Swiss top in attracting venture capital in Europe

A new study ranks Switzerland eighth in the Top 10 regarding the amount of capital it attracted in 2002.

Innovative firms have raised more venture capital than firms in Belgium and the Netherlands.

The total of €225 tracked by Windmill Reports, the organisation that conducted survey, was very close to the amounts raised in Denmark and Sweden.

Observers familiar with the Swiss investment scene say that the country outperforms its size due to strong microelectronics and life science sectors, both of which attracted international venture capital investors last year.

Windmill says that of the 896 European companies that receive funding in 2002, almost 40 per cent were software companies. Biotech/health care was the next largest industry sector in terms of financing.

Venture capital investment in European companies totaled € 5.9 billion in 2002, a decline of almost 35 per cent from the €9 billion invested in 2001. However, Europe fared better than the US, which experienced a decline of 50 to 60 percent decline in venture capital investment, depending on the source of data.

EUROPEAN TOP 10 COUNTRIES IN VC INVESTMENT in 2002

1. UK / €1.9 billion
2. Germany / €969 million
3. France / €758 million
4. Spain / €458 million
5. Ireland / €327 million
6. Sweden / €286 million
7. Denmark / €246 million
8. Switzerland / €225 million
9. Belgium / €150 million
10. Netherlands / €146 million

Source: Windmill Reports, www.windmillreports.com

Valerie Thompson