The consultancy firm EY has published its “Start-up-Barometer Europe” for the first half of 2019. Switzerland was ranked among the top places in several categories. At nearly 600 million euro, Switzerland took fifth place in the European rankings for investment volume in start-ups. Swiss start-ups raised more money from investments than in the previous year. In the first half of 2018, the investment volume stood at just over 400 million euro.
Switzerland also took fifth place for the number of financing rounds across Europe. Swiss start-ups conducted a total of 150 financing rounds in the first half of 2019, up 25 percent in comparison with the first six months of 2018.
Basel leads the way for investment volume
EY conducted comparisons among European countries and European cities. In this regard, Switzerland stood out positively with Basel and Zurich. In terms of investment volume, Basel came in eighth place, breaking into the top ten for the first time in the process. Following on from a total of 24 million euro in the first half of 2018, Basel start-ups raised a total of 203 million euro over the course of the first six months of 2019. Zurich was ranked 16th for this, with start-ups in the city raising 117 million euro (previous year: 160 million euro) in the first half of the year. With an investment volume of 97 million euro, Lausanne took 19th place in a European city comparison.
Zurich performs well for financing rounds
In terms of the number of financing rounds, however, Zurich took fifth place among European cities. Start-ups in Zurich closed a total of 48 financing rounds during the first six months of 2019 (previous year: 47).
Arvelle Therapeutics raises the greatest amount of money
EY also highlighted individual start-ups that successfully raised a particularly high amount of money from investments. At 169 million euro, Arvelle Therapeutics raised the most money among Swiss start-ups. The spin-off of the Basel-based Axovant Sciences specializes in treatments for the central nervous system.
According to EY, it is not just Switzerland but Europe as a whole where start-up financing is increasingly on the rise. In the first half of 2019, a total of 16.9 billion euro (+62 percent year on year) was raised by European start-ups – more than ever before. Start-ups from the UK were responsible for the raising the most money.
