Unusual opinions, unusually open

Dear reader

As research boss at NASA, Thomas Zurbuchen is responsible for a budget of just under $6 billion. The Bern astrophysicist is, however, not only one of the most influential scientists in the world, but also an entrepreneur. For example, before joining NASA he set up an entrepreneurship programme at the University of Michigan that accompanied hundreds of start-ups. He thinks little of the idea of researchers becoming CEOs and recommends instead that innovators are trained to work in start-ups together with entrepreneurs with business backgrounds.(Interview in German and French).

It’s not the only unorthodox opinion on start-ups that has been heard lately. We have summarised some of the recent interesting articles, blogposts and interviews on the Swiss start-up scene in a press review.

This week the Cronodeal team spoke with frank openness about the e-commerce platform. As a result of the increased online activities of groups such as Migros and Coop, the competition situation for the start-up has changed fundamentally. Instead of continuing at a slow rate, the team has decided to pull the plug and instead pursue projects with greater potential.

The fact that opinions on the Swiss start-up scene are becoming more diverse, with start-ups openly talking about problems, is, in my view, a sign of the growing maturity of the ecosystem. In addition to these novel signs, there have also been some success stories this week that underline the positive development.

We reported on two exits in the middle of the summer holidays: the Aduno Group took a majority stake in fintech start-up Contovista, and US company Globus Medical announced this week the acquisition of KB Medical, a medtech start-up from Lausanne.

CoreMedic from Biel is also active in the medtech sector, and this week the German private equity firm SHS invested in the company. The start-up develops minimally invasive repair sets for the treatment of heart valve diseases, for which previously open heart surgery was the rule.

Currently, applications are running for a whole range of accelerator programmes and awards. You can apply for the Climate-KIC accelerator until 13 August, and the deadline for the Zug Innovationspreis expires on 18 August.

You will also need your voice at three awards: you can help determine the audience favourites, and the 10 most promising finalists, at the Swisscom Startup Challenge. In addition, there is also the public voting at the Top 100 Swiss Startup Award and at 10 years of Venture Kick.

Have a relaxing weekend.
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, startupticker.ch