Venture capital in Basel

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The venture capital landscape in Basel is closely linked to the large groups. The Novartis Venture Fund, founded in 1996, is one of the oldest corporate venture funds in the pharmaceutical industry and invests in early-stage companies in Switzerland and abroad.¹ The Roche Venture Fund, established around the turn of the millennium, pursues a similar strategy. Both funds invest primarily for financial returns, although their proximity to the research of their parent groups gives them a privileged view of scientific trends. A company backed by a corporate fund gains credibility, but it must also manage the expectations of an investor that may later become a licensee or acquirer.

Independent venture firms complement the corporate funds. BioMedPartners, a Basel-based venture firm founded in 2002, has financed many start-ups in the region.² Versant Ventures, a venture firm from California, operates an office in Basel and has created companies there through its model of building start-ups around licensed science.³ HBM Partners in Zug advises HBM Healthcare Investments, a listed investment company that invests in private and public healthcare companies worldwide.⁴ International funds from the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries participate in most larger financing rounds of Basel companies, which shows that the regional ecosystem depends heavily on foreign capital.

Notes

On the Novartis Venture Fund, established in 1996 and based in Basel, see its own publications. To be verified. ↩
On BioMedPartners, Basel, and its funds, see the firm's publications. To be verified. ↩
On Versant Ventures' presence in Basel and the companies it has established there, see the firm's publications. Status to be verified. ↩
On HBM Healthcare Investments AG, listed on SIX, and HBM Partners AG, Zug, see their annual reports. To be verified. ↩

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of August 2025.

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Venture capital in Basel

Notes

Setting up or expanding in Switzerland?