The 12 hottest startups in Switzerland

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12. Gamaya helps farmers check their crops using drones.

12. Gamaya helps farmers check their crops using drones.

Gamaya is a Lausanne-based startup which fits drones with a hyperspectral imaging system. This type of imaging can give scientists information about the type of ground, vegetation, and even building materials used.

Drones are then flown over fields and industrial farmers can accurately measure the health of crops and their environment.

The company was started in 2014, but their devices are already being used by farmers across Europe.

Total amount raised: $800,000 (£521,000)

Headcount: 7

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11. Gbanga makes video games that use real-world location data.

11. Gbanga makes video games that use real-world location data.

Gbanga is a Swiss video game developer founded in 2007. It has worked with larger companies to create promotional apps, including "IKEA PAX Packer" and "Gross. Stadt. Jagd" with Mercedes-Benz.

Gbanga makes many of its apps using a core technology that matches social gaming with real-world environments. Players can even make their own games using Gbanga's "Puppetmaster" API.

Total amount raised: Unknown

Headcount: 8

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10. TrekkSoft helps tour providers and activity companies get digital.

10. TrekkSoft helps tour providers and activity companies get digital.

TrekkSoft is a website builder and booking application which helps tour guides and activity holiday providers start running their businesses online.

Companies using TrekkSoft can take bookings through smartphones, and can also use the platform to accept payments, making the entire process quicker and easier.

The company was founded in 2010 and now has over 200 businesses using its software.

Total amount raised: $3.4 million (£2.2 million)

Headcount: 15

9. InSphero develops medical technology for drug testing.

9. InSphero develops medical technology for drug testing.

InSphero is a Swiss medical technology startup which develops 3D microtissues for drug testing. The microtissues are used to screen drugs and check for their safety.

The company was started in 2009 and is headquartered in Schlieren, which is close to Zürich.

Total amount raised: $25 million (£16 million)

Headcount: 29

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8. Newscron is an innovative way to read the news.

8. Newscron is an innovative way to read the news.

Newscron is a Zürich-based startup that makes products to help people and businesses to stay up to date on news.

Niuws is a news aggregator which lets users read German-language articles based on their theme. The company's other product, Newscron, is a news reader app which lets users follow lots of different kinds of news.

Total amount raised: $120,000 (£77,000)

Headcount: 10

7. Dacuda enables 3D-scanning through your phone.

7. Dacuda enables 3D-scanning through your phone.

Dacuda specialises in augmented reality and scanning products. It created the 3DAround app which lets users create 3D models of meals that they're about to eat.

Dacuda also runs a service called 3Dselfie that can be used to create a 3D-printed "selfie" figure of someone, using an iPhone's camera.

Dacuda's most recent product is PocketScan, a compact and portable scanner. It raised $542,732 (£351,000) on Kickstarter, far above its initial goal of $50,000 (£32,400).

Total amount raised: Unknown

Headcount: 24

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6. DeinDeal is like a the Swiss Groupon.

6. DeinDeal is like a the Swiss Groupon.

DeinDeal is a Swiss site which offers deals and discounts in a similar way to Groupon. Customers can buy nearly anything on the site, including hotel rooms, massages, wine, and food.

In 2011, just months after it launched, DeinDeal sold a majority stake to Swiss media company Ringier. Ringier now owns 60% of the company.

Total amount raised: Unknown

Headcount: 100

5. senseFly specialises in drones for commercial purposes.

5. senseFly specialises in drones for commercial purposes.

senseFly is a drone company based in Lausanne. It produces drones for commercial use that can accurately map geographic locations. The company's products are aimed at the construction, agriculture, mining, and humanitarian aid industries.

French drone manufacturer Parrot acquired senseFly in 2012, hoping to strengthen the use of drones in businesses. But senseFly still operates as a standalone brand, and markets its products separately.

Total amount raised: Unknown

Headcount: 67

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4. Silent Circle makes secure smartphones.

4. Silent Circle makes secure smartphones.

Silent Circle makes the secure Blackphone. The devices it makes are more secure than iPhones or Android phones, so they appeal to privacy-conscious businesses that want to avoid government spying. The Blackphone comes with secure apps pre-installed, and Silent Circle says that they are safer than normal texting apps.

The company recently moved its head office to Geneva because it was concerned about mass surveillance in the US and felt that it was "less likely to encounter legal pressures" there. The company is currently building the second generation of Blackphone, and is also working on a tablet computer.

Total amount raised: $80 million (£51.8 million)

Headcount: 100

3. Uepaa! is a safety tool for people in remote areas.

3. Uepaa! is a safety tool for people in remote areas.

Uepaa! is a Zürich-based company which produces an app aimed at people in remote areas (such as the Swiss alps). If you're planning a trip somewhere away from humanity, you can install Uepaa! on your phone to signal help from emergency services, or from nearby people.

The company was started after a skiing trip in 2011, and has since launched across Europe. It has also licensed out its technology for other app developers.

Total amount raised: $5 million (£3.2 million)

Headcount: 19

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2. HouseTrip is the the European Airbnb.

2. HouseTrip is the the European Airbnb.

HouseTrip is an online marketplace which lets people rent out properties to guests. It works in a similar way to Airbnb, but is often preferred by people traveling to Europe because it is based here.

The company was started by husband and wife team Arnaud Bertrand and Junjun Chen Bertrand in 2007. They were both working in London but wanted a holiday. The idea for HouseTrip came when they realised that they didn't want to stay in a hotel, but wanted an easy way to find a home to live in abroad for a short period of time.

Total amount raised: $59.7 million (£38.8 million)

Headcount: 107

1. ProtonMail is a privacy-conscious email provider.

1. ProtonMail is a privacy-conscious email provider.

ProtonMail is an encrypted email company based in Switzerland that values the privacy and security of its users' data above all else. All data is encrypted client-side, meaning that it is scrambled by the time it reaches ProtonMail's servers. That's handy because the US government has previously demanded that email providers hand over data on customers.

The company was started in 2013 at CERN, the famous Swiss research facility. It hasn't moved out of Switzerland since that time and keeps its servers in the country to avoid the EU having jurisdiction over its contents.

Total amount raised: $2.6 million (£1.69 million)

Headcount: 12

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