More investors and more money

Dear reader

This week, together with SECA, we published our analysis of investment in Swiss start-ups in the first half of the year. The results are gratifying: the total sum invested of CHF 1.7 billion is 130% above the first half of the previous year and more than 50% higher than the record for the first half of 2019. In addition, the number of exits, which in the first lockdown in spring 2020 had practically come to a standstill, rose strongly to 24.

In addition to an analysis of the numbers, we carried out, together with the Institute for Financial Services Zug IFZ at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, the first systematic analysis of corporate venture capitalists (CVCs) in Switzerland. The results are based on a survey of 24 large Swiss companies that invest in start-ups and not only show strong growth in the number of CVCs, but also provide information about the selection of start-ups, previous results and plans for further investment.

This week, too, CVCs were involved in an investment: proptech start-up PriceHubble received USD 34 million from investors that included the Helvetia Venture Fund, Swiss Life and the TX Group. Despite the summer break, it was a very active week in terms of investing. We reported on a total of eight financing rounds: energy storage provider Energy Vault generated USD 20 million, biotech company TargImmune USD 19 million and cybersecurity start-up Nym USD 6.5 million.

And it shouldn’t be forgotten that Sophia Genetics ventures on to Nasdaq’s trading floor today, with the aim of reaching its valuation of more than USD 1 billion. In the course of the IPO, the Lausanne-based company disclosed key financial figures: in the first quarter of 2021, it achieved sales of USD 9 million – 20% more than in the same quarter of the previous year.

Other Swiss start-ups have also met with success on the market, such as RigiTech, with its delivery drones, and Swissto12, which will work with Elbit Systems in the future. And after a successful pivot from a B2C to a B2B business model, VAY has now received an additional CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick.

Registration is open until the end of the month for various awards and pitching events, including Venture Leaders Deeptech, Swiss Digital Day’s pitching battle, Roche Startup Day and the i4Challenge.

Have a good weekend. 
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch