Ticino’s startup scene

The recent growth of startups originating from the Southern part of Switzerland can be explained by numerous reasons. Still, compared to the German and French speaking regions of our country, Ticino, when talking business, is really a “Sonderfall”. Certainly the numbers and also its inhabitants (the entire Canton of Ticino counts one-third the population of the Zürich area) are not comparable to those of the Northern and Western parts of Switzerland. However, its characteristics and also its closeness to North Italy have certain interesting unique aspects that are worth to explore further.

For decades, the highest ambitions of the Ticino’s youngest generations was to get a job at one of the (yet privatised) Swiss monopolies or at a Bank. The 2008 crisis, the diminished opportunities to work in the traditional sectors and the presence of two well recognised institutions like SUPSI, the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland, and USI, the University of Southern Switzerland, have increasingly led them reconsider their career paths. But also led them think about the idea of starting their own companies, resulting in an interesting growth and rise of numerous projects and startups in the region. Although not specialised in one sector, we’ve spotted several successful startups that operate in MedTech, robotics, precision/micro mechanics and data logistics, born and grown nearby international corporations with a subsidiary, or headquartered, in Ticino such as VF International, Gucci, Lastminute.com, B-Source, Aduno, Duferco, IBSA, Helsinn Healthcare, ACER, RUAG Magazine, Schindler Electronics and many others. Interestingly, Lugano has been for decades the third financial place of Switzerland, but there are no relevant success stories about fintech startups.

Another quite noticeable difference is the fact that in Ticino there are almost no private seed or early-stage funds. However, there are other sources of financing: the StartCup Ticino Award  and its 50K Swiss francs money prize and Agire Invest. In 2011, the government of the Canton with some of the most influent economic associations and institutions, established the Agire Foundation, which focuses to support existing companies (mainly post-seed) and which provides risk capital (through Agire Invest) to help them grow and increase the number of high-skilled jobs in the Canton. Agire focuses to those companies that have reached a growth phase and are in need of substantial support to move forward. Hopefully, the presence of Agire, together with the soon to be approved innovation law, will encourage private investors to also consider Ticino an interesting place where to direct their attention.

Still, the difficulties to rise funds in the Italian speaking Switzerland haven’t stopped the creation of interesting startups in the last decade. The first generation of Ticino’s startups, those founded between 2004 and 2011 and mainly backed by CP Start-Up (which officially is still and will remain the only recognised institution supporting early stage ideas and projects, alongside CTI Startup), is quite well known across the Alps. In a decade CP Start-Up  — a collaboration made by SUPSI and USI and managed by Roberto Poretti — has given support in terms of office spaces and mentor programs to more than 50 startups; 80% of these is still doing business, which is really encouraging.

Among the first generation of startups, Designergy, Enveve, IBI, Newscron, Stagend, SwissLeg, Telormedix and Vissee have been heard quite a few times.

- Designergy has developed an innovative idea for roofing, which consists of a system of elements integrated with photovoltaic. The company was founded in 2011 by Daniel Lepori in 2011 and was able to take all the necessary steps to obtain a CTI Label and several grants and founds (including the 3 phases of Venture Kick). Initially headquartered in Lugano, in 2014 moved to San Vittore, located in the Italian speaking Graubünden to build its facility and R&D department.

- EnvEve has developed a unique Internet of Things framework for outdoor applications, called Internet of Nature, based on robust and reliable devices which enable sophisticate analytics to support decision in agriculture and forests. CTI, AVINA Stiftung & Gebert-Rüf Stiftung have supported EnvEve in its growth.

- IBI established in 2008 in Ticino, is the creator of Smartbone, an innovative bone substitute specifically developed for bone regeneration in oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery. It mimics the human bone, is strong, and resistant to shaping, screws and surgical fixation manoeuvres. IBI, among many others, has been funded by Agire invest.

- Newscron, which started as a research project at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zürich, developed a mobile news aggregator that has been downloaded more than 500’000 times from the Apple’s app store. Recently the team, lead by Peter Hogenkamp, former Head of Digital Marketing at NZZ, has launched Niuws, a curated content aggregator app.

- Stagend, which offered an internet platform that facilitated the interaction among actors of the Swiss independent music business (bands, live clubs, music lovers, labels), has recently pivoted becoming an artists’ full-booking platform. Along the road, the company has received a few awards, honours and support from public and private organisations, including the CTI Startup Label and the Startups.ch Award.

- SwissLeg, founded by Roberto Agosta and Paulo Gonçalves is a CTI Label and a pluri-awarded firm that produces artificial lower limbs (below knee and above knee prostheses), for amputees in the developing world. They are cost-effective and custom made on location at record times. To respond to a global humanitarian need, SwissLeg works towards creating new prosthetic centers in the neediest locations in the world.

- Telormedix is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on targeted immunity in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Within the first year of its foundation (in 2007), Telormedix raised CHF 35 M — one of the biggest A rounds ever done in Switzerland until then — in financing so far from a global consortium of investors to take its lead product, Vesimune (TMX-101), into the clinic for bladder cancer.

- Vissee, first established in 2008 in Lugano and recently moved in the Züri-See region, developed the world’s first passive visual sensor. Placed on a moving object (such as a video-game controller or a car), it allows measuring its speed without emission nor contact. Now they are applying it to the Anti-lock Braking System of motor vehicles, where it allows to reduce both the distance and the time of braking by up to 40%.

The second wave of startups, launched after 2011 and thus on their path to growth, too deserve a mention. Recently we had the opportunity to learn more about 99 Technologies, Beyounic, Clara Safety, Ecker Technologies, FEMTOPrint, LogoGrab, Miamily, Prima Lab and Sailogy.

- 99 Technologies is a company which engineers and manufactures innovative and highly effective disinfection systems with the goal of significantly reducing the incidence and the effects of Health Care Acquired Infections (HCAI). The project has attracted a highly diversified pool of investors, among them Agire Invest, Sator Private Equity Fund and Sagittario SpA.

- Beyounic founded and managed by Nick Balestra, is the creator of Ohanah an event management platform, which, since its launch in 2012, has been used by thousands to create more than a million events. The company is backed and funded by Agire Invest.

- Clara Swiss Tech  developed a revolutionary smart jacket that incorporates ultra bright turn signals and breaking sensors to improve cyclists and pedestrians’ safety through enhancing their visibility in poor light conditions. The freshly founded company, born at SUPSI and then admitted among the 7 Swiss startups to the MassChallenge accelerator program in London, is almost ready to ship its first rich-sensor safety jackets.

- Ecker Technologies is specialised in research and the development of new technologies in the fields of physiotherapy, neurological and osteo-articular rehabilitation. The company won the 2014 edition of the StartCup Ticino competition with its project Gondola, an innovative portable medical device for rehabilitation of patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

- FEMTOPrint offers an innovative way of producing micro devices out of glass or other transparent substrates, integrating optical, fluidic and mechanical features down to the nano-scale in a single substrate. The company has been awarded with several prizes, including the PHOTONICS awards held at the Münich Messe, thanks to its straightforward technology.

- LogoGrab, which recently moved to Ireland to support their international expansion, was started in Lugano in 2012 by its founders Luca Boschin and Alessandro Prest. LogoGrab is a platform built on a patented technology, helping brands engage with consumers and measure their offline activity. Quickly LogoGrab has constituted an international board of executives, including the former EMEA VP of SalesForce.com David Larkin appointed as COO.

- Miamily is a newly founded startup by Alessandro Cereda and Cecilia Tsai. Hipster, Miamily’s innovative baby carrier, has been completely funded through Kickstarter in 2014 and supported by more than 600 backers in less than 30 days. Early this month the team has moved to its new headquarters at the Tecnopolo Ticino in Manno.

- Prima Lab consists of a very simple, effective and certified tool for self testing. The products, currently sold both on European and extra-European countries, have been tested in private institutes, hospitals and universities in order to comply with specific clients requirements (pharmacists, doctors, patients, etc.) and to obtain the necessary medical device certificates.

- Sailogy, headquartered in Chiasso at the Tecnopolo Ticino’s Digital spoke, it offers a global boat rental and yacht charters web site with 200 sailing destinations. The company has more than 20 team members and it has become one of the leading websites worldwide for its unique and certified boat rental offer. Agire Invest and Lastminute.com have invested in Sailogy to help its international growth.

Other startups and potentially ground-breaking projects are coming and will be launched soon. The Ticino’s startup scene is just at its earliest phases, but already contributing to the national’s. Talents, high-skilled profiles and international businesses are slowly and continuously taking home in the “Sommerstube”, not only because of the weather, but — I guess — mainly because they are sensing a juvenile enthusiasm, that has the potential to position the Southern part of Switzerland among the top regions contributing to the worldwide recognised Swiss excellence.

Picture: Fotolia.com