The Swiss startup community gathered in Lausanne to witness the awarding of the 2024 Top 100 Swiss startups. The jury, comprising investors, former founders and technology experts from the private sector, administrative boards and universities, evaluated nominated startups based on the degree of innovation, maturity and relevance of the technology, the management teams and the market prospects, to select the most promising companies. The selection list is diverse, with 16 startups in cleantech, 15 in biotech and engineering sectors, 14 in ICT and 13 in medtech.

The Top 3 winners are:

Valais-based startup DePoly spearheaded the rank. In Switzerland, 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated every year. Only a fraction of this is recycled. Founded in 2020, DePoly is building an industrial demonstration plant in Lower Valais that breaks down plastic waste and makes it available to the plastics processing industry as a raw material.

In second place is Corintis, an EPFL spin-off, that developed an innovative cooling system for semiconductors, addressing the escalating heat challenges in data centers, particularly intensified by AI applications. Their solution utilizes a silicone-based liquid cooling system that integrates directly with chips, enhancing cooling efficiency by up to 10 times compared to conventional methods. The system's cooling channels are precisely matched to each chip's structure, mimicking the body's circulatory system. Corintis aims to offer a comprehensive chip-cooling solution by 2025, allowing parallel implementation of chip and cooling design. The company has secured significant orders recently, boosting their financial position. With plans to raise CHF 24 million for scaling up, Corintis is expanding its team and facilities to meet growing demand and advance their technology.

Yokoy scored the 3^rd place. Founded in 2019, the Zurich-based startup offers AI-powered expense management for medium and large companies. The platform automates invoice processing, expense tracking, and corporate card management, reducing administrative work by 90%. With over 500 clients and an annual growth rate of 280%, Yokoy has become the second-fastest growing startup in Central Europe. The company excels in handling complex regulatory environments across different countries.

Newcomers secure top positions
This year, 40 startups were listed in the Top 100 Awards for the first time, with two cleantechs in the top 20. Voltiris, which develops photovoltaic modules specifically designed for glass greenhouses, scored the 6th position. The startup has so far put almost 500 of these modules into operation at 14 greenhouses in five countries and contracts for 3,000 more have been signed. Qaptis assumed the 20th spot. Founded in 2021 as an EPFL spinoff, the startup developed carbon capture technology to reduce CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles and industrial applications.

The Top 100 Swiss Startup Award is organised by Venturelab and has to-date recognised almost 600 start-ups that jointly attracted CHF 14 billion in venture capital and created 20,000 jobs, as acknowledged by co-managing director Stefan Steiner.

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