On 21 October 2026, the Foundation for Innovation and Technology (FIT) announced two FIT Impact grants of CHF 10,000 each for two projects from the canton of Vaud that started at the Ecole cantonale d'art de Lausanne (ECAL). Niv'o aims to collect rainwater for mountain huts hit by drought. EC Knit aims to make the berths of existing night trains more comfortable. For these two Vaud startup projects, the money is meant to prove that the idea works, not yet to sell it.
What do FIT Impact grants fund?
FIT Impact is the foundation's strand dedicated to high-impact low-tech projects. According to FIT, it targets start-ups whose project has a positive social, environmental or economic impact. The programme was launched in 2023.
It offers two forms of support, according to FIT's "Loans and grants" page:
- the Impact Grant, the one Niv'o and EC Knit are receiving;
- the Impact Award, presented at the FIT Impact Awards ceremony.
The foundation puts these amounts at between CHF 10,000 and CHF 20,000. It is a grant, not a funding round: no investor takes an equity stake, and no product is being launched at this stage.
Niv'o: a rainwater collector for mountain huts
Niv'o addresses a water shortage that already affects high-altitude huts. According to the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), cited by FIT, one hut in five already experiences shortages. Many depend on springs or reserves whose flow varies with the seasons.
Lower snowfall, droughts and retreating glaciers are making the situation worse, the foundation notes. Yet rainwater remains little used.
Damien Gabriel came up with Niv'o during his Bachelor's in industrial design at ECAL. Water from the roof is collected in a stainless steel tank. A gabion of stones found on site surrounds it, protects it from cold and heat, and avoids major construction work. A gauge permanently displays the level of the reserve, to help hut wardens and visitors manage their consumption.
What Niv'o has to prove: that it can move from the current visual prototype to a first working version. According to FIT, the CHF 10,000 will fund the tank, the materials, the manufacture of parts and real-world trials in several huts.
EC Knit: a knitted mattress for night trains
EC Knit is tackling comfort in sleeper cars already in service. Interviews with the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) brought several problems to light, according to FIT:
- sleep that is still not comfortable enough;
- demanding cleaning and maintenance of the compartments;
- too little space to store belongings;
- the need to upgrade existing cars rather than build new ones.
Founded by Christophe Asençao, EC Knit is developing a foam-free mattress, entirely knitted in three dimensions. The density of the knit varies from zone to zone to support the different parts of the body. Light, washable and replaceable, it is complemented by knitted curtains that create a private space for each traveller.
What EC Knit has to prove: that its knits stand the test of time. The CHF 10,000 grant will fund the development of materials, full-scale prototypes and durability tests. The project will also document its environmental impact, in order to present it to rail operators with a view to a first pilot project.
Two projects, two milestones to reach
| Niv'o | EC Knit | |
|---|---|---|
| Project lead | Damien Gabriel | Christophe Asençao |
| Problem addressed | Water shortage in mountain huts | Comfort and maintenance of night trains |
| FIT Impact grant | CHF 10,000 | CHF 10,000 |
| Use of funds | Tank, materials, parts, trials in several huts | Knits and materials, full-scale prototypes, durability tests |
| Next step | First working version | Presentation to rail operators with a view to a pilot |
How the FIT Foundation supports Vaud start-ups
Founded in 1994, FIT supports the creation of young companies in the canton of Vaud and in French-speaking Switzerland. Its secretariat is run by the Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Lausanne. In 2025, it supported 61 projects for a total of CHF 5.475 million, according to its website.
FIT Impact is the smallest of its three programmes. The amounts given by the foundation show the scale:
| Programme | For whom | Amounts |
|---|---|---|
| FIT Tech | Start-ups based on a technological innovation | CHF 100,000 to 500,000 |
| FIT Digital | Digital projects with an innovative business model | CHF 20,000 to 200,000 |
| FIT Impact | Low-tech projects with social, environmental or economic impact | CHF 10,000 to 20,000 |
On the technology side, 2clics has already covered the FIT Tech Grants. For an overview, see the overview of FIT loans.
On 17 September 2026, the third FIT Impact Awards ceremony took place at Showcase, organised by the Enterprise for Society Center (E4S). LittleCubes won the CHF 20,000 Grand Prize and the CHF 5,000 Audience Award. Gynecare + and Blocsy each received a CHF 10,000 Coup de Cœur Award.
What we don't know yet
- The timeline: FIT gives no date for Niv'o's working version or for EC Knit's prototypes.
- The trial huts: the foundation refers to "several huts" without naming them.
- The rail partners: SBB and ÖBB were consulted, but no pilot project has been announced.
- Price and business model: no source puts a figure on the cost of a Niv'o system or an EC Knit berth.
