Creative financing

Dear reader

When starting out, many founders assume that their company growth will be financed with the help of VCs. But although the number of VCs has increased in recent years, more and more non-traditional investors are also becoming involved. This week demonstrated that trend clearly: none of our four news items about funding involved a classic VC.

Private investors play an important role. The German entrepreneur family Weber has invested in Swiss biogas technology company Renergon. The family, which supplies the automotive industry, is investing in alternative energies and fuels in order to shape the future of sustainable energy and mobility.

Sustainable mobility is also the focus of Librec. The start-up is developing a lithium-ion battery recycling technology for the e-mobility market and has now raised CHF 2.6 million. In addition, the company and its development project are supported by Innosuisse with CHF 1 million and the Federal Office for the Environment with CHF 400,000.

Global German company DEKRA has joined fintech start-up Spearhead as a minority shareholder. Four companies have received convertible loans or grants totalling CHF 300,000 francs from the Fongit Innovation Fund. The new centre for digitalisation and innovation  (ZID) in the Bern suburb of Deisswil is also investing in the centre’s start-ups –  find out what else makes the ZID special in our article on the opening.

At the same time, an increasing number of traditional companies and organisations are ready to support start-ups in product development and testing. For example, the Swiss Armed Forces will increasingly use the reusable shipping packaging from Kickbag, after a trial led to good results. Holcim has accompanied the product development of start-up Voliro since 2019. The first official test flights have now been successfully carried out at Holcim’s Siggenthal plant and open the door to use of the drone at other Holcim production facilities.

It’s still the summer break, but some deadlines will expire shortly: registration for the next swissnex San Francisco boot camp is open until 15 August. Start-ups that want to exhibit at the Swiss Pavilion of the upcoming CES in Las Vegas must apply by 20 August, and the application deadline for the Swiss Technology Award also ends on 20 August. The next deadline for biotech start-ups that want to be funded by the Baselaunch programme is 29 August.

Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora 

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch