Best country in the world and its open economy

Dear reader

You can do whatever you want with studies, but every now and then it is good to read that Switzerland is the best country in the world. This is the result of a study by the US news magazine US News & World Report. One reason for this result is the openness of the Swiss economy, which is a great advantage for start-ups that secure investors, buyers and research partners abroad.

Agrosustain has found an investor in Silicon Valley and Apiax has been accepted into Accenture’s FinTech Innovation Lab in London. The solutions of the two blockchain companies 4ArtTechnologies and Assetyze play an important role in the art marketplace Artcels, just launched in London. Statistics published by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) this week show the importance of the European research framework programmes for spin-offs. And even at the end of the start-up lifecycle, the company often goes abroad: fintech start-up AAAccell has been taken over by a German technology company, and Andrew Alliance, best known for its pipetting robots, by a US company.

Despite the global orientation, very local ecosystems are developing in Switzerland at the same time. Serviceocean’s financing round from St. Gallen, for example, was supported mainly by investors from the region. And Migros Genossenschaft Basel and Basel start-up Growcer are building a robotised greenhouse that uses very little energy or chemicals.

Both trends come together when an internationally oriented Swiss investor participates in an equally internationally oriented start-up, as was the case when MTIP invested in digital health company Oviva, which has announced the completion of growth financing of more than USD 21 million.

Speaking of growth: those start-ups that will participate in Innosuisse’s first scale-up coaching programme were made known this week. Innosuisse currently has another new offer for start-ups: applications are open for the Israel-Swiss Lean Launchpad Program until 31 January.

Other important deadlines: registration for the eastern Switzerland award Startfeld Diamant is open until 20 January. The application deadline for this year’s SEF Award expires on 30 January. Start-ups wishing to take part in Roche Supplier Day must register by 31 January. Venture Kick applications are always possible: start-ups in the Venture Kick process should keep 1 February in mind – it’s the next entry date for additional funding from the Gebert Rüf Foundation’s Innobooster.

Swiss Venture Capital Report will be presented by us together with Seca on 28 January in Zurich and on 29 January in Lausanne. Registration is open on our website.

Have a good weekend
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch