They know what they’re doing

Dear reader

Fintech start-up Yova offers clients individual stock portfolios that match their values exactly. Before designing the service, the Yova founders looked at the market worldwide and followed up with a detailed test phase. Now the start-up has a unique offer, together with the first Proof of Market. No wonder the team was able to collect CHF 2 million in a financing round.

People mobility analytics start-up Kido Dynamics also concluded a financing round this week. In addition, the start-up already has three paying customers and pilot projects on several continents. Kido Dynamics CEO Ignacio Barrios also knows what he’s doing – he not only has years of experience as an engineer, but also as an investment manager.

Henry and Hans Bühler are also very experienced. Before founding their start-up, which helps small and medium-sized auditing firms to achieve greater efficiency through automation, they themselves spent years working in the industry.

These three examples show tangibly how and why Swiss start-ups are better today than they were a few years ago, and that this quality is appreciated by lenders.

That quality is rising is also evident in the finalists and winners of start-up awards. For example, this year the Swisscom Startup Challenge not only received a record number of applications, but the level was once again higher than in the previous year. The five start-ups selected this week should have no trouble in attracting potential business partners and investors on their business trip to Silicon Valley.

The start-ups to be included in the new Product to Market programme from fintech incubator and accelerator F10 were announced this week and include three Swiss companies. Haya Therapeutics and Volumina Medical also secured financial support: the two life sciences companies prevailed in the Venture Kick final.

Success stories also came from abroad; for example, Ectica Technologies secured life sciences group Merck as a customer after the Swiss start-up had gone through the Merck Accelerator programme.

The summer break is coming to an end and the first events are on the horizon. These include Startup DAYs, which will kick off this year at the end of September – 300 participants have already registered. Start-ups have until the end of August to apply for the CHF 100,000 pitching competition and take advantage of the Early Bird rates.

For the first time, there will be a Swiss Pavilion at the world’s leading consumer technology show CES in Las Vegas next January. The reduced rate start-up package is open to start-ups until the end of August.

Next week, you can meet us at the F10 Demo Day and the final of the Creative Business Cup.

Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch