Swiss start-ups are continuing to grow strongly and are also finding investors willing to co-finance their growth. We reported on such growth financing practically every day this week.
Dear reader
About 450,000 farms comprising 7 million hectares already rely on xFarm’s farm management information system. According to Partech, one of the most well-known and active European VCs, the Ticino-based start-up has the potential to become the global leader in farm management software thanks to its best-in-class technological solution, its deep understanding of farmers’ needs and its global footprint. Partech led xFarm’s CHF 34 million series C funding.
BE WTR has secured CHF 39 million in a series C round. In September, the Lausanne-based company inaugurated its fully automatic circular bottling plant in Paris, to provide locally sourced, filtered water. The company plans to have more than 20 bottling sites on several continents in operation by the end of 2025.
As a medtech company, Lymphatica naturally needs a little longer to develop products, but the company is making dynamic progress and received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation this year. It is now following that with a financing round of CHF 17 million.
Given the mixed economic outlook and the still difficult financing situation, it is encouraging to see that Swiss start-ups are not only growing strongly, but are also able to secure the necessary funds for further growth from domestic and foreign investors.
We were able to report on growth financing nearly every day this week. Other examples include financing of almost CHF 10 million for Develco Pharma, which develops and manufactures innovative drug formulations. Measuring device manufacturer Eldico was able to secure a significant amount for global expansion, and biotech start-up Somagenetix received CHF 10 million.
We also reported on a series of award winners this week. ANYbotics and Aptissen were successful in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Lighthouse Tech secured CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick. First Ventures, Venture Leaders Fintech, DayOne Tech, i4Challenge and AIT India also announced their latest winners.
The deadlines for the SEF.WomenAward and the Ypsomed Innovation Awards are fast approaching. The application window for the next SICTIC Investor Day in Zurich is open until 17 October, and start-ups that want to apply for ESA BIC’s next accelerator programme should also not waste any time.
Next week, my colleague Eugène Schön will be at Trust Valley Day in Lausanne and I will be at LAUNCH 2024 in Zurich. For the following week, I would like to point out the >>venture>> kick-off event in Zurich, SECA’s evening event ‘Swiss VCs on Stage’ and the SEF.Growth Event on the topic of the future of risk management.
Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora
Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch
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The new Swiss Venture Capital Report was published on 26 January. It analyses 304 financing rounds closed in 2020 and includes further article such as an interview with Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Board, and a list of Swiss "soonicorns". 
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