CHF 9 Billion Invested in Venture Kick Startups
28.01.2025
The Venture Kick Annual Report 2024 highlights the continued success of the Kick Foundation initiative in solidifying Switzerland’s position as a global innovation leader. Since its launch in 2007, the philanthropic initiative has backed 1,121 Swiss startup projects from Swiss universities and research centers with CHF 80 million from private donors. Follow-on investors around the globe have injected a total of CHF 9 billion to build a portfolio of 750 growing high-tech companies representing 14,441 jobs.
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In 2024, Venture Kick reviewed 880 applications and invested CHF 6.7 million in 97 new startup projects. Applications grew by 13% year-on-year up from 781 in 2023, covering a wide range of high-tech fields: ICT, biotech, medtech, cleantech, electronics, materials or nanotechnologies.
A record of 66 Venture Kick alumni have been recognized among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups. And despite a difficult fundraising environment, the Venture Kick startups were attracting more than CHF 1 billion in investments last year. “We’ve become a trusted resource, connecting entrepreneurs with the right investors and providing the visibility they need to succeed,” highlights Pascale Vonmont, Delegate of the Venture Kick Strategy Board. “Looking ahead, we aim to amplify this impact, ensuring that the next generation of Swiss innovators have the tools and support they need to get the capital to succeed even faster."
Some alumni reached Unicorn status, like Climeworks, Mindmaze, Scandit or Kandou. Others became global leaders in their markets like InSphero or MaxWell Biosystems and are growing strong. Others made their IPO such as Onward Medical or Bioversys this quarter at the Swiss Stock Exchange. And 87 startups had an exit and were sold – some of them for hundreds of millions – to acquirers like Apple, ABB, Intel, Bruker, Boehringer Ingelheim, and many others.
Ambitious Goals for the Future
Looking at 2025, Venture Kick will increase its support by 30% and has set an ambitious mission of supporting 3,000 science-based startups by 2033, aiming to create 100,000 jobs. To achieve this goal, the foundation is constantly expanding its partner consortium. Venture Kick actively seeks to attract new donors to the partner consortia to ensure continued and expanded support for the next generation of Swiss innovators.
"It’s impressive to see how Venture Kick startups continue to thrive, attracting substantial investments and creating jobs, even in challenging times. Our key mission is to convert the cutting-edge research and all these patents produced at Swiss universities into jobs and economically viable solutions, solving the biggest challenges our society faces," says Beat Schillig, Co-Managing Director of Venture Kick.
Download the Venture Kick Annual Report 2024 for more information.
About Venture Kick
The Venture Kick philanthropic initiative provides up to CHF 150,000 seed funding to Swiss startups and offers a well-structured entrepreneurial path toward building a winning business. Startups pitch to expert juries in three stages to obtain financing, gain direct feedback, and access an international network of 200 successful entrepreneurs and investors. Winners of Venture Kick are eligible for an InnoBooster grant of CHF 150,000 and an additional CHF 850,000 investment from the Kickfund.
Since its launch in 2007, Venture Kick has supported 1,121 Swiss startup projects with CHF 80 million from private donors. Thanks to financial support, coaching, and networking with investors, this initiative has led to the emergence of 750 thriving startups and the creation of 14,500 jobs. Venture Kick alumni companies have attracted investments of CHF 9 billion and represent 66 companies ranked in the TOP 100 Swiss Startups in 2024.
Venture Kick is an initiative by the Kick Foundation, launched and supported by a private consortium, operated by Venturelab. The supporting foundations and private philanthropic partners include Gebert Rüf Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Fondation ALCEA, Hauser-Stiftung, André Hoffmann, Hansjörg Wyss, Martin Haefner, Fondation ProTechno, ESA BIC Switzerland, Swisscom, Lichtsteiner Foundation, and Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.
Find more information on venturekick.ch, with all startup projects supported by Venture Kick, and follow the success stories of our startups on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
A record of 66 Venture Kick alumni have been recognized among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups. And despite a difficult fundraising environment, the Venture Kick startups were attracting more than CHF 1 billion in investments last year. “We’ve become a trusted resource, connecting entrepreneurs with the right investors and providing the visibility they need to succeed,” highlights Pascale Vonmont, Delegate of the Venture Kick Strategy Board. “Looking ahead, we aim to amplify this impact, ensuring that the next generation of Swiss innovators have the tools and support they need to get the capital to succeed even faster."
Some alumni reached Unicorn status, like Climeworks, Mindmaze, Scandit or Kandou. Others became global leaders in their markets like InSphero or MaxWell Biosystems and are growing strong. Others made their IPO such as Onward Medical or Bioversys this quarter at the Swiss Stock Exchange. And 87 startups had an exit and were sold – some of them for hundreds of millions – to acquirers like Apple, ABB, Intel, Bruker, Boehringer Ingelheim, and many others.
Ambitious Goals for the Future
Looking at 2025, Venture Kick will increase its support by 30% and has set an ambitious mission of supporting 3,000 science-based startups by 2033, aiming to create 100,000 jobs. To achieve this goal, the foundation is constantly expanding its partner consortium. Venture Kick actively seeks to attract new donors to the partner consortia to ensure continued and expanded support for the next generation of Swiss innovators.
"It’s impressive to see how Venture Kick startups continue to thrive, attracting substantial investments and creating jobs, even in challenging times. Our key mission is to convert the cutting-edge research and all these patents produced at Swiss universities into jobs and economically viable solutions, solving the biggest challenges our society faces," says Beat Schillig, Co-Managing Director of Venture Kick.
Download the Venture Kick Annual Report 2024 for more information.
About Venture Kick
The Venture Kick philanthropic initiative provides up to CHF 150,000 seed funding to Swiss startups and offers a well-structured entrepreneurial path toward building a winning business. Startups pitch to expert juries in three stages to obtain financing, gain direct feedback, and access an international network of 200 successful entrepreneurs and investors. Winners of Venture Kick are eligible for an InnoBooster grant of CHF 150,000 and an additional CHF 850,000 investment from the Kickfund.
Since its launch in 2007, Venture Kick has supported 1,121 Swiss startup projects with CHF 80 million from private donors. Thanks to financial support, coaching, and networking with investors, this initiative has led to the emergence of 750 thriving startups and the creation of 14,500 jobs. Venture Kick alumni companies have attracted investments of CHF 9 billion and represent 66 companies ranked in the TOP 100 Swiss Startups in 2024.
Venture Kick is an initiative by the Kick Foundation, launched and supported by a private consortium, operated by Venturelab. The supporting foundations and private philanthropic partners include Gebert Rüf Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Fondation ALCEA, Hauser-Stiftung, André Hoffmann, Hansjörg Wyss, Martin Haefner, Fondation ProTechno, ESA BIC Switzerland, Swisscom, Lichtsteiner Foundation, and Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.
Find more information on venturekick.ch, with all startup projects supported by Venture Kick, and follow the success stories of our startups on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.