Biopôle-based companies raised a record CHF 757m in 2025

In 2025, the life sciences sector faced a crossroads. Robust scientific innovation and digital transformation were accompanied by strong research pipelines, AI-enabled drug discovery and precision medicine breakthroughs, driving considerable optimism about long-term growth. However, the industry also continued to grapple with economic and structural headwinds from regulatory pressures, investor caution and geopolitical instability. The contrast between rapid progress and rising pressure shows both the promise of the sector and the need for smart, adaptable strategies moving forwards.

Top fundraising rounds

Biopôle-based companies raised over CHF 757m,¹ surpassing last year’s results of CHF 246m.

Tubulis raised €308m in Series C funding to accelerate clinical development.
ADC Therapeutics announced a total of $160m in private placement funding between June and October.
Distalmotion raised $150m to accelerate its US expansion.
Orbis Medicines raised €90m in a Series A funding round to develop its pipeline of oral macrocycles.
HAYA Therapeutics raised $65m in Series A funding.

¹ This figure is based on public and semi-public data, and so is certainly not entirely accurate, as not all companies disclose their funding information.

DEXTER Surgical Robot by Distalmotion — In November, Distalmotion closed a $150m Serie G round led by Revival Healthcare Capital to support US expansion. Image credit: Distalmotion

Grants

Novigenix was awarded €1.8m by BRECISE, co-funded by the Innovative Health Initiative, to industrialise AI-powered liquid biopsy for better prediction of immunotherapy responses.
PeriVision received CHF 300,000 as a FIT Tech Growth Grant.
DigeHealth received a FIT Tech Seed Grant worth CHF 100,000.
Bewe and DigeHeath were both selected within a cohort of six start-ups for a Future of Health Grant.
Biped.ai was awarded a FIT Digital Grant.

251107-213038_Health Tech Award-PeriVision — In September Perivision announced a CHF2.4m seed funding round to expand its eye-testing platform. In November, the company won both the HealthTech Award and the Public Voting Award at Startup Nights. Image credit : Startup Nights

Top five investors in Biopôle-based companies

Advent Life Sciences is one of the leading transatlantic venture investors focused on building innovative life sciences businesses in the UK, Europe and the US. So far, Advent has invested in Biopôle members Argá Medtech and Tridek-One.
CADFEM Group is actively supporting a series of young and upcoming companies on the Biopôle campus, including PeriVision, ORYL Photonics, Distalmotion, Neo Medical and Volumina Medical.
DART invests in early-stage Swiss and European teams working on breakthrough technologies that positively impact health and climate. The fund has already supported Impli, PeriVision and Testmate Health.

Lichtsteiner Foundation promotes innovations in healthcare to improve people’s health worldwide. It has invested in Switchkine, Impli, DigeHealth, Limula and Testmate Health.
Zühlke Ventures’ goals are to recognise potential, get involved early, limit threats and accept reasonable risks. Zühlke Ventures provides sound financing, a wealth of management and technology experience and a strong network to the companies it supports, which include Distalmotion and PeriVision.

Ichnos Glenmark Innovation (IGI) and AbbVie signed an exclusive global licensing agreement worth up to $2bn granting AbbVie the rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise IGI’s lead investigational trispecifi c antibody ISB 2001 for oncology and autoimmune indications, including relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. IGI will receive a signifi cant upfront payment and potential milestone and royalty payments, accelerating the asset’s path towards helping patients worldwide. Image credit: Lyketil

Commercial agreements and partnerships

Aspivix and Titus Health Care announced a distribution partnership to serve Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux).
CARA Association merged with two national organisations to offer a unique electronic record for patients.
Cellestia Biotech jointly invested $34m in newly formed US-based Anciata Therapeutics with TVM Capital Life Science.
Demetra Holding acquired a majority stake in GetSet Surgical.
Kisco and MyAmici partnered to deliver biotech procurement services in Switzerland.
Bracco, Limula and the University of Fribourg joined forces on an R&D project aimed at improving cell and gene therapy manufacturing.
NewBiologix licensed its XCell-Eng-HEK293 cell line to Recipharm.
Orbis Medicines started using Denmark’s first AI supercomputer, Gefion – owned and operated by the Danish Centre for AI Innovation – enabling significant expansion of macrocycle chemical space exploration.
Testmate Health and Intermountain Health announced a strategic partnership and investment to accelerate access to rapid, low-cost molecular tests for sexually transmitted infections in the US.
TwinEdge collaborated with Hanx Biopharmaceuticals to develop individual digital twins of a collection of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patient-derived xenograft mouse models.
Vaccine Formulation Institute formed a strategic alliance with Desert King^® and also expanded its partnership with Seppic to support large-scale manufacturing and availability of saponin-containing vaccine adjuvants.