The headline news came from Zurich, where AI scale-up BLP Digital secured USD 50 million from Goldman Sachs. The company, which automates enterprise resource planning processes with AI agents, already counts more than 450 corporate customers across 40 countries. Goldman cited BLP’s profitable growth and customer traction as the basis for the investment.
A second piece of news elevated Swiss healthtech: Zug-based vVARDIS Holding, which is developing non-invasive cavity treatment, attracted a strategic minority investment from Apollo-managed funds, placing the company among Europe’s small group of privately held billion-dollar healthcare businesses, and thus achieving the coveted unicorn status. Co-CEOs Haley and Goly Abivardi retain a substantial majority stake.
More than USD 65 million flowed to female-founded companies across disclosed rounds this month. Apart from BLP Digital, Dübendorf-based Bubble Robotics raised USD 5 million in a pre-seed led by Episode 1 Ventures, Asterion Ventures and Norrsken Evolve to develop autonomous robotic systems that can operate at sea for months at a time. Basel-based biotech FERROSA closed USD 3.5 million in seed financing for its bispecific antibody designed to correct iron restriction in patients with anemia of inflammation. Delta Labs raised €4.4 million in a seed round led by Cusp Capital and Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund for its AI customer simulation platform, and travel-tech startup Lobby raised USD 2.2 million to automate group bookings beyond hospitality into MICE, cruises and airlines.
A further three companies beyond vVARDIS took private equity backing or strategic investment without disclosing amounts. St. Gallen-based cohaga AG closed its first funding round and launched a new tool for AI search visibility. Aargau-based Solar Manager attracted Munich-based EMERAM to expand its energy management platform across Europe. And Marvell Technology acquired Polariton Technologies, the silicon photonics developer, against the backdrop of accelerating AI infrastructure investment.
Support organisations were also active. Venture Kick awarded CHF 150,000 each to proptech Bewy and cleantech LightSeeds. Geneva-based UNBOUND Medical Technologies received CHF 100,000 under the FIF Seed Tech program for human olfactory assessment. Two companies secured Eurostars consortium funding: Allegria Therapeutics is coordinating a €1.3 million project on chronic urticaria therapies, while CERN spin-off Terapet received €772,000 within a €2.25 million proton therapy consortium.
Growth and milestones
Female-led startups are expanding beyond Swiss borders. Lausanne-based ProteQ Health is preparing to deploy its first automated production line for insecticide-treated mosquito nets in Nigeria, with support from the Gates Foundation, ahead of World Malaria Day. Real-life dating platform noii hosted its first event outside Switzerland in Stuttgart, with at least three monthly events planned in the city and further expansion to Munich and Cologne. Babylat’s device, BABYLAT Enricher, received Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA for its automated on-site human milk fortification device, intended for use in neonatal intensive care units treating very low birth weight infants under 1.5 kg.
Meanwhile, Zurich-based menstrual disc maker rayne reported strong growth in the second half of 2025, more than quintupling sales between H1 and H2 and launching a bridge financing round that is already 75% subscribed.
Role models
The Forbes Europe 30 Under 30 list named twelve Swiss founders, including two women: Antonia Unger, CEO of logistics-AI company Arqh, and Camilla Mazzoleni, CPO of factory-automation startup Forgis.
At the POWHER Awards in Basel, Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual, CEO and co-founder of TOLREMO Therapeutics, was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The biotech, founded in 2017, develops cancer therapies targeting treatment-resistance mechanisms. Katharina Barmettler-Sutter, fourth-generation owner of the Sutter Begg bakery, took Entrepreneur of the Year. In leadership news, Geneva-based neuro-AI company dEEGtal appointed Ann Bunnenberg, a medtech entrepreneur and venture investor, to its board.
Awards and accelerator
April delivered in terms of ecosystem support. The PERL 2026 finalists, drawn from nearly 60 candidates across Lausanne region, included three female-founded companies: PAVE Space, REA Diagnostics and Surface Cleantech. Eighteen Swiss foodtech startups were selected for Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley’s Investing in the Valley showcase on April 22, six of them female-founded, including Soully, Fabas, Sentia Nova, AgroSustain, B’ZEOS and Aleph Farms.
United Against Waste named the second cohort of its StreamUp accelerator, with Heimat Teigwaren, Protaneo, Yumetofu, Bonana and Tasty Spready among the female-founded participants tackling food waste through products such as pasta from old bread and snacks from unsold produce. GENILEM took on three female-founded ventures—DentalReport, Même Pas Peur! and The Undiet Plan—for up to three years of structured support. Qubera, focused on wealth management, was selected for the Sword Startup Challenge, and Forgis won the ABB Startup Challenge for its AI-powered industrial automation platform. At BIND BioInnovation Day 2026, PreciMune took Best University Project.
Meanwhile, Axmed placed second in Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies ranking. At GenAI Award Zurich, Studyond won Impact Achievers and Virtuosis AI took Rising Innovator for its clinically validated voice biomarker platform—Virtuosis AI was also among the five Prix Strategis finalists, but did not win first prize.
Upcoming events
Join me at the Collective Gathering in Bern on May 20, the day before Swiss Startup Days kicks-off. The afternoon brings together founders, investors, board members and researchers to inspire more women to start and scale ventures, strengthen connections across the ecosystem, and push the conversation forward. See you there!
