The Basel Area confirmed its reputation as one of the most important startup regions in Switzerland in 2023. According to the Swiss Venture Capital Report 2024, the canton of Basel-Stadt recorded 20 financing rounds last year, which produced an overall investment volume of 248 million Swiss francs. For its part, the canton of Basel-Landschaft recorded eight financing rounds totaling 109 million Swiss francs overall. As a result, both cantons again rank among the ten most important locations for startup financing. The canton of Jura also registered two financing rounds. With growth of 82 percent in terms of the investment volume, Basel-Stadt actually posted the sharpest growth across all cantons.

Three companies from the region also made the list of the top ten largest individual investments. Founded in 2020, the Basel-based Noema Pharma banked 103 million Swiss francs from both existing and new investors, while BaseLaunch portfolio company Alentis Therapeutics, founded in 2019 and based in Allschwil in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, secured investment totaling 94 million Swiss francs. Nouscom, which was founded in Basel back in 2015, benefited from an investment of 65 million Swiss francs.

Five company acquisitions

There was a change of ownership at five companies based in the region last year. Founded in 2015, the Allschwil-based T3 Pharma was acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim, while Vertical Bio in Basel, which was only founded in 2023, is now owned by the French firm Pierre Fabre Laboratories. Herbonis, which is located in Augst in the canton of Basel-Landschaft and was founded in 2001, was taken over by the Belgian company Innovad. Founded in 2008, the Basel-based firm Clinerion was acquired by Citeline in the USA, while the new owner of VectivBio is Ironwood Pharmaceuticals in Boston.

The growth in the Basel Area also reflects the general rise in investments seen across the biotechnology sector. Across Switzerland, growth of 22 percent to 492 million Swiss francs was recorded in this sector.

Conversely, in 2023, the Swiss startup landscape experienced its most significant decline since 2011. At 2,588 million Swiss francs, the volume did still exceed the Covid-19 year of 2020, when the equivalent figure totaled around 2,300 million Swiss francs.

The Swiss Venture Capital Report is published on an annual basis by startupticker.ch in partnership with the Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association (SECA).