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Claude Florin
Claude Florin is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in launching early-stage technology companies and projects. As a co-founder of 3 start-ups, he has successfully managed corporate alliances and led new business development efforts in technology ventures.
His expertise spans across various sectors, with a specialization in early-stage technology investment. Claude founded A3 Angels, a seed investment and mentoring club that supported over 40 start-ups with 60 members over 5 years. He also established the Swiss Angel Forum and collaborated with 6 business angel networks. Furthermore, he serves as a Venture Partner in Polytech Ventures, a prominent Swiss fund focusing on early-stage technology investments. Additionally, Claude provides advisory services to the European Commission DG Research & Innovation on Horizon2020 access to risk finance.
Claude Florin has been recognized for his contributions to the startup ecosystem, being voted as one of the 300 most influential individuals in Switzerland by Bilan Magazine and as one of the 100 start-up experts by Handelszeitung. He has a strong commitment to supporting innovation, as evidenced by his organization of the Humain Brain Forum Innovation Award since 2005, aimed at assisting start-ups dedicated to addressing neurological disorders.
With a diverse portfolio, Claude serves as an advisor and investor in several cutting-edge start-ups covering a range of industries including MEMS microprojectors, drug delivery devices, genomic testing, Web VoIP, mobile data operations, automotive and robotics vision, wellness coaching, elderly home care, plant genomics, and commodity trading software.
In his professional journey, Claude Florin led the development of numerous new imaging and media product lines applied to the telecoms and medical device sectors. He successfully oversaw the deployment of these innovations at 15 top global telecoms service providers and more than 150 leading healthcare institutions. Additionally, Claude brings valuable open innovation experience, having engaged in ventures with both SMBs and corporate giants in the telecoms (Alcatel, Cisco, HP, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, NEC) and healthcare (Bayer Technidata, General Electric, Philips, Siemens) industries.
As an independent board member and interim manager, Claude Florin excels in infusing enthusiasm and creativity into start-up teams, bridging the gap between commercial and technical aspects. His technical competence spans diverse fields such as nanotechnology, photonics, multimedia, mobile communications, medical imaging, clinical software, and biomedical engineering.
