In the growth phase

Dear reader

The Swiss start-up scene is reminiscent of a young company in the first strong growth phase. Of course there is a lot of work to be done and of course the marketing has to be improved, but basically it is moving at high speed in the right direction. Accordingly, the mood is positive and the players are motivated to work on the tasks at hand. This atmosphere was also apparent at Swiss Startup Days, which took place this week in Bern. The event itself is the best proof of the high dynamics, as could be seen not only in the record numbers with more than 750 visitors and 1,100 one-to-one meetings, but also in the reappearance of Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann. Our article reports on the highlights.

Swiss Startup Days also highlighted the importance of private initiatives in Switzerland alongside the commitment of the Federal Council and government agencies, such as the CTI. This is exactly what you see in our new directory of ‘Grants & Loans’ for start-ups. A good 60 offers are listed in this directory and range from à fonds perdu to special risk loans from banks. About half the entries are linked to startupticker news, giving a unique insight into the lending practices. More detailed information can be found in our German and French articles on the launch.

This directory further expands our range of ‘assets’. Under this heading, you will also find our list of start-up prizes and magazines to download, such as the Swiss Venture Capital Report.

This week, there were two spectacular financing rounds for biotech start-ups. Zurich-based Neurimmune announced an investment of CHF150 million and ADC Therapeutics from Lausanne concluded a financing round of more than CHF200 million. In addition, Tracktics, CorFlow Therapeutics and GuestReady also gained millions in financing.

The fact that start-ups in Switzerland are now developing faster than a few years ago is due not least to programmes such as Kickstart Accelerator. The three-month programme in Zurich is now at its halfway point; we took the opportunity to have a look behind the scenes and ask four start-ups what they have achieved so far and the benefits of the programme.

Next week, three remarkable events will take place in Lausanne. On 31 October, Carrefour des Créateurs will take place, and Swiss Robotics Industry Day and La Forge Demo Day will follow on 2 November.

The deadline of Prix Strategis expires on 31 October and that of the Swiss Fintech Awards on 3 November.

Have a relaxing weekend.
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch