In 2024, despite a challenging global financial climate, Switzerland’s biotech sector showed remarkable resilience, maintaining steady revenues of CHF 7.2 billion while achieving a 22% increase in capital investment.

In this episode of BioBiz Buzz, host Mike Ward interviews Michael Altorfer, CEO of the Swiss Biotech Association, to discuss the findings and implications of the Swiss Biotech Report 2025. The conversation focuses on the report’s central theme, ”The Power of International Alliances”, and examines how cross-border collaborations have become a key factor in the success of the Swiss biotech industry, with 80% of patents originating from international partnerships.   

Listeners will hear a comprehensive discussion about the increasing divide between well-funded serial entrepreneurs and emerging innovators. It will explore the evolving strategies that Swiss companies are using to access capital and how the sector is responding to the stagnation in public markets. Additionally, the episode will address important questions regarding talent retention, the sustainability of employment growth in manufacturing, and the risks posed by rising global protectionism and regulatory challenges.

Altorfer shares insights on how Switzerland’s collaborative culture, regulatory harmonization efforts, and academic excellence have enabled the country to excel in global innovation rankings. The episode concludes with a candid discussion of the disruptive forces that could shape the future of Swiss biotech, including geopolitical shifts, trends in reshoring, and the sector’s preparedness for unforeseen events. Tune in to understand why Switzerland remains a global leader in biotech and what it must do to maintain its competitive edge in an increasingly complex world.

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