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Switzerland excels with biotech start-ups

06.05.2019

According to an article in the journal “Nature”, Switzerland is the European leader with its biotech start-up ecosystem. Based on population size, Switzerland ranks in first place for both venture capital and patent and research output.

Biotech (img: angellodeco/shutterstock)

An article in the journal “Nature” examines the European biotech start-up ecosystem and compares the ecosystems in the individual countries. For example, it measures the number of biotech start-ups that were able to raise venture capital between 2013 and 2017. In absolute numbers, the UK leads followed by France and Switzerland. However, Switzerland ranks the highest based on population size, followed by Denmark and Ireland in second place.

In addition to venture capital raised, the article also looks at research productivity. Per capita Switzerland is also the leader in this field across Europe, followed by Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. According to the article, this can be explained by the high level of R&D spending. At 3.4%, Switzerland is also the European country with the highest R&D spending as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).

On a per capital basis, Switzerland also ranks highest across Europe in terms of biotech patents. It also performs well in the area of human capital and is in third place behind Denmark and the Netherlands based on the number of clinical trials per capita.