Support benefits

Dear reader

Relish Brothers is an innovative start-up that has now raised CHF3 million from investors. It is not only the product that is unusual for a Swiss start-up – electric guitars – but also the fact that the flourishing Lucerne start-up was founded by a former student of a university of applied sciences.

So far, only a few spin-offs have come from universities of applied sciences. The important reason is that these universities face a gap in support for young entrepreneurial graduates. This is exactly what the Gebert Rüf Foundation wants to change with its First Ventures programme; it supports students from universities of applied sciences who want to start an innovative start-up with funding of up to CHF150,000 and tailor-made coaching.

Other universities can point to the benefits of such support. The founders of L.E.S.S., for example, received an EPFL Innogrant, which is similar to the First Ventures programme. This week, L.E.S.S. concluded a multi-million deal with a well-known technology company.

The fintech company Loanboox is also doing very well. The expansion into the German market has been successful and now it is targeting further international markets. Its Series A financing round has generated the necessary funds.

Sonect is another fintech company that has landed a major success. Thanks to a partnership with Hypothekarbank Lenzburg, the Sonect app, which enables customers to withdraw cash via their smartphone in selected shops, is connected to a core banking system for the first time.

The two fintech start-ups Swisspeers and Futurae will also work together in the future: the crowd lending platform will use Futurae’s technology to authenticate users.

Meanwhile, fintech and blockchain are not only on the rise in Zurich and Zug. The Swiss Blockchain Association was officially founded in Geneva this week.

In addition to fintech, news from two cleantech start-ups caught the eye this week: DEPsys closed a second round of financing of more than CHF2 million, and in Zurich Christian Koch won the Student Entrepreneur Award with SelfPuris.

Speaking of awards, do not miss the deadline of the Climate-KIC Accelerator on 25 January or that of the Swiss Economic Award on 31 January.

We will present the Swiss Venture Capital Report in Zurich on 30 January and in Lausanne on 31 January. Due to the high demand, we recommend that you register promptly. As in previous years, registration may have to be closed soon.

Have a good weekend.
Stefan Kyora

Editor in Chief, Startupticker.ch