What began as a simple ranking has long since become more than just a list. Today, the award is a meeting place for investors, entrepreneurs and industry experts, a place for mutual discovery and promotion. In addition to the ranking itself, a community has formed that strengthens founders, opens doors for them and gives ideas the attention they deserve.
Every year, the award proves that innovation does not happen in secret. It is people who have the courage to try something new and find partners who believe in them.
Successes that leave their mark
638 start-ups have raised CHF 17.8 billion in venture capital and created 20,870 new jobs in the last decade and a half. Behind these figures are stories of teams that have turned a vision into an internationally sought-after company. Engineers who make machines quieter and more efficient. Scientists who are turning plastic back into its basic materials. Lawyers with a dream of a digital solution that makes knowledge more quickly accessible.
The faces of 2025
The current ranking reflects precisely this diversity. With Corintis, DePoly and DeepJudge, three start-ups that could hardly be more different top the list.
Corintis cools high-performance processors in a revolutionary way and is therefore at the forefront of an industry that is driving the digital future.
DePoly turns plastic waste back into valuable raw materials, contributing to a more sustainable global economy.
DeepJudge uses artificial intelligence to analyse gigantic legal data sets quickly and accurately.
Three examples, one common denominator, courage, vision and the unshakeable conviction that good ideas can change the world.
An anniversary with a view to the future
“The Ranking 2025 reflects the strength and innovative power of our start-up ecosystem,” says Programme Director Stefan Steiner. It’s not just about start-ups, but about a movement. A movement that is shaping the country, economically, socially and culturally.
With its 15th anniversary, the Top100 Swiss Startup Award shows that Switzerland not only has ideas, but also the right conditions to turn ideas into success stories. And while some look back on 15 years of courage and innovation, the winners of 2025 are already writing the stories of tomorrow.