Focus Sectors | Verticals
TechBio
TechBio is where the technological revolution meets the biological one. This vertical sits at the intersection of AI, engineering, and life sciences, leveraging cutting-edge tools to reinvent how we discover and create. Key areas include AI-driven drug discovery, protein engineering, genomics, and synthetic biology, which are rapidly translating digital insights into tangible biological solutions.
Switzerland is “one of the best places in Europe to build an AI and TechBio company”. The ecosystem’s unparalleled strength lies in its unique combination of two critical assets: the world-class engineering and AI talent emerging from ETH Zurich and EPFL, and the immense industrial power and domain expertise of two of the world’s top 10 pharma companies, Roche and Novartis, headquartered in Switzerland. This creates a complete, end-to-end ecosystem for innovation, from initial discovery to global-scale commercialization and high-value exits.
On this page, we highlight the innovators at the forefront of this convergence. Discover the “companies to watch” in this rapidly growing field, understand the key hubs in Lausanne, Zurich, and Basel, and explore the investment opportunities being created as “deep academic excellence is now rapidly translating into a vibrant ecosystem”.
Notable Companies
Key Stats*
55+
VC-Backed startups
$732M
VC funding since 2019
$4.1B
Combined Enterprise Value
Tob Hubs in Lausanne, Basel (Pharma hub) and Zurich.
* All data is taken from the Swiss Deep Tech Report 2025.
Companies to watch
Cell line technology for gene therapy.
Immune system rejuvenation.
Modular AI solutions accelerating drug discovery.
AI fingerprinting technology for molecular identification.
Genomic data.
Protein engineering.
Platform for cell and gene therapy manufacturing at scale.
RNA sequencing at scale.
«Having spent many years in the San Francisco Bay Area, I think Zurich is one of the best places to build an Al and TechBio company in Europe today. The talent pool coming out of top Universities such as ETH and EPFL has attracted companies such as Google, Meta and Microsoft with thousands of people, as well as more recently Nvidia, OpenAl and Anthropic. With both Cradle & Isomorphic labs located in Switzerland, and having two of the top 10 global pharmas (Roche, Novartis) we are set up for success.»
Stef van Grieken
Co-Founder & CEO
Cradle Bio
«Switzerland is one of the best places in Europe to invest at the intersection of Al, biology, and healthcare. The scientific talent emerging from world-class institutions like ETH Zurich and EPFL is among the strongest on the continent, and we’re seeing a new generation of founders with the bold ambition to build truly generational companies. Fields like precision oncology, protein engineering and Al-driven healthcare applications are thriving – what began with deep academic excellence is now rapidly translating into a vibrant ecosystem of growing technology companies.»
Manuel Grossmann
General Partner
Amino Collective
Who’s Who in TechBio
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redalpine
Zurich
redalpine is a multi-stage, pan-European venture capital firm with over 100 companies in its portfolio and over CHF1bn in AuM
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Most Active Swiss VCs in TechBio
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…
TechBio
News
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Indivi secures CHF 15 million
TechBio company Indivi has closed a CHF15 million investment round led by Ava Investors to accelerate the validation and deployment of precision medicine tools in…
startupticker.ch
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Axon Technologies acquired by Aquavit Pharmaceuticals
Axon Technologies AG, formerly known as Genève Technologies, has been acquired by Aquavit Pharmaceuticals AG, marking a strategic leap forward in artificial intelligence and advanced…
startupticker.ch
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Reconnect Labs emerges from stealth mode fully funded
Reconnect Labs, a spin-off of the University of Zürich, is transforming psychiatric drug development through AI-driven, regenerative therapies for patients facing PTSD, addiction, and other…
startupticker.ch
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CHF 79 million to advance Nuclidium’s copper-based radiopharmaceutical platform
NUCLIDIUM AG, a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing a proprietary copper-based theranostic platform, has closed its Series B financing round led by Kurma Growth Opportunities Fund.…
startupticker.ch
FAQ on TechBio
1. What is TechBio and why is Switzerland a leader in this field?
TechBio is the application of advanced technology (like AI, ML, and automation) to biology. Switzerland is a leader because it uniquely combines world-class AI/engineering talent from ETH Zurich and EPFL with the “top 10 global pharma” expertise of Roche and Novartis.
2. How do pharma giants like Roche and Novartis support the Swiss TechBio ecosystem?
They anchor the ecosystem by creating a massive pool of specialized talent, providing partnership opportunities for startups, and establishing Switzerland (especially Basel) as a global center for life science, which attracts investors and talent.
3. What is the relationship between AI and TechBio in Switzerland?
AI is a key driver. Companies like cradle (AI for protein engineering) and ISOSPEC (AI for molecular identification) are founded by talent from top AI labs and are applying these skills to solve biological problems.
4. Who are the top Swiss TechBio startups for investors?
The sector is led by companies like cradle, CRISPR Therapeutics, and HAYA Therapeutics. The next generation to watch includes Adaptyv Bio, Limula, and NEW BIOLOGIX.
5. What makes Switzerland “one of the best places in Europe” to build a TechBio company?
According to Stef van Grieken, CEO of cradle, the combination of top university talent, the presence of major tech labs (Google, Meta), and the proximity to global pharma “set us up for success”
6. What are the key investment opportunities in Swiss protein engineering?
As highlighted by Amino Collective, fields like precision oncology, protein engineering, and AI-driven healthcare applications are “thriving”, backed by strong scientific talent and founders with bold ambition.
