Four fast growing companies join the Scale Up Vaud community

Launched in 2016 by Innovaud, the Scale Up Vaud initiative and label is designed to support the expansion of high-growth and innovative firms based in the Canton of Vaud, which for many made their debuts as startups. The 4 newcomers generated 70 new jobs altogether in Switzerland since their start (16 in 2017). This brings the total of new jobs created by the 25 scale-up worldwide to 1370, out of which 1031 are based in Switzerland.

The four new Scale Up Vaud companies include:

Founded in 2011 in Yverdon, ecoRobotix develops autonomous weeding robots, which help farmers to produce healthier food with a more efficient and sustainable use of herbicides. After having successfully carried out pilot projects in Switzerland and Europe, and achieved key R&D milestones, the company closed a CHF 10.6 million Series B financing round in May 2018. “For us, Scale Up Vaud is an important label supporting our growth objectives”, explains Aurélien G. Demaurex, CEO and co-founder of ecoRobotix. “We are also looking forward to sharing our experience with other high-growth firms’ founders”.

Objectis, founded in 2011 and based in Yverdon-les-Bains is expert in industrial, object-oriented software development. Object-oriented programming is clearly underused in the industry, even though it represents a remarkable technological advancement. By conceiving high-end applications, The company helps control engineers cope with the ever-growing complexity of their machines. For Christopher Bouzas, founder of Objectis, “Scale Up Vaud is a label of quality, which acknowledges all the efforts made so far to secure and empower our customers in their digital transformation”.

Founded in 2001 with the mission of marketing innovative and promising mobile robotics technologies, BlueBotics is now active in two segments: Industrial automation and service robotics. BlueBotics’ core business is the navigation market, where the company proposes ANT, its innovative navigation solution, for automated guided vehicles. More than 500 ANT driven vehicles are in operation worldwide.

Nanolive has developed microscopes that can be used by scientists to observe living cells in 3D and study the effects of drugs at the cellular level without damage to the cells. Recently the company entered into the data business.

“The Scale Up companies represent all domains of innovation, as well as every region of the Canton of Vaud”, says Patrick Barbey, Director of Innovaud. “They are also champions in bringing new and life-changing products on the market, and are raising millions with leading investors to make their dream a reality”.

About Scale Up Vaud
Created in 2016 by Innovaud, the Scale Up Vaud label aims to recognize innovative companies in phase of high growth that are based in the Canton of Vaud. These firms can count on an adapted support during this specific life cycle in all high tech domains. Scale Up Vaud serves as a catalyst of the canton’s economic and innovative strength. It collaborates with partners such as platinn, Alliance, Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) and the Canton of Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CVCI).

To be a Vaud Scale-Up, a company has to:
• Have job growth of at least 20% per year for two years in a row
• Have at least 10 employees on permanent contracts (Vaud or Swiss)
• Have been registered in the Vaud business register for at least three years
• Operate in a high-tech or innovative field

(Press release / SK)