Swiss Venture Capital Report 2022 (Swiss Venture Capital Report (startupticker))

Summary

• Investments in Swiss start-ups recorded an increase of 44 % in invested capital, reaching 3059 CHF m in 2021.p.7
• Later stage rounds attracted 72 % more capital than in 2020, reaching just under CHF 2.3 billion.p.7
• Seed stage investments showed significant growth, increasing by two thirds compared with 2020 to 131 rounds.p.7
• Investments in Zurich increased by 102.1 % to CHF 1.285 billion, and in Vaud by 47.8 % to CHF 604.6 million.p.7
• Insurtech start-up wefox closed the largest single financing round of the year at CHF 584.5 million.p.9
• The 2021 fund radar listed a record number of 35 new funds from Swiss providers.p.7

Key insights

1. The total amount invested in Swiss start-ups has almost tripled between 2018 and 2021.p.7
2. ICT and fintech start-ups accounted for CHF 799 million of the total CHF 935.3 million increase in capital invested in 2021.p.7
3. The median investment total across all rounds fell by a fifth in 2021 to CHF 2.3 million.p.7
4. The 20 largest financing rounds represented 63 % of the total capital invested in 2021.p.9
5. Institutional Swiss investors participated in 13 of the top 20 financing round consortia in 2021.p.12
6. Biotech capital generation declined in 2021 following five sector IPOs and post-growth consolidation.p.16
7. Five Swiss companies completed mega financing rounds of CHF 100 million or more in 2021.p.20
8. Exit activity reached high levels in 2021 with 11 IPOs and 55 trade sales.p.7