Recognizing startups with award prizes empowers them to further innovate in their respective domains. Juries in various global programs were impressed by the solutions from Swiss startups, awarding them with prizes and a ticket into accelerator programs. 

NovaMea, a cleantech startup developing and commercializing electrochemical systems for energy storage and conversion, has raised $3.2 Million led by U.S. investor Lightspeed Venture Partners, one of Silicon Valley's most prominent venture capital firms. The funds will be used to advance its R&D efforts, accelerate low-cost, green hydrogen production and scale operations.  

Swiss start-ups aspiring to a strategic partnership with Johnson & Johnson have now a single point of contact in Switzerland. The life sciences giant has opened its first J&J Innovation Hub on the European mainland at the main campus of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area in Allschwil.

Pionnier de la Sales Tech suisse, la start-up Hublead, basée à Aubonne, remporte le soutien financier des CHF 80’000 d’Innovaud à travers son programme SyNNergy. Ce soutien permettra le développement d’une solution pour la prospection de clients potentiels tout en respectant les normes de protection des données. Le déploiement est prévu au troisième trimestre 2024.

Mindmetrix is an ETH spin-off focusing on the development of its flagship product, Myflow, a data-driven solution for sports professionals. The capital increase will support further pilot projects as it prepares for the rollout at the end of this year.

Startupticker.ch can provide free high-quality content thanks to our supporters. Find out more about our principal Innosuisse and key partners Gebert Rüf Stiftung, UBS and Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation.

The Arcondis Foundation has announced that it will be awarding a CHF 50,000 grant to an innovative life sciences start-up dedicated to creating positive social impact. The application phase is open until 15 May.

The ETH Spin-off developed a cement-free chemical mixture that turns excavation waste into eco-friendly building materials, thus promoting sustainable construction practices. The startup has secured an undisclosed amount in its pre-series A round with Samih Sawiris, well-known in Switzerland for his tourism project in Andermatt, and buildify.earth to accelerate its growth plans.   

The FONGIT Innovation Fund (FIF) continues to bolster the growth of new technologies in Geneva, with its latest grants awarded to Azure Cell Therapies, FireFly Fusion, and Antion Biosciences for their innovative projects that are poised to impact not only Geneva’s economic growth but also global advancements.

Circular Food Solutions schafft es mit seiner innovativen Upcycling-Technologie für vegane Fleischalternativen national in den Detailhandel. Für das Grundrezept verwenden die Aargauer Biertreber der Winterthurer Brauerei Chopfab. Für die Fertigstellung und Verpackung ist die Migros zuständig. Auch die Fenaco setzt für seine Vegan-Linie seit Anfang Jahr auf die Grundmasse von Circular Food Solutions.

Nach vierjähriger Bauzeit ist neben dem Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) in Villigen (AG) ein moderner Innovationspark mit 23'000 m2 Reinräumen, Labors, Präzisionswerkstätten, Büros und Meetingräumen entstanden. Neben Forschungs- und Businessinfrastruktur bietet der Park ideale Bedingungen für den Austausch von Forschung, bestandenen Unternehmen aus dem In- und Ausland und Startups.

Following the completion of their business combination, Kinarus Therapeutics Holding AG and its wholly owned subsidiary Curatis Group AG have started a new strategic journey. Kinarus has rebranded itself to Curatis Holding AG. Curatis has become a publicly traded company under the name Curatis Group, based in Liestal, Basel. As of today, CURN.SW shares are trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

NextGen CDR, one of the world’s largest diversified long-term portfolio for certified carbon removals, has entered a multi-year offtake agreement with Neustark, a Swiss company specializing in the durable storage of CO2 in mineral waste streams such as demolished concrete. The company will purchase CDRs from mineralized CO2 in demolished concrete from 18 projects across Switzerland, Germany and other European countries.

Backbone has acquired German company IMOGENT in a strategic move to strengthen its leadership in the DACH region proptech sector. The Geneva-based startup aims to become the European leader in marketing automation for real estate by 2026.

Der Gossauer Onlinehändler für ergonomische Premium-Büromöbel ofinto gewinnt stetig mehr und grössere B2B-Kunden für sich – insbesondere in Deutschland zieht das Geschäft an. Im vergangenen Jahr expandierte das Startup in drei weitere Länder und konnte seinen Umsatz mehr als verdoppeln. Jetzt legt ofinto den Fokus auf das Wachstum in den bestehenden Märkten.

Startups such as Openversum, Ethon AI or InkVivo among others were built by students and researchers during their studies within the cross-university program Talent Kick. As the current TK-S24 batch progresses into the next phase to build their startups, the program is expanding its capacity to support two batches each year. Registration for the next edition, TK-A24, starting in Autumn 2024 is open until May 5th. 

Startups from across Switzerland competed in various award competitions worldwide, scoring high positions. On top of the international recognition, the startups will benefit from new high-level networks and company support. 

Vaud-based SteriLux, a start-up specialized in innovative sterilization systems, is experiencing rapid sales growth. Buoyed by the dynamism of the veterinary market, the company headed by Marc Spaltenstein is winning over new customers in the medical technology sector, such as Nutromics, its first customer in Australia.

The Federal Council approved the annual report of the Swiss Innovation Agency – Innosuisse on 24 April and concluded that the agency is on track to achieve the objectives set for the 2021–2024 dispatch period. Around 600 start-ups were participating in the Innosuisse Start-up Coaching programme at the end of 2023.

Die in der Schweiz ansässige alternative Kreditplattform Teylor übernimmt die deutsche KMU-Finanzierungsplattform creditshelf. Diese Übernahme ermöglicht es Teylor, seine Vertriebskapazitäten erheblich auszubauen und die Produktpalette im Direct-Lending-Marktsegment zu erweitern. 

Utilizing artificial intelligence, Risklick’s Protocol AI accelerates clinical trial development, reduces costs, and enhances safety standards. Several established companies among them Debiopharm recognize the transformative capability of the solution.

Vermarktungs-Strategie umgestellt, neuer Verwaltungsrat und Finanzierung gesichert für einen soliden Marktaufbau: Das Zuger Startup FreezyBoy startet nach dem Konkurs nochmals neu mit dem Vertrieb seines gekühlten Komposteimers. Das Kapital kommt dabei vom Zuger Unternehmer und Politiker Daniel Brunner sowie weiteren Investoren.

As part of the Innosuisse Internationalisation Camps, Swissnex in San Francisco offers industry-specific two-week startup bootcamps. Five startups developing solutions to foster sustainability in the chemicals, food and construction industries have been selected for the ClimateTech Bootcamp.

xFarm, a Lugano-based startup at the forefront of digitalizing agriculture supporting 340,000 farms daily, has propelled its European expansion with the acquisition and integration of Spain and France-based companies Greenfield Technologies and SpaceSense. These acquisitions transform xfarm into a pan-European leader in the AgTech industry.

The Foundation for Technological Innovation (FIT) announces two new loans to Voltiris and IsoSpec Analytics. Voltiris, pioneering the development of innovative photovoltaic solutions for greenhouses, benefits from a Tech Growth loan of CHF 500’000, while IsoSpec Analytics, specializing in advanced biomolecular analysis, receives a Tech Seed loan of CHF 100’000.

Das Startup NewGreenTec entwickelt und vertreibt modulare Kleinkraftwerke für KMU, Immobilienbesitzer und Landwirtschaftsbetriebe. Die Kombination aus Windturbinen und Solarmodulen ist seit knapp zwei Jahren auf dem Markt – nun ziehen die Verkaufszahlen stark an: Das Cleantech-Startup hat in den letzten Monaten über 150 Offerten ausgearbeitet und im ersten Quaral 2024 schon 20 Anlagen ausgeliefert.

R&D expenses and the number of employees at privately held biotech companies - mostly start-ups - have reached new record levels. Investments have also recovered. However, the market is divided into successful high flyers and biotechs that are struggling. This gap is even wider for public companies, as the Swiss Biotech Report 2024 shows.

With the closing of its first fund, Swiss venture capital firm 14Peaks Capital with a portfolio of 11 startups, has secured new resources to inject in early stage software startups in fintech and future of work. The round was supported by a consortium of limited partners, consisting of influential High Net Worth Individuals and family offices spanning Europe and the United States. 

Millions of women worldwide experience pain during an Intrauterine Contraceptive Device insertion with traditional cervical tenaculum used in gynecological procedures. Aspivix’ Carevix device is a gentler alternative. The startup has joined forces with healthcare giant Bayer to further expand the reach of its certified medical device across Switzerland. 

Lancée actuellement à Genève, Stoody, la carte de réduction digitale pour étudiants et étudiantes peut compter sur près de 50 commerces et entreprises partenaires couvrant des domaines de première importance et offrant des avantages significatifs aux titulaires, le tout pour CHF 29.- par année. Un déploiement sur l’ensemble de la Suisse romande est prévu d’ici la fin de l’année.

Aunetic, a leading governance software specialist and a portfolio company of Main Capital, acquired LARI Digital, a software provider offering a cloud-based legal and regulatory intelligence platform based in Zurich. The acquisition, which is part of Main Capital's buy and build strategy, is intended to expand the product portfolio and improve the company's position in the DACH region.

Through its solutions, Aisot Technologies Ltd helps professional investors optimize returns, mitigate risks, and boost operational efficiency. The recently launched AI Insights Platform has attracted institutional investors from Switzerland, the E.U., and the U.S and generated positive returns in just six months. The startup remains on a rapid growth trajectory, anticipating an 800% increase in revenue for 2024.

Das Startup dropz verzeichnet in den letzten Monaten eine starke Entwicklung am Markt sowie eine stetig wachsende Zahl an Kundinnen und Kunden - auch im B2B-Segment. Zudem hat sich Angel Investor Daniel Gutenberg bei einem Second Closing der letzten Finanzierungsrunde an dropz beteiligt.

Ten startups have stood out from a pool of 60 applications that were submitted for the Swiss Fintech Awards for the categories“Early Stage Start-up of the Year” and “Growth Stage Start-up of the Year”. A winner for each category will be crowned during the award ceremony on 11 June.

Project Tandem has entered the Wyss Zurich Translational Center, joining MYNERVA and Tethys which were accepted in the past six months. With CHF 120+ million already injected in all projects since 2015, the Center will provide the new entrants with funding, access to infrastructure and expert support to fuel their project development.

The current tough conditions for start-ups also have a flip side: people are talking more openly about difficulties. Our Press Review provides four highly interesting and instructive examples.

Taucherli-Chef Kay Keusen verkauft sein Unternehmen an die Princess Grant Holding AG in Zug. Keusen hatte seine Premium Swiss Chocolate GmbH 2015 gegründet. Bekannt ist das Unternehmen heute nicht mehr nur für seine Trinkschokolade, sondern auch für Bean-to-Bar-Tafelschokoladen.

Four ICT startups have been awarded the Innosuisse Certificate in Q1 2024 in recognition of their readiness for sustainable growth. The startups offer business software to empower organizations to generate data-driven insights, automate contracts, build resilient artificial intelligence models, and acquire accurate geospatial data using augmented reality glasses.

Das Zürcher Startup Kyan Health hat kürzlich die Deutsche Börse sowie weitere grosse globale Unternehmen als Kunden gewonnen. Mit einer umfassenden Plattform-Lösung können globale Firmen ihren Mitarbeitenden lokal Zugang zu personalisierten Angeboten im Bereich mentale Gesundheit bieten und so beispielsweise Kündigungen und Fehltage aufgrund von Überarbeitung oder Überforderung signifikant senken.

Assaia, provider of aviation software to manage turnarounds at airports, has acquired its first customer in the Asia Pacific region while Picterra, which offers companies with optimized geo-information, struck its strategic deal with a 100-year-old company. For H55, the commercialization phase has started, with the first deliveries scheduled for early next year.

In collaboration with DuckDAO, CV VC has launched CV Pad, an early-stage token investment Launchpad+ aiming to democratize access to early-stage Web3 and blockchain investment opportunities that were previously reserved for institutional investors and venture capitalists.

Swiss4 est la première entreprise romande à avoir obtenu une autorisation fintech de la FINMA. La startup vient maintenant de lancer une app qui s'inscrit dans la tradition des banques privées suisses et qui propose, outre des services financiers pour la vie quotidienne, des services pour les loisirs et les voyages.

AlpinaSana, the startup using 3D imaging technology and artificial intelligence to personalize supplements for seniors, has obtained 150,000 Swiss Francs from Venture Kick. Having sold out its first batch, the startup will use the fresh funding to scale production as it further tests the solution in multiple pilot projects.

Climeworks started out as a pioneer in direct air capture and storage (DAC+S) technologies. Based on its own plants for removing CO2 from the atmosphere, the company launched its carbon removal offsets business about a year ago. Now Climeworks is adding carbon removal portfolios to its offering, complementary to its existing carbon removal service focused on direct air capture. First customer is Breitling.

Swiss venture firm Spicehaus Partners announces the first round for its second fund with existing and new investors, including family offices, pension funds, asset managers and private individuals. Aiming to reach CHF 60 million, Fund II will invest in a portfolio of 25 Swiss technology startups with international growth potential.

Blocksport poses as the out-of-the-box social platform for sports clubs, for it uses Web3 and blockchain technologies to help clubs engage with their fans digitally, thus opening new revenue streams. The latest partnership with the Nicaraguan Football Federation, which involves developing a bespoke fan app and the issuance of official fan tokens, is the first for Latin America and CONCACAF.

Starting this summer, global commodities industry market leader Trafigura is set to commercially deploy Daphne Technology's PureMetrics on an LNG carrier for optimization of greenhouse gas emissions and cost reductions for operators. It's the first commercial deployment of PureMetrics.

Das Digital Health- Startup Exploris Health gewinnt den erstmals verliehenen DMEA nova Award. Zwei Startups erhalten eine Gold-Auszeichnung an der Best of Swiss Web und ein Parfüm-Startup betört Jury und Publikum anlässlich des Zuger Jungunternehmerpreises 2024.

Lausanne-based startup Isospec Analytics has launched its breakthrough biomolecular analysis technology that identifies unknown molecules at scale for pharmaceutical, agritech and nutrition companies. The company has now completed its pre-seed funding round, led by Founderful to commercialize the technology. 

Bcomp, a global leader in high-performance, natural fibre composites with industrial-scale applications at Volvo and Polestar, has closed its CHF 36M (US $40M) Series C funding round. The funding will help Bcomp scale its production capacity to expand in the automotive sector, tap into additional verticals and support its entry into new markets in Asia and North America.