
ORIGYN Foundation partners with WatchBox to bring watchmaking into a new era
ORIGYN, the Neuchâtel-based foundation dedicated to identifying, authenticating, and unlocking the powers of ownership for objects of value, has partnered with WatchBox, the global leader in collectible luxury timepieces. ORIGYN and WatchBox will collaborate to produce Utility NFTs, which enables the ownership of luxury watches to become digitally tradable, efficiently unlocking secondary market liquidity. Buyers of these watches, […]

Tune Insight’s sensitive data collaboration solution receives FIT boost
Lausanne-based Tune Insight was awarded a Tech Seed loan from the FIT to help the start-up expand its development team and move from proofs-of-concept to licensing revenues in the fields of health, insurance and cybersecurity. Tune Insight develops a software solution that enables organizations to collaborate securely for extracting collective insights from their most sensitive and […]

Picterra raises USD 6.5 million to democratize geospatial mapping
Vaud-based Picterra is a leading provider of geospatial machine learning software. The company announced the closing of a USD 6.5 million financing round led by VI Partners. Earth Observation imagery is this century’s key resource. As satellite and aerial imagery become more accessible, companies are discovering new use cases as part of their data strategy. […]

Digital trust campus Square One will be called unlimitrust
SICPA’s upcoming campus, previously known as Square One, is now called unlimitrust. The campus aims to become the global center for the trust economy. Previously known as Square One, the new unlimitrust campus embodies SICPA’s purpose of enabling digital trust for governments and citizens. With this campus dedicated to the trust economy, SICPA aims to attain a global […]

Trust Valley cybersecurity start-ups win the Tech4Trust awards
The Tech4Trust awards ceremony rewarded three cybersecurity and digital trust start-ups chosen among 12 finalists. The winners are Vaud-based Saporo, Tune Insight and PRODAFT. On the occasion of the Swiss Cyber Security Days, the winners of the 2022 Tech4Trust Awards were revealed. Organized by the Trust Valley initiative, this ceremony distinguishes the best start-ups in cybersecurity and digital trust. “We […]

Blockchain group Wecan continues to attract high-profile investors
Wecan Group, parent company of Wecan Comply, closes a second financing round of CHF 1.7 million with new shareholders, including Michel Reybier. Wecan Group offers the first blockchain infrastructure enabling banks to manage their customers’ compliance. The group offers a solution for the secure storage and exchange of structured data and documents between organisations and individuals. […]

Two pilots to test Tune Insight secure health collaborations
Cybersecurity start-up Tune Insight has announced a collaboration with SPHN and university hospitals for two pilot projects relating to secure data collaborations in oncology. Based at the EPFL Innovation Park, Tune Insight is a cybersecurity start-up developing secure computing solutions for sensitive and confidential data. The start-up provides a platform for secure collaborations on sensitive or confidential […]

Cybersecurity start-up CYSEC raises CHF 4 million to support European growth
Driven by a growing demand, CYSEC has raised CHF 4 million in a seed extension round to further its growth in digital assets and edge computing. CYSEC develops ARCA, a hardware-based trusted execution environment (TEE) securing sensitive data and workloads with a full stack protection – from hardware, to kernel, to application, on premise, on the […]

Neuchâtel privacy start-up Nym joined by Swisscom
Swisscom is joining Nym, a start-up specialized in leveraging blockchain technology to reward nodes that run global privacy networks. Built by leading researchers and experienced developers, Nym Technologies is an open-source and decentralized infrastructure that offers full-stack privacy. The platform is permission-less and incentivized, empowering developers to build applications that guarantee security against metadata surveillance at the […]

ELCA and BlueVoyant launch new cyber-defence joint venture Senthorus
In partnership with US company BlueVoyant, ELCA has announced the creation of a new cyber-defence joint venture : Senthorus. This operations center will allow clients to benefit from state-of-the-art protection from an independent trusted Swiss company. The partnership between ELCA and BlueVoyant brings together years of experience in IT and Cyber Detection and Response. It will enable ELCA and BlueVoyant […]

Blockchain specialist Wecan raises CHF 1.6 million for its digital vaults
Building on its rapid growth with 13 banks and 59 independent asset managers using Wecan Comply, blockchain software specialist Wecan Group has announced a CHF 1.6 million fundraising. Wecan Group‘s new CHF 1.6 million funding round supports the Geneva-based company’s strategy of building a unique digital vault infrastructure with Zero Knowledge Proof, real-time auditability on […]

Dufour Aerospace will commercialize its “Swiss army knife” Aero2 eVTOL
Initially intended as a technology demonstrator aircraft, the Aero2 drone developed by the Valais-based company Dufour Aerospace will be officially commercialized. A first prototype will be built by the end of 2022. The Aero2 tilt-wing drone developed by Dufour Aerospace was initially intended to serve as a technology demonstrator. However, its performance in flight tests has led […]

ORIGYN Foundation raises USD 20 million for its NFT platforms
ORIGYN Foundation, a Neuchâtel-based non-profit dedicated to identifying, authenticating and unlocking the powers of ownership for objects of value, has raised USD 20 million. Founded in October 2020, ORIGYN develops a technology that certifies and guarantees the authenticity of physical and digital items using advanced recognition and identification techniques created by leading experts in computer vision, artificial […]

CYSEC wins ESA contract to protect governmental data
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract to CYSEC, a Vaud-based cybersecurity company, to develop end-to-end protection of governmental data exchanged over satellites. Satellite communications are a critical part of security and defense-related governmental communications (Govsatcom) with many use cases ranging from surveillance, crisis management, critical infrastructure management, border control, election monitoring, etc. […]

Blockchain-powered privacy start-up Nym raises USD 13 million
Neuchâtel based privacy start-up Nym Technologies has successfully closed a USD 13 million investment round led by Andreessen Horowitz. Built by leading researchers and experienced developers, Nym Technologies is an open-source and decentralized infrastructure that offers full-stack privacy. The platform is permission-less and incentivized, empowering developers to build applications that guarantee security against metadata surveillance […]

Fribourg contract specialist Symfact acquired by Scanmarket
Scanmarket, a Danish expert in Source-to-Contract (S2C) solutions, has taken over Symfact, a Contract Lifecycle Management and Third-Party Risk Management software company based in the canton of Fribourg. Supply chain assessment, data privacy, data protection and cyber security have all become urgent business requirements with the arrival of Covid-19. Over the past 18 months, it […]

Blockchain-based agritech Farmer Connect wins over Japan
Farmer Connect has just announced its first Swiss partnership with Lausanne-based coffee roaster The Good Life and is officially launching in Japan, a key market. Farmer Connect is an agritech whose digitalization solutions are designed to improve the traceability, efficiency and sustainability of coffee and cocoa supply chains globally. These solutions promote fair, inclusive and efficient […]

AgEagle to acquire Vaud-based drone pioneer senseFly
Western Switzerland drone pioneer senseFly has announced that US company AgEagle will acquire it from Parrot in a cash and stock transaction valued at USD 23 million. Founded in 2009 and employing 19 people, senseFly develops and produces a proprietary line of eBee-branded, high performance, fixed wing drones for professional use. Safe, ultra-light and easy to use, these […]

FINMA approves the first Swiss crypto fund
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA has approved the first crypto fund according to Swiss law. Crypto Finance, a proven leader in market-forward, regulated crypto asset funds, manages this fund. For the first time, FINMA has approved a Swiss fund that invests primarily in cryptoassets (assets based on the blockchain or distributed ledger technology). The fund […]

Alephium raises USD 3.6 Million to grow its sharded and energy-efficient blockchain platform
High-performance sharding-based blockchain company Alephium has pre-sold tokens for over USD 3.6 million to several major funds and a large number of small buyers. Lausanne-based Alephium is the first operational sharded blockchain bringing secure smart contracts, scalability, and energy efficiency to Bitcoin’s proven core technologies (UTXO & Proof-Of-Work) while offering better performance. The USD 3.6 million pre-sale was led […]

Tune Insight secures pre-seed round for its infrastructure-agnostic solutions
Lausanne-based start-up Tune Insight, a B2B software provider of infrastructure-agnostic solutions, has announced closing a pre-seed funding round. Today’s organizations are heavily data-centric when required to make sound decisions. According to data from Forrester, more than 56% of the companies in the enterprise data and analytics market acknowledge that their own data is not enough, […]

Fintech YouHodler inaugurates its headquarters in Lausanne
With the support of Innovaud and Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), crypto economy specialist YouHolder has opened its Swiss headquarters in Lausanne. Launched in 2017, YouHodler’s platform helps people access the benefits of the crypto economy. The fintech allows users to get instant cash via cryptocurrency loans, exchange crypto, fiat, and stablecoins quickly and easily, and […]

HES-SO Valais-Wallis launches a training program dedicated to cybersecurity
Between scams and phishing, the rise of remote work has made the job of cybercriminals even easier. To address this issue, the HES-SO Valais-Wallis has launched a CAS in Cybersecurity. Cybersecurity has become a major consideration these days, and it will be increasingly risky to underestimate the growing digital threats in the near future. More […]

Cybersecurity specialist CYSEC brings confidential computing to space
EPFL start-up CYSEC and the Cyber-Defence Campus of armasuisse entered a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) for the industrial implementation of a technology developed to protect data transiting and collected in space via satellites. In 2019, armasuisse’s CYD (Cyber-Defence Campus) in collaboration with Oxford University showed that with $ 300 worth of TV equipment one can access sensitive information broadcasted […]

Deep tech cybersecurity start-up Threatray secures CHF 2.3 million
Threatray, a spin-off of the Bern University of Applied sciences, has completed its seed round, raising CHF 2.3 million to support its growth and the expansion of its team. The clues to understanding and defending against malware threats are often hidden deep in data. Most malware analysis technologies lack the depth and intelligence-based capabilities needed […]

Flybotix receives a Tech Growth Loan for its indoor inspection drones
EPFL start-up Flybotix has received a Tech Growth Loan in the amount of CHF 400’000 for its drone based on a proprietary propulsion and steering technology that brings disruptive changes to the market of indoor industrial inspection drones. Drones are more and more widely used to inspect hard-to-reach and dangerous areas, but many of them […]

Windshape, swiss aeropole and CSEM partner with Boeing
Boeing partners with Western Switzerland key players Windshape, swiss aeropole and CSEM to advance the existing Swiss-based UAS ecosystem, developing critical technologies that will shape the future of the commercial and defense aerospace industry. Boeing is proposing 11 new unmanned aircraft system (UAS) research projects with partners across Switzerland’s French, Italian and German-speaking regions. The research […]

Vaud-based start-up Dpendent seeks to make drones more independent
Based at the heart of the “Drone Valley”, Dpendent has just received a loan of CHF 100’000 to develop a new technology aimed at increasing the independence of drones. Nowadays, drones are used for increasingly complex missions, requiring the tool to be as efficient as possible. Although the technology is evolving, with more precise, smaller […]

Geneva-based biometrics specialist TECH5 receives $ 2.5 million
Recognizing TECH5’s leadership and growth potential in identity management and digital ID, the company received $ 2.5 million of investment from Yinda Infocomm through a loan convertible into shares.

Geneva-based fintech Taurus launches the world’s first regulated digital assets marketplace
Digital asset infrastructure company Taurus received a license from the FINMA to operate the world’s first independent regulated marketplace for digital assets.

Real estate tokenization pioneer RealT partners with Geneva-based blockchain specialist Mt Pelerin
RealT, the global leader in real estate tokenization, has chosen Bridge Protocol, the open source asset tokenization technology from Geneva-based fintech Mt Pelerin, to optimize the management of its properties and its many investors.

Crop protection UAVs pioneer Aero41 participates in a EUR 7 million project funded by the EU
Lausanne-based drone start-up Aero41 will lend its advanced software design and deployment capabilities to the EU-funded SESAME project. EUR 7 million will be invested in the project.

Drone company Flyability raises EUR 7 million to accelerate its global expansion
The Vaud-based indoor inspection drone company and EPFL spin-off, Flyability, has raised EUR 7 million to accelerate its global expansion. Since its foundation in 2014, Flyability has grown to become the leading indoor inspection drone company with over 500 customers, 100 employees and a network of over 50 resellers worldwide. With its technology, the company […]

Underwater robotics start-up Hydromea to collaborate with oil giant Total
Vaud-based start-up Hydromea, which develops underwater robots, has received the endorsement of the Innovation Center for the Offshore Industry for a multi-million dollar project. The Offshore Industry Innovation Center (OGTC), based in Aberdeen, Scotland, has announced that it is supporting Hydromea, an EPFL spin-off, on a six-year, multi-million Swiss franc project comprising four phases. The […]

Y-Parc fintech start-up NetGuardians raises CHF 17 million to fight online fraud
Fintech company NetGuardians, renowned for its smarter AI-based enterprise risk platform for combating banking fraud, has successfully completed a new round of funding. Investors include Pictet Group and ACE & Company. The global coronavirus pandemic has accelerated digitization among banks, opening up new channels for servicing customers. It has also meant that many more millions […]

Start-up Involi to become a key player in Canada’s drone air traffic management
Air traffic awareness systems specialist Involi has been chosen by NAV Canada to deploy its infrastructure on telecom antennas and towers to create air corridors for the development of drone flights.

Trust Valley : Western Switzerland’s center of expertise on digital trust and cybersecurity has officially launched
An alliance for excellence in the field of cybersecurity, supported by multiple public, private and academic players, the “Trust Valley” has officially been launched. Trust Valley brings together the cantons of Vaud and Geneva, the Swiss Confederation, academic institutions and leading companies to build a center of expertise and foster the creation of innovative projects […]

Vaud-based cybersecurity specialist Kudelski partners with Amazon
The American e-commerce giant Amazon has chosen the Vaud-based encryption and secure access specialist Kudelski to perform cybersecurity tests on its virtual assistant Alexa. Nowadays, manufacturers can connect their devices to the Alexa voice speaker system or integrate Amazon’s assistant directly into their products. This integration requires that their devices undergo a series of tests […]

An international Centre of Digital Innovation to be established in Geneva
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the United Arab Emirates have signed an agreement to establish a new center for digital innovation and transformation in Geneva. Known as I-CoDI, this new center to be based in Geneva will help ITU Members, Sector Members and other key stakeholders to integrate […]

Vaud-based digital asset custody start-up METACO raises $17 million
METACO, the leading provider of security-critical digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, has announced a Series A round of $17 million. This funding will drive the next phase of METACO’s growth in sales, product, and partnerships on an international level.

Switzerland’s Trust Valley : leading the way in international digital governance
The cantons of Vaud and Geneva are joining forces to launch the Trust Valley, a public-private partnership aimed at promoting excellence in the areas of digital trust and cybersecurity in the Lake Geneva region. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transition of the economy and highlighted its reliance on critical digital infrastructures and services. […]

Blockchain Partner chooses Geneva for its first office abroad
The French leader in blockchain transformation has opened an office in Geneva to better support its existing clients in Switzerland.

The first quantum smartphone integrates a technology made in Geneva
Using Geneva’s ID Quantique quantum random number generator technology, Samsung and SK Telekom will launch the first quantum consumer smartphone. Samsung, SK Telecom and ID Quantique partnered to release a custom edition of the Galaxy A71 5G – the Galaxy A Quantum, the world’s first QRNG-powered 5G smartphone – which will feature a Quantum Random […]

EPFL launches Center for Intelligent Systems
EPFL’s new Center for Intelligent Systems (CIS) will act as a research promotion platform for bringing together experts in machine learning, data science, computer vision, cyberphysical systems and robotics.

Scale-ups Flyability and Pix4D team up to model interiors with a drone
The anti-collision drone manufacturer Flyability and the aerial image processing and transformation software developer Pix4D are joining forces to add a Pix4Dmapper photogrammetry module – the industry leading solution – to the Elios 2 rough terrain inspection robot.

Geneva Blockchain Congress 2020 to address sustainability in business
Following the success of its inaugural edition in 2019, the Geneva Blockchain Congress returns to the Swiss city with a focus on blockchain and sustainability.

Neuchâtel seeks to increase the population’s understanding of blockchain technology
Although companies are increasingly integrating blockchain into their projects, this technology remains a challenging one for citizens. With his NEDAO project, Fabio Bonfiglio intends to change that.

Crypto Valley: official launch of the Western Switzerland Chapter
Switzerland is a blockchain nation : the cluster of blockchain companies and foundations extends far beyond the borders of the small town of Zug where it originated, encompassing the whole country. The Crypto Valley Association is now officially connecting Zug with Western Switzerland.

Launch of the Swiss Cybersecurity Specialist federal certificate
The new professional profile of Cybersecurity Specialist with a federal certificate was officially launched on 11 November 2019, with the aim of turning future graduates into ICT security experts. The new national Cyber Security Specialist Certificate provides training for specialists so that they can acquire practical skills to effectively manage cyber risks. After the approval […]

A blockchain-centric training institute in Geneva
A new Geneva-based training institute specializing exclusively in blockchain provides engineers with training on complex programming languages such as Ethereum, Hyperledger, Tezos, Stellar Ripple and Libra.

Geneva welcomes the CyberPeace Institute
Geneva welcomes the CyberPeace Institute, an organization dedicated to assisting vulnerable communities, promoting transparency and participating in international discussions about behaviour in cyberspace.

Fintech platform YouHodler opens Swiss office
Attracted by Switzerland’s outstanding blockchain community, national infrastructure and innovation support mechanisms, YouHodler has recently established a presence in Lausanne.

METACO, AlgoTrader and Cysec announce a strategic partnership
Three Swiss fintech startups have joined forces to create a technology solution that allows financial institutions to seamlessly integrate, manage and trade cryptocurrencies and other cryptoassets.

METACO, AlgoTrader and Cysec announce a strategic partnership
Three Swiss fintech startups have joined forces to create a technology solution that allows financial institutions to seamlessly integrate, manage and trade cryptocurrencies and other cryptoassets.

Vacheron Constantin uses blockchain to authenticate its watches
To combat counterfeiting and guarantee authenticity throughout the lifespan of its timepieces, the world’s oldest manufacturer of fine watches has adopted a certification process supported by the blockchain technology.

MegaVerse offers on-demand cybersecurity training
Based at the Edtech Collider of the EPFL and Microcity in Neuchâtel, the startup MegaVerse uses artificial intelligence at the heart of its adaptive learning platform.

Facebook establishes its blockchain payment company in Geneva
Facebook has chosen Geneva to create Libra Networks, which will enable the social network to develop payment and financing services using blockchain technology and big data.

Aero41 develops a drone for the protection of crops
Located in the canton of Vaud, halfway between the Valais and Vaud vineyards, close to the technological hubs at the forefront of robotics and IT technology of the future, Aero41 is a new structure created to develop drone-based crop protection in Switzerland.

A Fintech Executive Education Program launches in Geneva
The University of Geneva and the Geneva Finance Research Institute are launching the first Executive Education program in fintech.

Switzerland takes the lead around the safe integration of drones
As industry and regulatory stakeholders across Europe work to establish a framework for pan-European drone regulations, some countries and regions have taken the lead in terms of establishing how manned and unmanned aircraft will be able to safely interact.

Finma’s fintech license is available
Since 1 January 2019, it is possible to obtain a “fintech” licence from Finma. The objective of this license is to encourage innovative companies, particularly in the field of new financial technologies.

Kudelski launches a Blockchain Security Center
Kudelski Security, the cybersecurity division of the Kudelski Group based in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, has announced the launch of its Blockchain Security Center (BSC), making available its cryptography expertise to the rapidly evolving blockchain developer community.

Blockchain training courses launch in Geneva
By offering broader as well as more specialized training courses, the UNIGE and CREA respond to the wide interest generated by blockchain, a technological revolution that will allow the creation of new decentralized applications.

YesWeHack opens an office in Lausanne
The French company YesWeHack, specialized in bug bounty, opens an office in Lausanne with the aim of responding to the local companies’ needs.

Geneva issues first-ever guide in support of ICO project holders
The Geneva authorities have recently published a specific guide on Initial Coin Offerings to support and qualify ICO projects in view of their establishment in the canton.

In Valais, H55 develops the electric plane of the future
The start-up created by André Borschberg, co-founder and pilot of the Solar Impulse project, has raised almost 5 million francs. These funds will allow the company to work on an all-electric two-seater aircraft capable of flying for two hours.

World Economic Forum announces Global Center for Cybersecurity
In an effort to counter digital crime and build a safer and more secure global cyberspace, the World Economic Forum launched a new Global Center for Cybersecurity on January 24th.

Geneva launches initiatives to harness the power of blockchain
The new Blockchain Lab and the Swiss Blockchain Association will provide education and infrastructure for entrepreneurs, and help reshape businesses through the blockchain.

Global Blockchain Business Council incorporates in Geneva
As the most active multilateral diplomatic center in the world and home to hundreds of international organizations, Geneva is the ideal location for the blockchain advocacy body.

Hewlett-Packard inaugurates new European headquarters in Geneva
The building is the first element of a large sustainable real estate development project called “The Hive”, which is taking shape right next to Geneva.

Geneva to play leading role in global Internet governance
Geneva has recently launched the Geneva Digital Talks on cybersecurity, in partnership with Digitalswitzerland. The Swiss city is also hosting the Internet Governance Forum, the main platform where Internet-related public policy issues are discussed.