There is an emergence of young companies having a go at some of the most momentous issues of our time, and developing truly groundbreaking technical innovations in the process.

Here are five fascinating technologies that will be on display on our stages this year.

Post-antibiotic era

It has become clear that the way we use antimicrobials, particularly antibiotics, has to change. Traditional antibiotics rely on imprecise, broad attacks on the microbiome. Some bacteria survive, and develop resistance. According to the UN Interagency Coordination Group On Antimicrobial Resistance, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million annual deaths by 2050.

Eligo Biosciences is a French startup that is developing a new generation of antimicrobials. These Eligobiotics can be programmed to target specific bacteria based on their genome. Eligobiotics thus provide a new approach to exploring, understanding and controlling bacterial ecosystems.

The Co-founder and CEO of Eligo Biosciences, Xavier Duportet, will be speaking at Slush 2019.

Flying cars – they have arrived



Science fiction has told of a future full of small flying vehicles for ages. Now fiction is about to become fact.

Lilium is a startup from Munich, working on making urban air mobility a reality. Their full-scale, all-electric, five-seater aircraft underwent its first successful tests in May. It features 36 engines fitted to the wings, which allow for vertical takeoff and landing. When complete, the Lilium Jet will have an operating range of 300 km, and cover that distance in just one hour. Lilium aims to be fully operational in multiple cities by 2025. Eventually, Lilium could revolutionize the radius within which we lead our daily lives.

However, will small flying vehicles be just another addition to our superfluous and unsustainable flying habits? Not quite. By relying on electricity over fossil alternatives, and removing the most consumptive aspect of traditional flight – horizontal takeoff and landing – short-haul flying could be made significantly more ecological.

Their Chief Commercial Officer, Remo Gerber, will share his views on stage at Slush 2019.