Over the past ten years, a total of 242 new companies have been established at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), as the ETH outlines in an accompanying press release. Last year, a new annual record (30) for the number of spin-offs founded was registered. In the year prior to this, the equivalent number stood at 27.
As was already the case in 2018, the majority of spin-offs established in 2019 operate in the field of information and communications technology (ICT). In comparison with the previous year, the number of spin-offs in the area of new materials has sharply risen. The focus on sustainable and ecological materials is proof, according to ETH, that climate change is also leaving its mark on the university’s spin-offs. In the press release, ETH focuses specifically on three spin-offs: FenX, Neustark and Dimpora. FenX and Neustark develop sustainable construction materials, while Dimpora has designed an environmentally friendly membrane used in outdoor clothing.
There was likewise pleasing development recorded in terms of the investment volume of the ETH spin-offs, the university explains further in the press release. At 630 million Swiss francs, investment in ETH spin-offs was higher in 2019 than ever before. The fresh capital saw the market value of GetYourGuide, another spin-off from ETH, soar to above 1 billion Swiss francs even before the IPO. The Zurich-based unicorn’s platform allows tourists to book excursions and activities at holiday destinations.
