(02.08.2023) Investment in start-up enterprises remained robust during the first semester of 2023. According to the audit firm EY, Swiss startups managed to raise CHF 1.92 billion in the initial six months of the year – an increase of 4.16% compared to the previous semester.
For the third consecutive time, the funding volume for startups in the first semester surpassed that of the previous second semester. Between July and December 2022, startups secured funding of 1.84 billion Swiss francs.
Moreover, the amount raised between January and June 2023 (1.92 billion) ranks as the third-largest funding volume generated since 2015, closely following the amounts invested in the first semester of 2022 and the second semester of 2017.
Nevertheless, the number of funding rounds significantly decreased to 339, compared to 471 from one year earlier and 425 in the previous semester. This marks the third consecutive decline. The authors of the report published by EY attribute this downturn primarily to a decrease in smaller financings, while larger rounds continue to drive the total funds raised upward.
In terms of volume, the five largest investments alone amount to a staggering 612 million Swiss francs: Haqq Association (182 million Swiss francs), Distalmotion (135 million Swiss francs), Noema Pharma (103 million Swiss francs), GetYourGuide (Debt) (99 million Swiss francs), and Alentis Therapeutics (Series C) (96 million Swiss francs).
The healthcare sector remains the most favored by investors, accounting for over a quarter (96 out of 339) of the funding rounds. Following that are companies in the "Software & Analytics" (83), "Hardware" (35), and "FinTech/InsurTech" (27) sectors.
Regarding the geographical aspect, the Zurich region (140) and the French-speaking part of Switzerland (101) take the lead as the regions that experienced the most startup funding rounds in early 2023, followed by Central Switzerland (34), Northwestern Switzerland (24), and the Plateau region (22).
Last modification 02.08.2023
