Venture-backed start-ups on the rise

Dear reader

First, the good news: the number of newly founded Swiss start-ups that are able to attract investors has improved significantly in recent years. When it comes to the youngest cohorts, Switzerland is on a par with Israel – and per capita the number is larger than the UK, Sweden and almost all other comparable countries. This is one of the results of the recently published Swiss Startup Radar issue 6.

This time the focus of the magazine is on the ICT industry and artificial intelligence. As always, my co-author Michael Rockinger and I made a data-based comparison of the local start-up scene with other countries. The report contains a series of data-supported statements on the development of AI start-ups and also on the business models of ICT start-ups in various countries. Another key finding is that investments in Swiss ICT and AI start-ups are still particularly small. The magazine can be downloaded in our assets section and a print version can be ordered in your profile on Startupticker.

This week’s news is a reflection of these results. Switzerland now has a large number of excellent start-ups: these include the 10 companies that made it on to the most recent Forbes 30 under 30 list and the 19 start-ups that represented Switzerland at the international conference Slush. The two winners of the Swiss Technology Awards also have a lot of potential, as does RefFIT: the Geneva start-up has secured CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick.

And the young companies have proven to be fully capable of convincing investors. Everyman Health, a health platform for men, raised CHF 1.45 million in a first financing round. Health Yourself, which provides a digital healthcare solution from testing to treatments, has closed its seed funding round. And zevvy has secured CHF 1.2 million: its billing platform supports electricity management in properties with solar and storage applications.

Although there were no major financing rounds from ICT start-ups this week, this is unlikely to be due to a lack of ambition. In addition to life sciences and cleantech companies, several ICT companies took part in the latest edition of the Sparks IPO Academy, signalling their interest in an IPO. And a new platform from the Solar Impulse Foundation, which aims to bring those bearing the foundation’s label together with investors, could help cleantech companies along the way.

Next week you can meet me in Lugano at the Boldbrain Awards ceremony and at the preceding SICTIC Investor Day. I would also like to draw attention to ‘Prêt? Partez, Pitch!’, which Genilem will organise on Wednesday in Lausanne. And finally, the first hint about Startup Days 2024: early bird tickets are available until the end of the year.

Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora 

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch