Slow developments but positive energy and enthusiasm at Startup Days

This year's annual Startup Days conference attracted more than 1500 visitors, including startups, investors, and support organisations, to learn, network and address current challenges. Over 100 speakers took the stage to deliver workshops, inspiring speeches, and host panel talks. Through talks with various startups and investors, it was evident the current times are tough. Due to the unavailability of sufficient funds, fundraising has become slower, affecting the progression and startup growth. Several entrepreneurs have told us that lead investors in particular, are hard to find at the moment.

Federal Councillor Parmelin's appearance made it clear that little is to be expected from the federal government in terms of venture capital due to the uncertain and strained budget situation. However, the situation could improve if VCs could find more Swiss investors. Therefore, several panels on the topic of "Venture as an asset class" took place at the Startup Days. Obstacles were discussed openly, and the fact that some pension funds were represented can be seen as a success.

Female founders in the centre point
The Collective initiative was also officially launched yesterday. Starting with a female founder breakfast with 100 female founders and investors, the initiators held six sessions with 500 participants. In the panel discussion, Bettina Hein, Patrizia Laeri, Nicole Kleger and Andreas Göldi shared their experiences and advised women to consider different funding sources, such as non-dilutive funding, crowd-investing and family offices, besides VCs. Participants in the workshop highlighted that the current framework conditions make it very hard for women to start and build their companies. As part of its mission to tackle these challenges and ensure a more conducive, diverse startup environment, Melanie Kovacs, Lead of Collective, said to Startupticker that the Collective team would take the discussion to the next stage:

1. To bring the over 40 networks together and create one strong movement that offers orientation and coordination.
2. To foster the rising stars of tomorrow by showing them today's role models and connecting them with the enablers.
3. To push for changes in policies and culture that make it easier to establish a startup and have a family, such as child-care support and tax benefits.

Four winners of the Start-up Pitching Battle
One of the highlights of the event was the startup pitching battle. Out of 200 submitted applications, the selection committee chose 40 startups to pitch to win one of the two spots in their respective verticals: Autonomous systems & industry, Sustainable solutions, ICT and Health Solutions. The winner obtained an honorary prize, while the runner-ups received 10 hours of free consulting from partners.

The winner and the runner-up in each track are:

Autonomous systems & industry

Winner: Hydromea

The company builds a unique ecosystem of autonomous collaborating underwater drones to disrupt the submerged asset inspections in the offshore and onshore industries, reducing the carbon footprint, cost and safety risks associated with the existing technologies.

Runner up – Ascento

Offers Robotics-as-a-Service Security Solution (RaaS), including a two-legged robot that performs outdoor patrols on large private premises and a software solution for real-time insights.

Sustainable solutions

Winner: Apheros
Apheros is developing a new, patented technology to produce metal foams for cooling solutions that are three times more efficient than current cooling solutions. The foams are currently under testing with several academic and industrial partners.

Runner up: Kuori
Upcycles banana peels or nutshells to manufacture sustainable and biodegradable materials such as shoe soles to help prevent microplastics.

ICT

Winner: Viatu
The Swiss travel platform enables anyone to book a connected trip in the sub-Saharan Africa region within minutes, all in one place. The startup focuses on holidays to logistically challenging destinations due to the need for more available information and knowledge of where to go, how to book, and the best way to travel between multiple and unfamiliar locations in-country.

Runner up: Largo.ai
The startup developed an AI tool that forecasts the likelihood of success of films using artificial intelligence (AI) by analysing the scripts or early video versions.

Heath Solutions

Winner: Adiposs
The startup's ImageBAT platform is a first-in-class medical imaging product for brown adipose tissue that will allow for identifying cancer patients who are the most likely to respond to cancer immunotherapy.

Runner up: Oxyprem
Develops, designs, and manufactures sensor solutions for brain oxygen monitoring of newborns to support doctors in decision-making to prevent cognitive impairments, disabilities or death in preterm infants.

You can explore the impressions of the startup days 2023 ranging from a picture gallery and interviews with speakers and participants to highlights on social media on the event website.

Registration is open for the next edition of Startup Days on 30 May 2024.

(Ritah Ayebare Nyakato / Stefan Kyora)