Switzerland maintains its leading global position in the deep tech sector
The Swiss Deep Tech Report 2025, published for the first time, provides a well-founded assessment of the Swiss deep tech landscape. The results emphasise Switzerland's role as an international driver of innovation. A highly diversified ecosystem, leading universities and a record share of venture capital paint a strong picture of the future.
The 50-page report, published by Deep Tech Nation Switzerland in collaboration with Dealroom.co, Startupticker and the VC firms Founderful and Kickfund, is the most comprehensive analysis of the Swiss deep tech ecosystem to date. The facts are impressive: with 60 per cent of all Swiss venture capital flowing into deep tech between 2019 and 2025, Switzerland leads the world, ahead of the US and other tech nations.
The country also reached a new level with over USD 100 billion in company valuations created. Almost all late-stage financing rounds are supported by international investors, particularly from the US and the EU. This enables Switzerland to combine innovative strength with global visibility.
Academic excellence meets entrepreneurial growth
A key success factor lies in the close integration of research and entrepreneurship. Alongside Oxford and Cambridge, ETH Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne are among the four most active universities in Europe when it comes to founding deep-tech spin-outs. These academic hotspots are the origin of a growing number of scalable companies, supported by a strong patent density, international partnerships and an innovation-friendly funding landscape.
AI, energy, robotics and techbio are gaining relevance
Although biotech remains the dominant sector in terms of value creation and VC density, the Swiss deep tech ecosystem has broadened significantly in recent years. Start-ups in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, ClimateTech, TechBio and energy systems are on the rise. Since 2021, the AI/ML sector has accounted for 23 per cent of all start-ups – almost double the proportion compared to the previous period.
This structural change underlines the dynamism and future viability of the ecosystem. More than 1500 analysed companies testify to a remarkable breadth and depth, many of which are highly mature and have international scaling potential.
Zurich, Lausanne, Basel and Geneva as key locations
The innovation corridors of Zurich, Lausanne, Geneva and Basel are identified as strategic hubs where clusters for individual technologies are increasingly emerging.
The report provides decision-makers with a data-based foundation for further improving the framework conditions. The report is an important tool for politics and business, particularly with regard to regulatory decisions, infrastructure and international positioning.
Deep tech as Switzerland’s future expertise
The Swiss Deep Tech Report 2025 shows a confidently operating ecosystem that is impressive in terms of capital, talent and technological maturity. Switzerland is positioning itself not only as an incubator for world-class technologies, but also as a location that consistently focuses on implementation, internationalisation and social relevance. With the now established monitoring and continuous data collection, Deep Tech Nation Switzerland creates a platform for long-term excellence and reaffirms Switzerland’s claim to leadership in the age of deep technologies.
The full report is available for download here: