Marina Udier’s $135 million Series D funding round for Nouscom made waves in the startup ecosystem, not only because of its size, but also because the company is already making significant progress in developing therapies for people with Lynch syndrome (LS). This inherited condition significantly increases a person's lifetime risk of developing cancer, particularly colorectal, endometrial and urothelial cancers. The company recently presented long-term cancer interception data from a Phase 1b/2 trial of NOUS-209 in LS carriers. The new funding will support further clinical development of this candidate. Biotech companies Nuclidium, iOnctura and Muvon Therapeutics are also making positive clinical progress with their respective therapies, following previous venture capital backing.
In fintech, Fatemeh Nikayin, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Rivero, and her team attracted Elevator Venturesas an investor. The company secured an undisclosed investment to support the European expansion of its payment operations platform.
October also saw a new wave of women supporting women-led businesses. Lara Gut-Behrami has invested in Sophie Chabloz's longevity startup AVEA as part of their four-year collaboration focusing on female health, performance and recovery. The partnership draws on Gut-Behrami's 18 years of experience in elite sport. Tennis star Belinda Bencic is also expanding into the startup space, with an investment in KA-EX, which develops science-backed recovery supplements.
For Jivita, founded by Isabelle Bietenholz-Lieger, the month brought another important milestone. The company signed a partnership and investment deal with Hirslanden to launch its complementary medical care solution in the inpatient operations of partner clinics. Hirslanden has already deployed the solution in two of its clinics in Zurich.
Partnerships to boost growth
Another partnership announcement came from FoodFor Labs, co-founded by Franziska Kuenburg. The company, which has so far sold its functional beverage shots almost exclusively through its own online shop, is now expanding into Germany. Its products will be available through drugstore chain Budni and in more than 200 EDEKA retail branches.
Big wins in award competitions
Two startups each secured CHF 150,000 in the third stage of Venture Kick. CHD (with Giusy Fiucci as COO) is advancing digital solutions for remote maternal and fetal monitoring. By enabling healthcare professionals to monitor high-risk pregnancies beyond the hospital, the company aims to improve access to care, detect potential complications earlier and reduce pressure on healthcare systems.
Elisabeth Blyumin, CEO of Prismus, has also secured CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to advance Lupa, its AI-powered platform connecting scientific research with industrial opportunities.
Daniela Marino, CEO and co-founder of Cutiss AG, has been selected as EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 in the "Scale-up Leaders" category. Founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the University of Zurich and University Children's Hospital Zurich, Cutiss develops biotechnological solutions for producing human skin tissue and is in the late stages of clinical development.
Jessica Droujko, founder of Riverkin, won the Female Innovator of the Year Award at the Female Innovation Forum organised by Ladies Drive. The award includes CHF 5,000 from Brack Business and in-kind prizes. Riverkin develops a Water Data Ecosystem featuring intelligent sensors that monitor rivers and smaller streams to detect flash floods at an early stage and improve forecasting. More than 100 sensors are already in operation, and Swiss hydropower plants are also using the solution. Swijin founder Claudia Glass received the Recognition Award, while additional prizes were presented to Rea Eggli and Laure Gremion.
Monix, founded by Lida Ahmadi, won the Medical Devices & Therapeutics pitch competition at Women's Health Week in London, recognising its real-time hormone health platform. Described as a world-first, the skin patch, accompanied by an AI-powered app, enables continuous, non-invasive monitoring of female hormones with laboratory-grade accuracy. Its first application is in in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). In agritech, AgroSustain, founded by Olga Dubey, was awarded a prize in the inaugural Tesco Agri-tech Challenge in the Early-Stage Innovation category. The company was recognised for Tornado, a sealing technology designed to strengthen plant resilience and protect crops. As part of the prize, AgroSustain also secured a partnership with Tesco UK.
CellX Bioscience, founded by Estelle Clerc, is developing bacteria-based solutions to biodegrade PFAS contaminants. Its process cleans up contaminated water and soil, offers an alternative to energy-intensive incineration and addresses the challenge of more than 20,000 contaminated sites across Europe. Clerc has been nominated among the Sustainable Shapers by NZZ Sustainable Switzerland and has also won the Swiss Future Award, receiving a prize of CHF 25,000. Oxadi, led by Nathalie Bourquenoud, won the IFF Award, while NovoViz took home the Prix BCN Innovation.
Exposure at trade fairs
Several major trade fairs and industry events are taking place in November, with Swiss startups among those looking to showcase their innovations and build new connections.
BioEurope, a leading conference for players in the biotechnology sector, takes place from 9–11 November in Cologne. Adipos (Nathalie Stransky-Heilkron, CTO and co-founder) and APXora (Nada Chebli, co-founder) are among the startups showcasing their innovations while gaining exposure to potential partners, customers and investors.
Are you looking for new opportunities to grow your business or workshops to sharpen your business skills? Explore the Startupticker Calendar for an overview of events taking place across Switzerland, and discover the Swiss Ecosystem Directory, featuring some of the most important support offers for startups across the country.
