Ritah Ayebare Nyakato

Welcome to a new year of female entrepreneurship and innovation. The year has kicked off on a strong note, with several company updates from female founders—including funding rounds, product launches, and exits—creating a buzz.

By addressing critical challenges in food waste, healthcare, sustainability, and technology, female founders are not just creating businesses but driving meaningful societal and environmental change across multiple sectors.

Despite the slow August month, Female founders have remained active. This month’s edition showcases their achievements, aiming to inspire both them and aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their goals and enhance their visibility.

Startups in the biotech sector are making strides in the development of new solutions for various medical challenges, putting female founders in the spotlight. Beyond their achievements, the growing participation of female-led businesses in startup initiatives highlights the dynamic and inclusive nature of the Swiss startup ecosystem, paving the way for more female-led ventures to thrive.

The prevalence of funding-related news in our reporting is not without reason; indeed, there is a constant influx of capital into startups – even in female-led ventures. This investment fuels these nascent businesses, enabling them to operate, innovate, and grow. However, not all companies are equally successful in attracting investors, which can lead to ceasing operations.

Funding female-led ventures has remained a topic of discussion in the startup scene as investment activities in this segment are slow. Nevertheless, recent successes prove that promising startups can raise significant capital.

The spotlight shines the brightest on the trailblazers – startup founders who dare to disrupt, create, and lead. In this edition, we focus on the achievements of female founders who are shaping industries while leaving a mark on the Swiss entrepreneurial scene.

With the annual International Women’s Day, we celebrate female founders’ achievements while drawing attention to the current state of the venture capital landscape and the ecosystem’s undertakings to promote female entrepreneurship.

In the ever-evolving Swiss startup landscape, success stories emerge across various fronts, showcasing the vibrancy and potential of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Remarkably, most of the announcements made in the past weeks have been mainly about life sciences companies, with a few in cleantech, Fintech and other sectors. There are new insights from the latest Swiss Venture Capital Report.

November brought success for female founders: Nouscom raised €67.5M, and other startups secured funding. Awards highlighted impressive achievements.