Good mood despite uncertainty

Dear reader

In total, 420 jobs created, CHF 230 million raised. This was the key data of the three top-ranked companies at this year’s Top 100 Swiss Startup Award. The top three are Yokoy, which made it to the number one spot, Planted and Ledgy. These three show how much Swiss start-ups can now achieve. And the figures for all 512 start-ups recognised by the Top 100 in recent years show how many fast-growing start-ups there now are in Switzerland: these 512 start-ups have created more than 16,000 jobs. That's why it’s worth looking not only at the top three, but at all the top 100 companies and in particular the 42 newcomers that made it into the selection for the first time. You can find out more in the Top 100 magazine, which is published in five languages.

Numerous investors from home and abroad were present alongside the start-ups at the award ceremony and the Top 100 Investor Summit, and there was of course a lot of discussion about the prospects for the start-up scene in view of the economic uncertainties. As to be expected among founders and VCs, there was general optimism; for example, in terms of the number of financing rounds for the second half of the year. The number is indeed high; we reported on 11 investments this week.

For example, CHF 15 million went to drone start-up Flyability – which incidentally was at the top of the top 100 rankings in 2019. Crypto start-up 21.co, better known for its subsidiary 21Shares, the world’s largest issuer of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs), secured almost CHF 25 million. Another crypto start-up, Coinstrategy, reported an investment of CHF 5 million. Despite the sharp drop in cryptocurrency prices, the sector is apparently still attractive to founders and investors.

At the same time, it is becoming apparent that in addition to investors, companies are also investing in start-ups or buying them outright; for example, industrial group Datwyler has taken over EMPA spin-off CTsystems. Start-ups are also acting as buyers and investors: Novalytica has taken a stake in uHoo and Jarowa has acquired Mitra Solutions.

Herbert Bay also has experience in selling his start-ups. He co-founded kooaba, which was acquired by Qualcomm in 2014, and now he has co-founded Earkick, which makes mental health measurable. The first steps are promising.

Furthermore, 20 young projects were selected for this year’s Boldbrain Challenge, Ticino’s accelerator for early stage start-ups, and three ETH Pioneer Fellows were honoured at the 3PI Pitch Competition.

Finally, I would like to point out that the deadlines for the ZKB Pionierpreis Technopark and the ESA BIC Switzerland incubation programme are approaching.

Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch