspace, what can be referred to as organised chaos prevails: cabinets, shelves with all manners of tools, a large table with laptops, a model of a rocket engine, a pallet of energy drinks, a couch and three rockets positioned nonchalantly in the background. One of them is the “Nicollier” sounding rocket. Sounding rockets are unmanned rockets that take physical measurements in the atmosphere during flight. Thanks to an integrated recovery system, they can be reused. In 2024, ARIS successfully launched NICOLLIER to an altitude of 1,000 metres several times and landed it safely just a few metres from the target site. The altitude record stands at over 10 kilometres. Founded in 2017 by ETH students, around 200 students from five different Swiss universities are now involved in ARIS: the ETH, the ZHAW, the University of Zurich, the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. They independently implement ambitious space-related projects that range from sounding rockets and robotic systems to satellites. These projects are made possible by sponsors who contribute financially or provide components. The initiative can now count on support from approximately 80 partner companies. So, is Switzerland a spacefaring nation? “Not in the traditional sense,” explains Jakob Schreiber. The 25-year-old is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Engineering in Aviation and is also a research associate at the Centre for Aviation at the ZHAW School of Engineering. “However, Swiss companies do play a key role in the supply chain by developing high-precision technology. For example, they develop applications for navigation, communication and Earth observation.” In last year's “Nicollier” project, Schreiber and six other students were responsible for electronics and software development. In the current “Hermes” rocket project, he is one of the system engineers as well as operating as the project’s technical lead and flight director. In other words, he is the person who gives the green light to launch the rockets. With “Hermes”, ARIS is aiming to be the first student team in Europe to develop a sounding rocket powered by an ethanol-oxygen propulsion system. The goal is to propel the rocket around nine kilometres into the sky at a speed of approximately 1,400 km/h. Alongside Schreiber, six other ZHAW students are currently involved in ARIS. One of them is Victor Elliesen, who is studying international management at the School of Management and Law. The 22-year-old has several roles at ARIS: he is Vice President, Head of Industrial Relations and Project Manager. In his “Nautilus” project, the team is developing an unmanned underwater vehicle that collects scientific data. Elliesen explains: “Existing systems can only remain underwater for a few weeks at a time. Our goal is for “Nautilus” to operate at depths of 300 metres for up to three months.” The team is being supported by Eawag, the ETH Domain’s Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology. The long-term objective is to use “Nautilus” to explore Saturn's icy moons. The propellerless glider is, however, also suitable for use on Earth, for example for polar research. Simulated polar tests in Norway are planned for 2026. Listening to the students talk, the question naturally arises as to where they got their expertise for such highly complex work from – after all, this is literally rocket science. “Much of it is learning by doing,” says Schreiber. “My aviation studies gave me a solid understanding of technology, physics and methodological approaches, and taught me how to acquire knowledge independently. However, not all of the participants have a technical background, neither has Elliesen. “As in any company, a variety of skills are also needed at ARIS,” he says. Interdisciplinary sub-teams that provide the necessary expertise are defined for each project. ETH students typically come from suitable technical degree programmes, while those from the ZHAW often have work experience, which is very welcome. Elliesen explains: “You also need people who understand the big picture. I would not be able to programme a control system, but I can talk to potential sponsors. Today, I even discuss alloys and production processes with them based on knowledge that I have acquired myself. The work at ARIS is voluntary. For Elliesen and Schreiber, however, the experience is priceless: “What motivates me the most is developing highly complex systems independently,” says Schreiber. “The level of responsibility we take on is enormous – we work with 300-bar pressure and liquid oxygen, for example. Here, you learn as much within one year as you might at best learn during five years at a company.” Elliesen adds: “If you are interested and want to take on responsibility, there is no better place to be. Some teams have 50 members, and the Board oversees 200 people. This requires skills that you won’t learn in any classroom.” For a student organisation, the size of the budget is also nothing to be sneezed at: in 2024, ARIS received more than CHF 850,000 in the form of financial and in-kind contributions. Networking with like-minded people is another major benefit. “The motivation within the team is enormous. And today, every major aerospace company employs former ARIS members. Rabea Rogge, who became the first German woman in space in 2024, is also an ARIS alumna,” reports Elliesen. “Many alumni stay in contact with the association and provide us with advice and hands-on support.” The fact that ARIS is perceived as a serious player in the space sector is evident from two recent high-profile invitations: Elliesen and three of his colleagues contributed their expertise to the National Council during the consultation procedure for the planned Swiss Space Law, while Swissnex invited ARIS to represent Switzerland’s space industry at the World Expo in Osaka. There, they also visited the Swiss Consulate, where they exchanged ideas and experiences with Osaka Metropolitan University. “Realising that we can truly make an impact was hugely motivating,” says Elliesen. Schreiber also shares that he really enjoys the feeling of getting something off the ground together with a team: “The fascination is like a pull that is almost impossible to escape. I admit that I have discussed technical details at 2 a.m. in a bar.” Over the longer term, both see themselves in their own start-ups. “The way in which we work at ARIS is my ideal vision: innovative projects, fast processes and a motivated team,” Schreiber enthuses. The association has also set itself the goal of launching several spin-offs over the next few years. Elliesen: “The time is ripe, Europe needs to become more autonomous when it comes to space travel. The expertise is certainly there – and motivated students can reach out to us at any time.” Sara Blaser

In recent years, a thriving ecosystem for drones and robotics has developed in the greater Zurich region. Universities are driving technological progress through research, creating spin-offs and providing local tech firms with skilled professionals. However, there is a problem: “Many systems perform excellently under laboratory conditions, but we are still a long way from deploying autonomous drones operationally in airspace,” explains Michel Guillaume , Head of the Centre for Aviation (ZAV) of the School of Engineering . Drones are already in use in many sectors today, be this for surveying, in agriculture or by emergency services. With physical AI, however, a new generation of artificial intelligence is now emerging: systems that perceive their environment, make decisions and act in the real world. These systems confront us with new challenges, as important questions remain unanswered: How can it be ensured that they behave reliably and in an explainable manner in all situations? How can this be tested safely and in a reproducible manner? How can AI-based systems be validated in real-world use and how can they be certified? “In aviation, safety comes first. It takes ten to fifteen years before a new commercial aircraft type is approved and enters into service for an airline,” notes Martin Jajcay from the ZAV. “Autonomous systems such as drones offer promising areas of application, for example in disaster relief operations or logistics in remote locations. For such uses, however, the operational concepts, and in some cases also social acceptance, are still lacking.” «We need efficient processes in order to enable us to test systems more quickly under real-life conditions and to bring them to market.» Michel Guillaume, Head of the Centre for Aviation of the School of Engineering One challenge, for instance, is air traffic management, which becomes many times more complex when unmanned autonomous flying objects operate alongside conventional aircraft. “We simply still know too little about how systems based on probabilistic calculations behave when faced with extreme situations,” says Hella Bolck , a lecturer at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) of the School of Engineering. “The systems need to be optimised in such a way that they function in all weather conditions and alongside other airspace users.” A key prerequisite for this is testing, testing, testing. The ZAV and CAI, together with the University of Zurich and the Zurich University of the Arts , have launched the LINA (Shared Large-scale Infrastructure for the Development and Safe Testing of Autonomous Systems) project. The aim is to build a versatile research and testing infrastructure for autonomous systems and physical AI, especially at the interface between aviation and AI. The initiative is being supported by the Digitalization Initiative of the Zurich Higher Education Institutions (DIZH). Industry partners such as Skyguide and Matternet are also contributing their expertise. The first site is already at an advanced stage: At the Hegmatten glider airfield in Winterthur, autonomous systems at any stage of maturity can be tested on an area spanning 700 by 30 metres. For Guillaume, the test site represents a long-overdue opportunity for academic groups in Switzerland conducting research in this field as well as for manufacturers of autonomous systems. “It is crucial to bring together all the expertise required for the development, testing and authorisation of these systems in Europe. Without nearby testing infrastructure, there is also a risk that companies will relocate, for example to the US or Canada.” The further advancement of these systems not only involves technological questions, but also regulatory considerations. The test site should therefore also be understood as a scientific instrument that systematically generates the specialist knowledge required to shape new regulations. “We need the expertise of specialists in AI and aviation to take all aspects of integrating AI into account,” says Guillaume. “Thanks to its broad interdisciplinary set-up, the ZHAW is ideally suited to this task.” «Testing beyond visual line of sight is essential for autonomous drones. For this, we require larger testing areas.» Hella Bolck, lecturer at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence of the School of Engineering The aim of the project is not to develop its own drones. Instead, LINA is positioning itself as a national point of contact for testing and for all questions relating to the development of physical AI and robotic systems. For a system to become operational, many elements are required: in addition to a sound design, functioning AI components and flight testing, this also includes, for example, noise testing, environmental testing and integration with other systems in both air and ground operations. “We need efficient processes that are accepted by the authorities in order to enable us to test systems more quickly under real-life conditions and also to bring them to market,” explains Guillaume in summarising the purpose of LINA. In order to become a competence centre for all matters relating to autonomous systems, the project leads work closely with manufacturers, other universities and authorities, and also engage in PR work. Guillaume stresses that the importance of social acceptance should not be underestimated. Even the best technology is of no use if the drones are so loud that they lead to noise complaints. In addition, the team maintains an international network. As a testing centre in the heart of Europe it offers a great deal of potential to attract researchers and manufacturers from other countries. The test site at Winterthur Hegmatten is therefore only the beginning for the project team. For tests beyond visual line of sight, it is in any case only suitable for drones weighing less than 25 kilograms, says Bolck. “Testing beyond visual line of sight is, however, essential for autonomous drones. For example, they have to be able to land safely if the connection is lost or the GPS signal fails. For this, we require larger testing areas.” Together with the University of Zurich and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology ( Empa ), the ZHAW is planning a nationwide network of test sites covering at least 10 square kilometres. The application has already been submitted, and there is no doubt that the demand is there – enquiries from parties interested in testing have been received on an almost daily basis. Guillaume is convinced: “LINA is making a decisive contribution to the next stage of development in AI: systems that not only process data, but act robustly and reliably in the real world. This is applied research at its best, which is precisely our strength.” Sara Blaser

In doctors’ practices, pharmacies and hospitals, where particularly stringent hygiene and safety requirements apply, large amounts of waste are generated. Items such as expired medications, disposable syringes and medical instruments from operating theatres are discarded. Until now, they have rarely been sorted systematically or recycled – even though they include valuable materials as well as substances with known medical risks. Why is this the case? And how can the pharmaceutical industry be encouraged to become more sustainable? These are the kinds of questions explored by Master’s students at the International Management Institute in international interdisciplinary research and development projects. In doing so, they not only advance their knowledge in their own specialist field, but they also acquire broader skills for their future professional lives. “The business world has become more complex,” says Albena Björck , who established and leads the collaborations. She explains that there is now hardly any business activity in Switzerland that does not have an international dimension, meaning that managers are required to understand and navigate multiple stakeholders in differently regulated environments. They are also increasingly collaborating in hybrid teams of specialists from a range of disciplines and countries. “We prepare our students for these real-world challenges,” emphasises Björck, a ZHAW lecturer. However, traditional teaching and learning formats, conventional exchange programmes and intercultural training no longer suffice. To develop key competencies such as tolerance for ambiguity or agile thinking, different approaches are needed. Students must be confronted with open tasks, volatile conditions and less structured forms of teaching. “They should learn something new and be enabled to initiate change,” says Björck, referring to the ZHAW’s strategic goal of preparing students to act in an international, entrepreneurial and transformative way. «The ideas, concepts and machines the student teams develop are impressive.» Albena Björck, lecturer and researcher at the International Management Institute To meet this aim, Björck, a former manager herself, has in recent years increasingly focused on international, interdisciplinary collaborations. The starting point is always formed by real-world issues, and globally active companies are involved as both clients and sponsors. Together with the pharmaceutical sector as well as Stanford University (US) and Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) , Albena Björck has developed and established a particularly close form of cooperation. Over several months, students from the fields of business, economics, engineering, entrepreneurship and design come together to work on current challenges. Each global classroom involves eight to twelve participants. They collaborate online and also spend time working together at least at one of the locations. When visiting each other, they gain an insight into the business areas of the corporate partners. They also exchange ideas with other experts, coaches and alumni. The collaborations do not follow a rigid concept or fixed procedures, stresses Björck: “This requires openness, flexibility and a willingness to shape the process from everyone involved.” To date, the study format has focused on medical and pharmaceutical waste. In the first round, Master’s students from Switzerland and the US investigated what is needed to ensure that expired medications are returned more frequently. They assessed existing barriers, conducted market analyses and outlined possible take-back systems. They also developed innovative distribution and packaging models designed to generate less waste and built a prototype. The pharmaceutical industry has recognised that it has to become more circular, says Björck, who states that the sector has considerable potential to conserve resources and reduce waste, emissions and costs. However, a circular economy requires progress to be made across international borders and disciplines, says Björck, which is why she believes that this topic is particularly well suited to such collaborations. In another round, student teams worked on innovations for sustainability in operating theatres. Medical surgical instruments are often incinerated, largely due to time pressure, limited space and the prioritisation of patient safety. As part of a collaboration that also involved Chalmers University of Technology, a data-driven, contact-free sorting system was developed, along with service- and technology-based business models. All projects to date have been financed exclusively by pharmaceutical companies and interdisciplinary consortia such as Be Circular. “The ideas, concepts and machines the student teams develop are impressive,” says Albena Björck. They produce tangible, market-ready results that can be further developed and implemented in practice. Working with fellow students from renowned universities is highly motivating for the participants. “They want to show what they are capable of – and achieve a high level.” The Master’s students gain specialist knowledge from other professional fields. Those at the ZHAW, for example, learn how machines are designed and built. Design and engineering students, in turn, learn about project management and how to bring products to market. “Everyone is called upon to handle risks and to take initiative,” says Björck, allowing them to gain confidence and advance their leadership qualities. “This makes them attractive to employers.” The business partners not only benefit from analyses and concrete developments, but they also gain an external perspective on the issues that concern them. “They are explicitly interested in the views of the younger generation,” says Björck. She herself likewise finds the exchange enriching. “It has also advanced my own teaching and research.” For the collaboration to succeed, however, everyone involved has to be prepared to go the extra mile. They need to manage different time zones, curricula, holidays and examination periods. They are also confronted with different mentalities and mindsets, all of which makes coordination and communication a challenge. Working practices, motivations and expectations vary. “In our part of the world, there is a tendency to structure everything too quickly and too rigidly,” says Albena Björck. To solve complex problems, however, it is worthwhile keeping innovation processes open for longer, she adds. Particularly during phases of uncertainty, individuals may clash – “as in real business life.” To maintain motivation, the project leaders regularly plan highlights, including excursions and activities that foster personal exchange. Today’s challenges can only be addressed in an interdisciplinary way, she concludes, something that also applies to making the disposal of medications or surgical instruments more sustainable. As Björck says, the new study format provides the necessary skills: “Especially in today’s age of AI, business practice depends on professionals who can build bridges.” Eveline Rutz

Is it possible that humanity can be fed in the future without placing an excessive strain on the environment and if so, how? Would a completely vegan world without animal husbandry be feasible? These questions have been on Patricia Krayer’s mind for quite some time. And it was for this reason that the graduate who holds a MSc in Applied Computational Life Sciences decided to take the bull by the horns and try to answer them herself with her Master’s thesis. The 35-year-old investigated how a farming industry with a reduced number of livestock or even no animals at all would affect food security. She also wanted to know how the environmental impact of the agricultural sector would change as a result. To put it more simply: Would farming without animals place less strain on the environment and would it still be possible to feed the whole of humanity? “We cannot exist without food, yet at the same time food production is placing a strain on our environment, another basis of our existence,” says Krayer. It is this conflict that interests her, as it affects our everyday life. “Feeding the world’s entire population without animals and without expanding agricultural land would only be possible with conventional agricultural methods.” Patricia Krayer, graduate of the MSc in Applied Computational Life Sciences In order to place less strain on the environment, animal production could be reduced, as this causes greater environmental damage than the production of plant-based products. Yet the Master’s graduate sees a further conflict here: In the current agricultural system, crop and livestock production are highly intertwined, with this being especially true in organic farming. “The production of animal-based foods in most cases has a higher environmental impact than the production of plant-based foods. At the same time, however, animal fertilisers are an important factor in organic farming,” says Krayer. She found almost no studies that had tackled this issue and used her Master's thesis to address it in depth by means of modelling. Using an existing model of the global food system (SOLm V6), Krayer got down to work at the School of Life Sciences and Facility Management in Wädenswil to analyse how a fully vegan world in 2050 would impact both nutrition and the environment. The Master’s graduate further developed the model by applying digital and data-based methods and examined six vegan farming scenarios with different model assumptions. These included three organic-vegan and three conventional-vegan production systems. For each of the six scenarios, the model tracked the nutrient flows through the entire food system, from input to output. For example, it was investigated how much water, fertiliser and energy would be needed, which emissions would be produced and what amount of nutrients would ultimately be contained in the produced food. In performing her work, she also investigated whether organic farming would be compatible with vegan farming. The result surprised Krayer: “If you wanted to feed the entire global population without expanding the amount of agricultural land being used, it would be possible to do so without animals, but only with conventional agricultural methods.” In contrast to the conventional-vegan scenarios, the organic-vegan scenarios produced inadequate amounts of calories, proteins and fats. As such, organic farming would only be compatible to a certain extent with a completely vegan farming sector. “Organic farming is in fact dependent on animal production to a very high degree.” Patricia Krayer, ZHAW Master’s graduate “Organic farming is in fact dependent on animal production to a very high degree,” says Krayer, as animal fertilisers are an essential source of nutrients under this system. Apart from the smaller yield, which is usually the case in organic farming, the Master’s graduate sees a further reason why organic farming fares worse than conventional farming. “In the case of organic farming, there always has to be sufficient ‘unproductive’ grassland for nitrogen fixation.” Farmers need the so-called artificial meadows in order to maintain soil quality, to take preventive action against weeds and to fix nitrogen, which is essential as a fertiliser. In a vegan world, however, these artificial meadows cannot be used directly for food production, as the grass growth cannot be used for fodder. “We also investigated to what extent organic and vegan farming are compatible,” says Krayer. We found that humanity could be fed with an 80-percent vegan world in combination with an approximately 25-percent organic world. However, the results also show that a fully vegan world would not necessarily be more environmentally friendly. “In a vegan scenario which comprises a high proportion of vegetables, water consumption, for example, was much higher than in all other scenarios,” explains Krayer. “While this scenario is a far cry from today’s production patterns, we need to be aware that such effects can also arise.” She is convinced that the concrete implementation of such systems will play a major role and that the ideal agricultural system does not have to be either fully organic or fully vegan. Instead, it will be based on an intelligent combination of both approaches. The new findings generated by the Master’s thesis not only led to an adaptation of the SOLm model, but also several invitations to renowned events. For example, Krayer was given the opportunity to present her results to the Swiss Association of Agronomists and Food Scientists (SVIAL). Krayer now works as an associate consultant at Trivadis, a company belonging to Accenture, and will complete her trainee year at the end of September. Krayer has been able to gather a great deal of new experience at the IT service provider, which supports companies in making intelligent use of data and new technologies. “From a professional perspective, I have been able to learn a lot about data engineering, data warehousing and data analytics. Or, in other words, about how to deal with, manage and transform data and generate new insights from it.” She says that this is very exciting work, not least because it also provides her with the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of various companies. And what will happen with the findings from her Master’s thesis? “My supervisors and I are aiming to publish a paper so that the results can reach an even greater audience across the scientific world.” Cindy Schneeberger

In Winterthur, two small electric vehicles that are powered by cells from former e-bike batteries take care of road maintenance. The batteries come from Libattion , a recently started company in Glattbrugg. Using a patented process, the start-up is able to diagnose which cells of a lithium battery are still performing well and which are weakening. As a rule, around 60 percent of them continue to function properly. With these, the company produces new batteries that are given a second life in small electric vehicles, such as cleaning machines, wheelchairs, scooters and even municipal vehicles. These cells would otherwise be recycled. Although the lifespan of these second-life batteries is shorter than that of new ones, a study now suggests that they have a much better environmental footprint. Over the entire product cycle, the ZHAW researchers found that their environmental impact was between 70 percent and 80 percent lower. They carefully examined 18 parameters, ranging from the extraction of raw materials and particulate emissions to water and energy consumption and the impact on health. The upcycled batteries proved to be more environmentally friendly across the board, with the study suggesting that the consumption of fossil energies should be 80 percent lower and water consumption should even cut by as much as 95 percent. “Reuse makes sense, as the infrastructure for battery recycling in Europe is not yet well developed. The new technology gives us time for this development.” Grégoire Meylan, ZHAW The main reason for this striking difference is that lithium cells are chiefly produced in China, explains project leader Grégoire Meylan from the Center for International Industrial Solutions at the School of Management and Law. “This requires an incredible amount of ‘dirty’ energy.” However, the environmental scientist is still cautious in making his statements, because the results first have to be verified in a peer review. Nevertheless, Meylan says that reuse makes sense, as the infrastructure for battery recycling in Europe is not yet well developed. “The new technology gives us time for this development.” As it stands, around 12,000 e-bike batteries currently reach the end of their life every year. This figure is set to increase significantly in future with the current e-bike boom. And second-life batteries also have to be disposed of at some point, as Meylan explains. “A third life is rather unrealistic.” The project , which was completed in May, was supported by Innosuisse , the Swiss Innovation Agency, and conducted in cooperation with the Bern University of Applied Sciences , which was responsible for the technical optimisations. The Office for Waste, Water, Energy and Air of the Canton of Zurich (AWEL) also provided support and made a financial contribution. The ZHAW researchers were also tasked with assessing the potential of various business models. This is because instead of exclusively selling the batteries, Libattion also wants to offer a rental or pay-per-use solution. In the case of the latter variant, customers only pay for the battery when it is in use, while also benefiting from services at the same time. For this purpose, the battery is fitted with a chip that provides data on its functional status via Wi-Fi. On an online platform, the start-up Libattion can see, for example, how much electricity is needed to charge the battery, how far the electric vehicle can travel with it, how quickly the battery drains even when idle and how much it heats up. “With the pay-per-use solution, customers only pay for the battery when it is in use.” Stefan Bahamonde, CEO of Libattion “This allows us to monitor the ‘health’ of our products on the market,” says CEO Stefan Bahamonde. There are also said to be plans to offer better warranty services. “In doing so, we want to increase our customers’ confidence in our products.” The ZHAW study included municipalities with a particular affinity towards the issue of energy saving, as well as manufacturers, importers and maintenance firms for electric vehicles. The study revealed that all of the participants are convinced of the potential offered by second-life batteries, with the latter group, in particular, being interested in the innovative services. Libattion, with its approximately 20 employees, is currently unrivalled in Switzerland when it comes to the upcycling of e-bike batteries. It receives the spent batteries from Batrec Industrie, a company based in the Bernese municipality of Wimmis that specialises in the further processing of batteries, activated carbon and mercury. The recycling of non-reusable cells is financed through the advance recycling fee. “Our experiences have been thoroughly positive. The considerable CO₂ savings and the favourable price also speak in favour of the product.” Peter Hirsiger, Head of the Road Inspectorate of the City of Winterthur A further Libattion project involves the upcycling of lithium batteries from cars. These are found, for example, in larger batteries that are used for storing surplus solar power. This allows the owners of a photovoltaic system to also use their own electricity after sunset. For this project, Libattion is working together with Librec, a company based in Biberist in the canton of Solothurn which has specialised in the recovery of raw materials in car batteries. The two electric vehicles in Winterthur, which transport equipment for road maintenance, remain in operation even after the conclusion of the project and cover around 80 kilometres every day. “Should it one day become necessary to purchase new batteries, the second-life models would certainly make the short-list of potential options,” says Peter Hirsiger, Head of the Road Inspectorate. “Our experiences have been thoroughly positive. The considerable CO₂ savings and the favourable price also speak in favour of the product.” Andrea Söldi

Car tyres suffer abrasion over time, the gears on a bicycle are subject to wear and tear and wooden facades become weathered due to the rain and sun. Just like any other material, the human body is also permanently exposed to chemical and physical stress. This stress adds up as we get older – and the body ages. "We are made of matter and this is subject to the ravages of time,” says Michael Raghunath , Head of the Centre for Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering . How this ageing process can be stopped constitutes a huge field of research. “Life expectancy has increased considerably thanks to modern medicine. It’s now a matter of increasing our health span too so as to ensure that we remain as healthy and fit as possible throughout the last few years of our life.” Ageing processes in the body take place at the level of the cells. Just as oxygen causes metals to rust, cells are also damaged by oxidative processes. And the UV radiation that makes plastics brittle also attacks our skin cells. Contrary to dead matter, however, our bodies are capable of replacing damaged cells. Cells in our skin, intestines and lungs renew themselves regularly by division. This process cannot be repeated at will, however, since the number of cell divisions is limited. Slight mishaps can also occur each time a cell divides, with part of the genetic information being lost or mutating, for example. These errors add up over time. One consequence of this is that cells can multiply uncontrollably, causing cancer to develop. “If the body is not supplied with essential amino acids, the liver helps itself to muscle protein.” Michael Raghunath, The cells in other organs hardly divide at all. If one of these cells suffers damage, the so-called stem cells go into action. Stem cells can divide several times over and are able to develop into different types of cell. They thus jump in and fill the gap. They also get tired as they age, however, and their number declines. Different approaches to stopping cell ageing are being researched – selectively switching off damaged and aged cells, stimulating cell division again or reducing chemical stress. One example is antioxidants, which bind free radicals and thus prevent them from attacking cells. Something that has less to do with cell renewal is the loss of mobility in our bodies over time. This is due more to progressive cross-linking. Different types of sugar circulate in the blood in order to supply our organs with energy. They also make their way into the connective tissue, where they cause the collagen in tendons, ligaments, skin, capsules and blood vessels to stick together. If our bodies become stiffer, we move less and our muscles degenerate. The loss of muscle mass is a typical sign of ageing, but it is not associated solely with how much we exercise. The food we eat is also important, Raghunath explains: "If the body is not supplied with essential amino acids, the liver helps itself to muscle protein to provide them.” And muscle cells are ultimately subject to the ageing process too. “We used a 3D printer to print satellite cells from muscles between two posts. Within about two weeks they had developed into whole muscle fibres.” Markus Rimann, Muscles play a central role in ensuring an independent life into old age - they are important for a healthy basal metabolic rate and weight control, as well as for maintaining balance and preventing falls. Muscle activity is also important for bone stability and density. Studying the ageing process of muscles and finding substances to slow their degradation is therefore one of the many areas of research being pursued by the anti-ageing industry. Working together with a pharmaceutical company, ZHAW’s Section of 3D Tissues and Biofabrication has developed a model of a skeletal muscle. “A muscle has so-called satellite cells”, explains researcher Markus Rimann . “These are a kind of stem cell that develops into muscle cells when needed and then fuses to form the long muscle fibres. The muscle can then regenerate if it gets injured, for example.” Rimann’s group has used a 3D printer to print satellite cells of this type between two posts. Within about two weeks, the satellite cells had developed into whole muscle fibres and joined onto the posts in the same way as the muscles in the body attach to the bones. “If we stimulate this muscle with electric current, it contracts and bends the posts,” Rimann explains. The stronger the current, the greater the degree of bending flection and hence the greater the strength. If a substance is added to the muscle model, it is possible to measure whether this increases or reduces the degree of bending. "Various substances, such as caffeine, are known to have a positive effect on muscle strength,” says Rimann. “We have tested the model with these substances and shown that it reacts like a natural muscle." In future, muscle models such as these could be made from cells of people of different ages or with muscular diseases as a means of studying muscle function and the different effects of substances. Currently, there is no remedy in sight for stopping muscle loss in old age. This does not, however, mean that we are powerless, as Michael Raghunath explains: "Exercise and selective muscle training are extremely important for staying fit into old age." A balanced diet is decisive too. The physician also has some advice to offer in this respect. "Because people’s sense of taste diminishes with age, food seems less tasty and people lose their appetite. My recipe for countering this is to simply season dishes a little more so that eating is still enjoyable. – And food tastes best in company!" Irene Bättig

Where does the greatest potential for stopping climate change lie? This was the question running through the mind of Patrik Deuss when he was looking for a topic for his Bachelor’s thesis. Heating systems? The mobility sector? Lighting fittings? “I noticed that the lights in the corridors In the ZHAW buildings were always on,” says the energy and environmental engineer. “The caretaker explained to me that lighting control systems are a complex matter.” Conventional systems have a single motion detector in each room and can only illuminate the space surrounding them either completely or not at all. “There must be a more needs-oriented way of doing things,” thought Deuss. And in that moment he had found the topic for his Bachelor's thesis. The ZHAW student began to develop a prototype of an intelligent luminaire. His idea was to move from a centralised to a decentralised system: Each luminaire should have its own “brain.” The sensor in the LED tube not only detects movements, but also the temperature, humidity and incident light from natural sources such as windows. All of the hardware, which is otherwise distributed around the room, is integrated within each individual luminaire – the sensor, the illuminant and the cable. “Together, the luminaires work like a swarm,” explains Deuss. “Exactly as much light is produced as is needed at any one time.” Deuss states that this can save 90 percent of the power used for lighting. Patrik Deuss quickly realised that his idea was attracting attention from potential customers. As he was reaching his limits in terms of the software’s development, he called in Florian Gärtner, an electrical engineer and friend from his time as a competitive downhill racer. The two of them founded the startup LEDCity and benefited from the ZHAW Startup Challenge. For six months, they were able to make use of office space free of charge, were offered support by a coach and received training on topics such as patent applications, business plans and searching for investors. The young founders started to have their luminaires mass-produced in Asia. “Most of the electronic components on the LED market are produced in China,” explains Patrick Deuss. “Our material eventually arrives in Switzerland via train.” “By 2030, we want to convert 12 million luminaires and thus save an amount of electricity equivalent to that produced by a nuclear power plant.” In 2017, Deuss and Gärtner sold their first luminaire and the company has been growing ever since. LEDCity currently has 42 employees and new branches have recently been opened in Germany and Spain. The startup specialises in commercial buildings and has a customer portfolio that includes Zurich Airport, the ZHAW and the Dolder Grand. Due to the tense situation on the energy market at the moment, the level of interest in smart luminaires has risen sharply once more, says Deuss. In commercial buildings, lighting is responsible for up to 30 percent of electricity costs. Patrik Deuss and Florian Gärtner have big goals: By 2030, they want to covert 12 million luminaires and thus save an amount of electricity equivalent to that produced by a nuclear power plant. While this might sound unrealistic at first, Deuss backs up this objective with maths: In 2022 alone, LEDCity will convert 55,000 luminaires. To date, Deuss explains, the startup’s production has grown on average by more than 100 percent each year – and the target would be achieved with annual growth of just 77 percent up to the end of the decade. “It is always easier and more cost-effective to save power than it is to produce it sustainably.” LEDCity's vision goes even further: By 2040, the aim is for efficient LED lighting systems to reduce global power consumption in the lighting sector by 80 percent. “Of course, we can't do it alone,” says Deuss. “However, we are kick-starting the market.” For example, the developers are working on a small sensor that incorporates all the technology found in the LEDCity tubes, meaning that other manufacturers will be able to integrate this sensor in their own luminaires. Patrik Deuss anticipates that a great deal will happen in the energy sector over the next few years. “It is always easier and more cost-efficient to save power than it is to produce it sustainably,” emphasises the startup founder. At 30 years of age, Patrik Deuss is CEO of a fast-growing SME. Is the great responsibility he bears a burden? “I find my work to be very meaningful,” he answers. Deuss explains that he is part of a very good team who support each another. The founder adds that they are constantly on the lookout for new employees and attach great importance to finding the right people. What’s more, he believes that his experience as an elite sportsman prepared him well for this task. “In both sport and business, you have to break goals down into milestones. You need discipline, training and staying power,” says Deuss. “I think that as a top athlete you have a different perception of pain.” Seraina Sattler