Focus Sectors | Verticals
Semiconductors & Quantum
Semiconductors & Quantum are the “enabling technologies” that power all other deep tech verticals, from artificial intelligence to the energy transition. This sector includes the design and manufacturing of novel semiconductor chips, photonics, and neuromorphic computing, as well as the development of quantum hardware, software, and sensing. These are foundational technologies that unlock exponential leaps in computing power and performance.
Switzerland has emerged as a premier global hub for this “hard tech,” anchored by world-class talent from ETH Zurich, EPFL, and specialized research institutes like CSEM and CERN. For investors, the Swiss ecosystem offers a “uniquely stable environment” insulated from geopolitical volatility, which is critical for the long-term R&D cycles these technologies demand. A new, ambitious generation of founders is tackling the full stack, supported by generous R&D funding and a culture of continuous innovation.
On this page, we detail the companies building the future of computing. Discover the top-funded startups like Kandou, Sensirion, and Terra Quantum, the diverse research hubs, and the “companies to watch” that are positioning Switzerland as a leader in both the semiconductor and quantum revolutions.
Notable Companies
Key Stats*
70+
VC-Backed startups
$532M
VC funding since 2019
$1.7B
Combined Enterprise Value
Tob Hubs in Zurich, Stäfa (ETH), Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva (CERN), Neuchâtel (CSEM), Bern and Basel.
* All data is taken from the Swiss Deep Tech Report 2025.
Companies to watch
Liquid cooling for high-power chips in data centers.
Photonic chip foundry for thin-film Lithium Niobate.
Trapped-ion quantum computers.
Nanotechnology fabrication for electronics.
Next-generation ultrafast lasers for precision sensing.
Photonic chip foundry for thin-film Lithium Niobate.
Photonic hardware solutions for transmitting data.
Single-photon processing for computational imaging.
AI agents accelerating microchip development.
«Switzerland’s strength in Deep Tech, particularly in semiconductors, is built on world-class talent, cutting-edge research, and a culture of continuous innovation. Our collaborative ecosystem turns bold ideas into technologies that shape global industries. At Kandou, we are proud to contribute to this momentum-developing foundational technologies that democratize Al and push the boundaries of what’s possible, making advanced solutions more accessible and impactful worldwide.»
Amin Shokrollahi
Co-Founder & CTO
Kandou Bus
«Switzerland has one of the strongest Deep Tech talent pools in the world, anchored by ETH and EPFL. It attracts top international talent, supported by generous public R&D funding. The country offers a uniquely stable environment to build, insulated from the academic politicization and culture wars seen elsewhere.»
Alexis Houssou
Founder & Managing Partner
HCVC
Who’s Who in Semicoductors and Quantum
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AGIRE FOUNDATION
Lugano
We are the Innovation Agency of southern Switzerland and we provide support to start-ups and innovative SMEs on their path to growth.
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FONGIT
Geneva
We support entrepreneurs with the expertise, resources and financing they need in transforming innovative ideas into sustainable companies.
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Founderful
Zurich
Founderful is Switzerland’s leading pre-seed fund. First, fast & founder-friendly, backing Switzerland’s best tech entrepreneurs to become global market leaders.
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QBIT Capital
Zurich
QBIT Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm with offices in Zurich, Villigen and Los Angeles. We invest exclusively in Switzerland.
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SEF.Growth
Bern
SEF.Growth supports Swiss start-ups & SMEs overcome growth challenges via expert feedback, coaching, & the High Potential Label to accelerate market success/network access.
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Spicehaus
Zug, Zurich
Spicehaus fuels the rise of Swiss B2B technology companies that are set to become international leaders
Most Active Swiss VCs in Semicoductors and Quantum
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Founderful
Focus on early stage
Cleantech
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QBIT capital
Focus on early stage
ICT
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SICTIC
Focus on early stage
ICT
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Swisscom Ventures
Focus on later stage
ICT
Participated in funding round of >100 mio.
Invested in Unicorn
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Verve Ventures
All stages
Medtech
Success Stories
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Read more: European Spinouts Report 2025: Switzerland Confirmed as Europe’s Deep Tech PowerhouseThe most critical metric in innovation is not volume but efficiency. While larger economies naturally produce higher absolute numbers of companies, the true measure of…
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Read more: Why Deep Tech Pioneers and Private Equity are a MatchThis autumn saw notable activity from private equity investors in Switzerland, including a USD 500 million exit in addition to investments. Their preference for innovative…
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Read more: Samuel Müller: FounderScandit has never advertised itself by referring to its Swiss origins. “We had a global vision from the beginning,” explains Samuel Müller, CEO and co-founder…
Semiconductors & Quantum
News
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$24M to bring chip cooling breakthrough closer to mass production
Corintis has closed a USD 24 million Series A funding round. The funds will be used to ramp up to mass-production and target the next…
startupticker.ch
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ETH Zurich spin-off u-blox to be sold at a unicorn valuation
The US private equity firm Advent International plans to acquire u-blox, a global provider of leading positioning and short-range communication technologies and services, for CHF…
startupticker.ch
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German optics giant acquires Pi imaging Technologies
Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, based in Germany, has acquired all equity shares and employees of Pi Imaging Technologies SA. The Lausanne-based startup is known for…
startupticker.ch
FAQ on Semiconductors and Quantum
1. Why is Switzerland a top location for semiconductor and quantum startups?
Switzerland combines one of the world’s strongest deep tech talent pools from ETH Zurich and EPFL with a “uniquely stable environment” and a new generation of ambitious founders focused on building global leaders.
2. What is the “uniquely stable environment” for R&D in Switzerland?
As noted by HCVC, Switzerland offers a stable environment to build, “insulated from the academic politicization and culture wars seen elsewhere”, which is a major advantage for long-term deep tech R&D.
3. Which research institutions anchor the Swiss quantum and semiconductor ecosystem?
Beyond ETH Zurich and EPFL, key R&D centers include CSEM
(microtechnology), CERN (advanced engineering), and the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI).
4. Who are the top semiconductor companies to watch in Switzerland?
The next generation includes CORINTIS (liquid cooling for data centers), SynSense (neuromorphic computing), ZuriQ (trapped-ion quantum computers), and LIGHTIUM (photonic chips).
5. What are the key investment trends in Swiss photonics and chip design?
Investors are backing highly technical teams across the full stack, including novel compute architectures, photonics, thermal management, and emerging modalities for quantum computing. Key companies include Kandou (high-speed connectivity) and Sensirion (sensor chips).
6. How does Switzerland’s quantum research compare globally?
Swiss universities and research centers are at the forefront of quantum research, particularly in trapped-ion computing (ZuriQ) and quantum sensing, creating a strong pipeline of venture-backable spin-offs.
