September 13, 2019
The long journey to the breakthrough
Dear reader
The Swiss games scene enjoys a good reputation internationally and numerous studios have already received prizes around the globe. This week, however, it made it on to the big stage: Apple?s keynote event presented Apple Arcade, a new games subscription service on the App Store. Three of the selected studios come from Switzerland.
Another big success this week is Carbon Delta, a fintech company that focuses on measurement of climate-related risks. MSCI wants to take over the Zurich-based start-up: the US company's investor indexes are well known to the broader public. After the acquisition, MSCI intends to make the location in Zurich its 'Climate Risk Center'. Investors are also very satisfied with the exit, as they told startupticker.
Speaking of exits, ADC Therapeutics has begun to prepare for its IPO on the New York stock exchange. The biotech company has evolved its pipeline rapidly over the past few years, earning it a prize at the Convergence in Oncology Summit this week. Anokion, another young biotech company based in Switzerland, concluded a USD 40 million financing round, and the acquisition of another start-up has further strengthened its pipeline.
Such success does not happen overnight, but requires years of hard work. A good example of this was provided by SensArs this week. The medtech company develops sensory prostheses - ie, the patient is able to 'feel' the missing limb again. A test with volunteers in a project with ETH Zurich and other partners has been very successful: the patients with a sensory prosthetic leg fatigued less quickly and had less phantom pain.
Persistence and the ability to get the right partners on board are needed not only by deep-tech founders. Selina Peyer, founder of Feel A Fil, an innovative textile brand, was awarded the Design Prize Switzerland last year. She has now has set up a scalable production process with a southern German textile company and has interested the first six boutiques in her collection.
Finally, I would like to refer you to our press review. Five insiders on very different platforms reveal interesting insights into the successes and challenges of the Swiss start-up and research scene.
Next week, a range of interesting events takes place: the Swiss Fintech Fair at Kraftwerk Zurich on Tuesday, the Female Innovation Forum on Thursday and Startup Night Winterthur on Friday. In addition, the first event in a new series called Pioneers'n'Legends will take place on Wednesday at Innovation Park Zurich - a maximum of 30 visitors will exchange ideas with international start-up founders.
Founders should also not forget ZKB Pionierpreis Technopark's deadline on 22 September. See our awards directory for application deadlines due to expire soon.
Have a good weekend
Stefan Kyora
Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch