(08.03.2023) Switzerland remains a fertile ground for start-ups. According to the Swiss Venture Capital Report published by the information portal startupticker.ch, start-up investment has increased by almost 30% in one year, despite the relatively unfavorable economic climate.
Capital invested in 2022 has almost doubled since 2020 and more than quadrupled since 2017 to reach a record CHF 3.97 billion. Additionally, nearly 383 financing rounds took place last year, mainly for young companies active in cleantech, where invested funds jumped by 291%, the largest increase of the year.
The information, communication and technology (ICT) sector also performed well in 2022, with a 72% increase in invested capital to CHF 1.16 billion, making it the most heavily funded sector. Biotechnology, on the other hand, suffered a sharp decline (-47%).
Zurich start-ups alone raised 53% of all funds allocated to start-ups in Switzerland in 2022, with almost CHF 2.13 billion. The cantons of Vaud (CHF 548.6 million) and Geneva (CHF 463.1 million) were far behind. Based on the number of funding rounds, Zurich remains in first place (167), followed by Vaud (67) and Zug (35).
Furthermore, the amounts raised in financing rounds varied greatly. The three largest financing rounds (Climeworks CHF 600 million; SonarSource 394.6 million; Wefox, 392 million) alone accounted for almost 35% of the funds raised in Switzerland in 2022.
Market growth and a large number of exits have also led to a significant increase in venture capital fund launches. A total of 55 fundraisings from investors are underway.
Last modification 08.03.2023
