Venture Kick startups raise CHF 4 billion and create 8,000 jobs
29.01.2021
What was started in 2007, just after the global financial crisis, as a fully private and philanthropic foundation, now represents a portfolio of 450 active high-tech companies with CHF 4.2 billion invested and 8,105 jobs created. Venture Kick is accelerating the transformation from cutting-edge research at Swiss universities into successful ventures on global markets and contributing to Switzerland’s position as an innovation leader.
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Venture Kick wants to make a substantial contribution to increase the number of high-quality startups in Switzerland and accelerate their funding and market entry. “We kick startup ideas to global success with all the necessary support for the founders to advance their business,” said Jordi Montserrat, comanaging director of Venture Kick.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Venture-Kick-supported startups raised CHF 724 million and created 1,138 jobs in 2020, won international awards and prizes, sealed major commercial partnerships with industry leaders, and exited at strong valuations. The top-10 financing rounds with leading Swiss and international investors resulted in more than CHF 300 million.
Apart from the increasing number of large fundraising rounds and exits from alumni, Venture Kick saw two major highlights in 2020: The prestigious Swiss Biotech Success Stories Award was presented to Venture Kick - alongside a Nobel Prize Laureate and Actelion. Thanks to the merger with Volkswirtschaftsstiftung, Venture Kick is able to execute a growth strategy and will support 86 new spinoff projects from Swiss universities in 2021 with CHF 5.5 million. Increasing the Venture Kick support is important: With over 700 applications in 2020, the demand was at an all-time high and 28% above plan.
“In 2022, we are looking forward to celebrating 15 years of Venture Kick with a big party and all our successful alumni and wonderful supporters and donors. And we want to raise our champagne glasses and toast to a total of CHF 5 billion raised and 10,000 jobs created,” said Beat Schillig, the co-managing director of Venture Kick, probably one of the most active Seed investors in Europe.
More details in the Venture Kick annual report 2020.
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Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Venture-Kick-supported startups raised CHF 724 million and created 1,138 jobs in 2020, won international awards and prizes, sealed major commercial partnerships with industry leaders, and exited at strong valuations. The top-10 financing rounds with leading Swiss and international investors resulted in more than CHF 300 million.
Apart from the increasing number of large fundraising rounds and exits from alumni, Venture Kick saw two major highlights in 2020: The prestigious Swiss Biotech Success Stories Award was presented to Venture Kick - alongside a Nobel Prize Laureate and Actelion. Thanks to the merger with Volkswirtschaftsstiftung, Venture Kick is able to execute a growth strategy and will support 86 new spinoff projects from Swiss universities in 2021 with CHF 5.5 million. Increasing the Venture Kick support is important: With over 700 applications in 2020, the demand was at an all-time high and 28% above plan.
“In 2022, we are looking forward to celebrating 15 years of Venture Kick with a big party and all our successful alumni and wonderful supporters and donors. And we want to raise our champagne glasses and toast to a total of CHF 5 billion raised and 10,000 jobs created,” said Beat Schillig, the co-managing director of Venture Kick, probably one of the most active Seed investors in Europe.
More details in the Venture Kick annual report 2020.