Dear reader
It has been practically two years since a Swiss start-up ventured on to the stock market. In the same period, three young Swiss tech companies have been delisted. This week, however, BioVersys announced its IPO on the SIX Swiss Exchange; it is expected to take place in the first quarter. The Basel-based biotech company aims to raise CHF 80 million, which will be used primarily to bring a drug candidate for life-threatening hospital-acquired infections through the final clinical phase. If all goes well, approval should be granted in 2027.
The announcement has a double signal effect. First, exits, and IPOs in particular, are eagerly awaited because they are seen as the first step towards an upturn in investment. Second, this IPO shows that Switzerland’s ecosystem covers the entire lifecycle of a start-up – right up to going public.
This week has once again demonstrated impressively that the initial phase in particular is well covered in financial terms. Members from several business angel clubs and the Kickfund, which was launched last year, contributed more than CHF 1.3 million to the pre-seed round of cleantech qCella. The Kickfund was also involved in Solidwatts’ pre-seed round. Quantum computing start-up ZuriQ was provided with almost CHF 4 million by an international consortium; the round was led by Founderful, with QAI Ventures from Basel also participating. We reported on a total of eight investments this week.
There was also good news in terms of grants: ESA BIC Switzerland selected six deeptech companies for its accelerator programme, FIT awarded two tech seed loans worth CHF 100,000, and Klimafonds Stadtwerk Winterthur is supporting Vatorex with CHF 50,000. A total of CHF 100,000 also went to the top three at the Ypsomed Innovation Award, with half of this going to winner Yuon Control.
The deadlines for several awards and accelerator programmes are approaching. I would like to draw your attention to the Swiss Economic Award, *zünder, the Future of Health Grant, First Ventures and the QAI Ventures accelerator.
Registration is still open for the launch event of Swiss Venture Capital Report in Zurich. A print copy can be ordered in your profile.
Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora
Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch