New book presents 10 years impact of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups

The anniversary book World shapers of tomorrow: Startups building our future shows the impact of the last 10 years of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups on the startup ecosystem in Switzerland. On 100 pages, the publication features the verticals, megatrends, and investors and supporters who continue to shape and transform our lives.

“It is said that it takes 10 years to become a good investor, so this is an excellent time to look back at what the TOP 100 has become after a decade. The TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award started as a one-evening award ceremony in 2011 with the ambition to promote the strengths and diversity of Swiss startups when they did not enjoy the visibility and recognition they deserve,” explained Jordi Montserrat, co-initiator of the TOP 100 Ranking.

Today, the TOP 100 has grown into a true benchmark platform that shines the spotlight on the most promising startups of Switzerland and displays the dynamics of the Swiss startup ecosystem. TOP 100 comprises a full range of activities to support the companies selected by the jury: The award night has been coined the “Swiss startup Oscar ceremony,” the Investor Summit attracts international investors, and the TOP 100 Scale-up Ranking focuses on startups that are older than five years. Regional investor pitch and satellite events are held throughout the year, and the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Magazines are available in four languages and are distributed in Switzerland and abroad.

438 deeptech startups selected by a jury of investors

A strong and networked startup community―including startups focusing on biotech, cleantech, engineering, fintech, foodtech, ICT, medtech, proptech, robotics, and security―has come together under the umbrella brand “TOP 100 Startups.” The platform provides deep insights into the latest proven concepts, strengthens networks, and establishes new business relationships for and with the 438 Swiss deeptech startups that have been selected by leading investors over the past decade. “The TOP 100 Jury consists of the 100 most active and successful early-stage investors and experts in Switzerland. They deal with startups on a daily basis and detect promising newcomers. The ranking truly represents the best—chosen by the best,” said Beat Schillig, co-initiator of TOP 100 Ranking.

TOP 100 Investor Summit: CHF 6 billion in investments

Each year, international investors participate in the invitation-only TOP 100 Investor Summit to identify the best startups such as Climeworks, GetYourGuide, Insphero, Kandou Bus, MindMaze, ON, Optotune, SmallPDF, or SOPHiA GENETICS. The event provides both early- and growth-stage startups with relevant and hard-to-get investor meetings. In 2020 investors with more than CHF 12 billion in venture capital came to listen to startup pitches, meet entrepreneurs one-on-one, and make investments. So far, the TOP 100 Startups have raised more than CHF 6 billion from Swiss and international investors. The funding comes from prominent international backers such as Atomico, Balderton Capital, Battery Ventures, Google Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Sofinnova, SoftBank, and Temasek.

57 exits and 3 IPOs

Innovative Swiss startups are also popular takeover targets for large, international corporates. So far, 56 merger and acquisition transactions included prominent names such as Apple, Boehringer Ingelheim, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Qualcomm, and Sony. The TOP 100 Startups Biocartis, CRISPR Therapeutics, and ObsEva went public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO).

World shapers of tomorrow Technology has undergone major transitions since the first TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award in 2011. The trends of health, longevity, digitalization, and decentralization will accompany us in the coming years. The TOP 100 Swiss Startups are experts across these fields, and they have a profound impact on society. A selection of 10 verticals illustrates how Swiss deeptech startups transform our lives and help us build a better and more sustainable future:

• Innovating gynecologic care
• Optimizing health care
• Equipping the labs of tomorrow
• Advancing oncology
• Modernizing medicine
• Transforming the energy industry
• Protecting systems and data
• Evolving the workspace
• Turning innovation inside out
• Decentralizing financial services  

Ideas that transform our lives

Background stories about 10 selected startups further illustrate the diversity of innovation, the power of finding a clear vision, and the importance of having the courage to start and make mistakes. The unique stories behind each startup and its founders represent the many different journeys of entrepreneurs whose innovations continue to shape our future:

• Covagen: Addressing unmet medical needs with novel protein therapeutics
• Doodle: Simplifying how we schedule meetings
• GetYourGuide: Guiding the travel industry into the future
• Climeworks: Subscribing to the fight against climate change
• Scandit: Blending the physical and digital worlds
• DeinDeal: Paving the way for Switzerland’s e-commerce sector
• Beekeeper: Developing a productivity platform for frontline workers
• MindMaze: Creating the universal platform for brain health
• Bestmile: Orchestrating the transportation revolution
• Piavita: Transforming the veterinary industry with a holistic data approach 

Undoubtedly, the TOP 100 Startups are role models that already inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs. The companies have generated thousands of jobs, raised CHF 1 billion in capital per year, and achieved unicorn status and successful exits: “The startups listed in the ranking embody the breadth and depth of the Swiss startup ecosystem. All of it has been made possible thanks to the sponsors and partners, jury members, investors, entrepreneurs, and our entire team―we sincerely thank everyone and dedicate this 10-year publication to them,” said Stefan Steiner, TOP 100 director.