CHF 2.4 billion for Swiss startups in 2024
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Investment in Swiss-based startups fell again in 2024, by 8.5% compared with the previous year. The number of financing rounds also fell for the first time. These are the findings of Swiss Venture Capital Report, published by the online news portal startupticker.ch and the industry association SECA in cooperation with startup.ch.
Startup founders had a hard time raising equity capital last year. Total investment fell to CHF 2.4 billion and the number of financing rounds fell from just under 400 in 2023 to 357. As very large financing rounds in the three-digit million range were absent, with one exception, investments were distributed more evenly across the individual rounds: in half of all financing rounds, investors injected CH 3 million or more, an increase of 40.7% compared with 2023.The breakdown by sector shows that investments in the ICT and fintech sectors in particular once again fell sharply compared with the record year of 2022. The biotech sector is definitely back on the road to recovery: it attracted CHF 739.2 million in 2024, 50% more than in the previous year. Despite significant losses, the cantonal ranking sees Zurich at the top, followed by Vaud, Geneva, and Basel-Landschaft.
Investors focus on growth
An annual survey of venture capital investors domiciled in Switzerland is conducted each year. An evaluation of the report’s investor survey for 2024 revealed that at the beginning of 2025, active fundraising was underway for 46 funds. The market outlook is viewed positively by the majority of investors: two-thirds of those surveyed intend to invest more in Swiss startups in the current year than in 2024.
Stefan Steiner, Co-Managing Director at Venturelab, confirms the positive outlook: "I believe we have reached the lowest point in startup financing following the record years after the pandemic. Despite this, the CHF 2.4 billion invested in Swiss startups still surpasses pre-pandemic levels. Now, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I am optimistic that we will see increased investments in 2025, along with a recovery in the exit market. Additionally, it looks like the IPO window will open, bringing new opportunities for scaleups and investors."
The planned IPO of BioVersys this Friday morning will be the first test. We took a closer look at our daily fundraising data to determine which Swiss and European venture capital investment firms have closed a new fund in 2024. Data shows that there are still plenty of opportunities for Swiss startups and scale-ups to raise capital from investors.
