The Startup Ecosystem of Switzerland

Switzerland has 18 cities in the top 1000 and has a vibrant startup scene that ranks 11th within the competitive global top 20.

COUNTRY RANKING

Switzerland’s startup scene saw an increase in 2023 and jumped 1 spot from the previous year, outranking China.

Population

8.8
Million

Regional Ranking

6th
0
In Western Europe

Global Ranking

11th
+
1
Worldwide

Ecosystem

Startup Ecosystem Overview

aerial view of city buildings during daytime
Switzerland projects the image of a stable and well-organized country. Its banking policies and financial and political stability make it a reliable place for investment. Switzerland also presents a unique model of federal structure combined with direct democracy that meshes well with its startup ecosystem. Despite not being a member of the European Union, the country boasts bilateral trade agreements with all European countries. One of its key advantages is the relative openness of its regulators toward change and disruption. This was clearly evident when the nation became one of the world’s strongest Blockchain ecosystems, and is especially evident in Zug, where Ethereum is headquartered, and where companies enjoy the lowest corporate tax rates in Switzerland. Unsurprisingly, Zug is also the center of multiple crypto-related support initiatives. Concentrated in Zug, the Crypto Valley Association attracts leading cryptographic companies and organizations and creates partnerships with other leading global blockchain hubs. In addition to fintech, Switzerland enjoys a strong performance in the industry of life science and is home to several global pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis. Zurich has also established itself as a hub for innovation, offering the perfect climate for startups to become unicorns.
The highly skilled labor force is a valuable asset for Switzerland, despite the high employment cost for startups. The country has managed to position itself as a magnet for talent as indicated by its top position globally in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index by INSEAD. Fortunately, the country makes it easy for regional citizens to enter and work due to Swiss agreements with the European Union and its Entrepreneur Visa. Switzerland also has a great track record in attracting foreign investment and even offers a Golden Investor Visa. Swiss-based VC Venturelab reports it has assisted ​​90% of the country’s startups and has attracted over CHF 7 billion in investments for its alumni.
Switzerland’s public sector is focused on promoting entrepreneurial awareness and positive attitudes toward startups. The private sector is also involved through support organizations such as S-GE and digitalswitzerland. Additionally, the country has strong physical, commercial, and professional infrastructures for supporting entrepreneurship.

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ECOSYSTEM

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Ecosystem

The Startup Ecosystem in Switzerland

Our startup ecosystem map for Switzerland includes a sample of 1131 tech companies. We have identified as unicorns 6 startups that have passed the USD 1 billion valuations. Contributing to the vitality of this startup ecosystem are the 2 pantheon member entities.

Global Rank

Switzerland is ranked within the top 20 startup ecosystems globally.

Top Industries

Switzerland’s startup scene is best represented in Health, Energy & Environment, and in Hardware & and IoT.

Top Cities for Startups in Switzerland - Ranked by StartupBlink
StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
Rows:
2023 National Rank & Change ▲
Access subscores for 1000 cities and 100 countries
2023 National Rank & Change City
search leaderboards icon
Global Rank & ChangeTotal ScoreQuantity ScoreQuality ScoreBusiness Score
1st
0
61st
+
7
10.901
00.00
00.00
00.00
2nd
+
1
109th
0
6.495
00.00
00.00
00.00
3rd
+
2
115th
+
23
6.276
00.00
00.00
00.00
4th
0
121st
0
5.817
00.00
00.00
00.00
5th
-
3
126th
-
19
5.601
00.00
00.00
00.00
6th
+
1
312th
-
9
1.262
00.00
00.00
00.00
7th
+
1
325th
+
33
1.154
00.00
00.00
00.00
8th
-
2
331st
-
138
1.144
00.00
00.00
00.00
9th
+
1
482nd
-
1
0.528
00.00
00.00
00.00
10th
-
1
494th
-
93
0.510
00.00
00.00
00.00
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Startups

Notable Startups in Switzerland
Beekeeper startup icon
Beekeeper
VirtualX startup icon
VirtualX
Maps.me startup icon
Maps.me

Startups

Successful Health startups in Switzerland
Ava Women startup icon
Ava Women
Aktiia startup icon
Aktiia
Monte Rosa Therapeutics startup icon
Monte Rosa Therapeutics

Startups

Startups Ranking by Industry

Health icon
Health
#4 worldwide

On our map, you can explore a total of 312 startups for Health.

Energy & Environment icon
Energy & Environment
#7 worldwide

In Western Europe, Switzerland's Energy & Environment is in top 7. Switzerland has a concentration of about 231 of the region's total Energy & Environment startups that are represented on our map.

Hardware & IoT icon
Hardware & IoT
#8 worldwide

Switzerland's Hardware & IoT is ranked 8th in the world. Our database contains 155 for this industry.

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