Convincing innovations

Dear Reader

With Hegias’ solution, real estate companies can easily create virtual reality models of homes and apartments – and 9T Labs has developed a 3D printing process for carbon fibre. Both start-ups have great potential – and something else in common: they have not only attracted investors, but they also focused on early tests with customers. In 2018, Hegias initiated successful pilot projects with partners such as Swiss Prime Site, Wincasa and Implenia, and 9T Labs developed a first product that can now be used for beta testing.

In the case of Mt. Pelerin, the test and capture of investors took place simultaneously. The Geneva-based company carried out a token sale in which the company’s shares were integrated into the token, and shares could be sold directly without an intermediary. The campaign was technically and financially successful: Mt Pelerin took more than CHF 2 million through the sale of the tokenised shares.

As Hegias, 9T Labs and Mt. Pelerin demonstrate, Swiss start-ups often work on pioneering achievements. At the end of 2018, an impressive group of such companies was awarded the Innosuisse Certificate, which has replaced the CTI Startup Label. We introduce the seven winning companies in our article.

The group of start-ups that will participate in the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona are also impressive. Some belong to the first Venture Leaders Mobile delegation, with a further six – supported by Innosuisse – exhibiting in the Swiss Pavilion at the trade fair on topics such as mobile communication, IOT and data analytics.

Although the Swiss Pavilion has been present at the Mobile Congress for some years, Switzerland is at this week’s CES in Las Vegas for the first time with a joint stand. As our press review shows, the international media also report on new start-up products. All our articles on CES can be found under our ‘Export’ tag.

At home, awards ensure that start-ups are in the limelight. This week, the Watt d’Or and Ypsomed’s Innovation Prize were awarded. DEPsys and dhp technology were the winners at Watt d’Or, with Certus Diagnostics at Ypsomed. These companies also know what the primary goal of a start-up is: all three already have customers.

Two deadlines will expire shortly: Startfeld Diamant is open until Monday, and the first application deadline for Innosuisse projects as part of the Impulse programme digitalisation ends on 21 January.

Finally, a note about us: we will present the Swiss Venture Capital Report 2019 in Zurich on 29 January and in Lausanne on 30 January. Registration is open on our website.

Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch