Starting with big numbers

10.01.2020

Although the year has only just begun, venture capital is flowing freely again. And in Las Vegas, start-ups are causing a sensation at the largest technology fair in the world.

Dear reader

The new year is only just underway and the technology world is already at full throttle. About 200,000 visitors flock to CES in Las Vegas every year, making it the largest technology fair in the world. Swiss start-ups are now also skilfully taking advantage of the opportunity, with 30 young firms presenting themselves at the Swiss Pavilion. Four start-ups caused a stir as honorees of the CES Innovation Awards. Other start-ups have made a mark through collaborations with large companies that were announced at CES. For example, Zurich Instruments has been included in IBM’s top-class network committed to popularising quantum computing. And Greenmotion has entered into a partnership with Eaton, an energy management company with sales of more than CHF 20 billion.

Large numbers were again a theme in the biotech sector in the first working week of the year. Basel start-up VectivBio has received USD 35 million from investors – and their interest is no accident. VectivBio is a spin-off from Therachon, which Pfizer acquired in 2019 for up to USD 810 million. Several former Therachon managers now also work at VectivBio and the new company’s first drug candidate is already in advanced clinical trials. NBE Therapeutics, another Basel biotech company, was able to conclude a USD 22 million financing round this week.

Juries are also at work again: the top 10 start-ups were announced this week at both the Swiss Fintech Awards and the ZKB Pionierpreis Technopark Zürich.

And a record from Zurich – 30 spin-offs were created at ETH in 2019, more than ever before. The cleantech sector developed particularly dynamically. For more information about the Swiss cleantech start-up scene in general, take a look at the Swiss Environment & Energy Innovation Monitor, which released its annual summary of key results this week.

Speaking of reports, the annual Swiss Venture Capital Report will appear at the end of January, published by startupticker jointly with the industry association Seca. We will again present it at two brunch events: on 28 January in Zurich and 29 January in Lausanne. You can register now for the events.

Have a good weekend
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch

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