May 30, 2014
Cool Swiss
Dear reader
If one talks to foreigners about the Swiss start-up scene, questions soon emerge about ‘lighthouses’ – those start-ups that have achieved worldwide fame. The answer is complicated, as Swiss start-ups traditionally have been sub-contractors in niche markets.
But this is changing. More and more founders are developing cool products for end users, including, for example, FASHWELL. With the ETH spin-off’s app, fashion enthusiasts can take photographs of jackets, dresses or shirts that they see at a party or on the street. The app then automatically searches for these products in numerous online shops. Another example is Relish Guitars: the two founders have developed an e-guitar that sounds unlike any other instrument developed over the past 60 years. Both start-ups will present themselves, along with other cool Swiss start-ups, on 2 June in Berlin as part of CTI Invest’s 2nd Swiss Venture Day.
In addition, more and more new companies are active in cool industries. Fashion and music are just two examples; sport is another. This week WISeKey and the Swiss national football team launched the official app of the Swiss team, and Tracegolf turns golf driving ranges into interactive workout and entertainment facilities. The start-up is one of four companies that this week won the Prix Vittoz Cap International.
Pitcher and Nexthink have been officially designated as cool, as both have received the coveted ‘Cool Vendor’ label from leading industry analyst firm Gartner.
Currently, plenty of awards are available for start-ups to win and we’ve summarised the deadlines in a special article. The application deadline for the Swisscom StartUp Challenge expires on 3 June, and companies that want to participate in the Top 100 Swiss startups competition should complete their profile on the startup.ch platform immediately.
And in terms of events, there’s still a lot going on. At the Pioneers Unplugged event on 12 June, an exciting panel of experts will discuss the question of why Silicon Valley is still the number one hotspot for start-ups. Registration runs until 4 June.
Finally, some information on our own behalf: startupticker.ch has a new sponsor in P&TS. The Neuchâtel law firm provides legal services relating to technology transfer, patent applications, freedom to operate and licensing, and has been working with start-ups for many years. We thank it for its commitment.
Have a sunny weekend.
Stefan Kyora
Managing Editor, startupticker.ch