Innovative financing ideas

Dear reader

Visitors to the Hannover Messe will be able to see the many good ideas from Swiss start-ups next week. The spectrum of deeptech innovations ranges from nanotechnology to robotics to IOT solutions. If the Swiss start-up scene wants to evolve, not only the creativity of the founders is required, it is also necessary to develop new financing ideas and initiatives. Fortunately, we were able to report on several new projects this week. European investment fund Creathor Ventures is merging with Swiss ICT investor club SICTIC. With the new preferred co-investor, SICTIC’s business angels now want to accelerate larger financing rounds. In addition, swissnex India and Anthill Ventures are also working together, a partnership that offers exciting growth prospects for Swiss start-ups.

In Switzerland, a closer collaboration with Seed Capital Fribourg is one of the innovations that Fribourg development organisation Fri Up has recently introduced in order to increase its clout. The first interest-free loans under this partnership have already been awarded. The example of Vaud, where the Foundation for Technological Innovation (FIT) has been granting loans for more than 20 years, shows that such loans play an important role in building an ecosystem. The two newest recipients are Darix and Zaphiro Technologies.

Several innovations are also available at Startup Invest: the organisation, which launched the first Venture Day of the year this week, has expanded its board with three well-known members and will hold a first IPO Day in Lausanne in June; it is also working on an automated matchmaking tool for investors and start-ups.

A new tool is also available in canton Vaud: a new platform offers a list of more than 300 players active in the field of digitalisation.

The application deadline for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award ends on 30 April. I would also like to highlight once again the two scale-up boot camps in Zurich and Bern, for which applications are still open. A good opportunity for food start-ups is the first Agro-Food Innovation Forum; again,  applications are open until the end of April for the pitching and matchmaking session.

Finally, reference to a background story and a background interview. We talk to serial entrepreneur Fabio Federici about why he has founded his second blockchain start-up in Switzerland. And Roman Gaus from Urban Farmers reports in our interview on the change from a technology provider to a lifestyle company.

Have a sunny weekend.
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch