Venture Kick passes the CHF 30 million total in start capital investment

Since its launch in 2007, Venture Kick has supported 700 Swiss startup projects with 30 million francs. The program of financial support, training and network, has led to the creation of 519 companies and 7.000 jobs. In According to Crunchbase, Venture Kick was in 2019 the sixth most active global seed-stage investor, and number one non-US-based. "This underlines the unique potential for deep-science startups that can make their way from Swiss universities to global markets" says Jordi Montserrat, Venture Kick's Co-Managing director. "Global investors recognize Switzerland as a hub of high-potential entrepreneurial talent."

The new milestone of CHF30 million total investment is achieved in the context of the coronavirus crisis which reminds of the financial crisis in 2008 when the Venture Kick program was launched. How did the first Venture Kick supported startups evolve that were born in hard times?

From September 2007 to December 2009, 69 startup projects received the first CHF 3 million support from Venture Kick. Today, 33 are still active companies while 11 have been acquired. This means that two third of the startup projects launched during the financial crisis became a success. These companies attracted CHF 939 million in investments. Examples of successful companies include InSphero, Lemoptix (acquired by Intel), BioVersys, Optotune, Zurich Instruments and KeyLemon (acquired by AMS).

There is no doubt that the coronavirus crisis is will be a major hardship for many Swiss startups. But history also shows that very successful startups were born in times of crisis. “This is now the third major crisis I face as an entrepreneur. And I am worried as well,” says Beat Schillig, Co-Managing Director of Venture Kick, “but I am sure, that not even the Coronavirus crisis will be able to stop our Swiss startups!”

(Press release / SK)

Picture JLievano / Adobe