September 28, 2014
The IPO pipeline is well filled
Dear reader
This week, Molecular Partners announced plans for a flotation on the stock market later this year. It will be the second IPO from a Swiss biotech start-up within a short space of time; in early August, Basel-based Auris Medical ventured on to the trading floor too. The list of other IPO candidates is remarkable: Novimmune, Polyphor, AC Immune, Symetis, Wisekey and Swiss-Belgian company Biocartis are currently being considered. We not only report on any IPOs on startupticker.ch, but also on any important progress these companies make. This week, Symetis launched its second product.
There shouldn’t be a shortage of new companies going public in future. Proof of this are the promising start-ups that have won awards this week. In the third round of venture kick, both Relish Guitars, with its amazing e-guitar Jane, and Fastree 3D, with its sensors that help in accident prevention, won through. Viktor Calabrò from STAFF FINDER and Tobias Häckermann of Sherpany made it into the final of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year competition. The companies on the podium at the first award ceremony of the Swiss Upstart Challenge were also interesting, including Sintratec, based at Technopark Aargau. The young company has developed an affordable 3D printer that can also produce moving parts; so, for example, it can easily print individual designer glasses.
Even Molecular Partners has won a young entrepreneurs prize, although it was some time ago. In 2005, the company was one of the winners of the WA de Vigier Foundation Awards. Anyone who wants to emulate CEO Christian Zahnd and his team should lose no time: the deadline for applications for the current de Vigier Awards is 30 September.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for the next CEO Day on 22 October – 475 entrepreneurs, investors, start-up supporters and representatives of SMEs and large companies have already done so.
I would like to draw your attention to the Startup Weekends, which go to St. Gallen, Basel and Neuchâtel at the end of October. And you can still register for the Startup Weekend Creative Business in Zurich.
Last but not least, the offer from swissnex India includes a very interesting start-up tour to Bangalore.
Have a sunny weekend.
Stefan Kyora
Managing Editor, startupticker.ch
News
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". 
