>
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2001 16:34:28 -0700
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I hope there will always be differences!
I wasn't talking about just e-comerce companies, I was talking about
startups in general. To be more specific, venture fundable startups i.e.
ones that have a chance of making it big enough to generate value to
compensate for the risk (for both the VC's and the options of the founders
and employees). To be successful you have to provide for more than the Swiss
market anyways, at least the European if not the world market.
Just going for the Swiss market is saying like making a startup only focused
on the Silicon Valley or the Boston Metropolitan area ... I don't think
there are too many VC funded companies for those small segments.
Cheers
JM
> I do agree mostly, but one must not forget that the market in Switzerland
> totally differs from the one here in the USA. People here tend to use the
> Internet in a different way than people in Switzerland. Therefore
> e-Companies in
> Switzerland may never be comparable to the ones in the States. I
> remind there at
> funny pure Internet companies like registerthebride.com, etc..
> Switzerland is
> probably not the right place for pure Internet companies.
>
> There are successful start-ups and young companies (as for
> example also headwire
> :-), but there will always be differences between Swiss and US companies.
>
> Nicole
>
>
> Jean-Michel Pittet wrote:
>
> > Swiss startup market is definitely at a different development stage than
> > Silicon Valley. This is evident in the startup breath and specificity of
> > experience in the service providers I'm particularly thinking
> of Recruiting
> > (recruiters, websites etc), news (i.e. Swiss equiv of
> redherring, venture
> > wire, Money tree etc.) and VCs.
> >
> > On the other hand, the delta has shrunk by major amounts over the last 5
> > years. This is most notable in the VC community. Index's fund raising
> > success is just one example. I can tell you that raising that
> fund in the
> > current climate is an indicator of very good health! Other
> Funds have opened
> > up European offices, there I'm thinking of Benchmark etc.
> >
> > In the news space, you have tornado-insider.com which started 2
> or so years
> > back. Even though not on the US level on details and breadth
> yet, it is a
> > major step in the right direction.
> >
> > On the recruiting side, jobs.ch etc ... as well as Christian
> and his team's
> > efforts with SwissBrains ehm swisstalents are also major steps
> in the right
> > direction. Or for another example, look at the PSE in Lausanne
> ... quite a
> > few good Valley style startup coming to fruition.
> >
> > Overall, I must say personally I'm quite pleased with the development in
> > Switzerland over the last few years. Today there are way more
> > entrepreneurial possibilities in CH than some years back. Is it
> a "major hot
> > spot" ... not jet, but there are individual elements and companies which
> > stand out.
> >
> > Cheers
> > JM
> >
> > > Although our company never looked for venture capital, I do not
> > > think, that this
> > > market is a whole lot greater than here in the USA and I also do
> > > not think, that
> > > this will change. The Swiss mentality stops Swiss investors from
> > > taking risks on
> > > one hand and lets Swiss enterpreneurs be cautious and therefore
> > > slow on the other
> > > hand.
> > >
> > > This is not necessarily a bad thing - I think, the market in
> Switzerland
> > > concerning venture capitalists is healthier and not overloaded.
> > >
> > > Nicole
> > >
> > > Pmarmier_at_aol.com wrote:
> > >
> > > > Dear friends,
> > > >
> > > > As confirmed by the headline below, it seems that Switzerland
> > > has now a solid
> > > > VC industry. Do entrepreneurs living in Switzerland agree? Is
> > > it easier for
> > > > them to get funded despite the current investment climate?
> > > >
> > > > What about those of you living in the US? Do you think
> > > Switzerland can become
> > > > a major "hot spot" for entrepreneurial ventures? What are the
> > > elements still
> > > > missing to transform our country into the next leading
> High-Tech Valley?
> > > >
> > > > I look forward to your opinions and ideas,
> > > >
> > > > Best,
> > > >
> > > > Pascal Marmier
> > > >
> > > > SWISS FIRM RISES TO TOP
> > > > Index Ventures, a venture capital firm, is expected to announce
> > > > the closing of the largest early-stage high-tech investment fund
> > > > in Continental Europe this year.
> > > > http://tm0.com/thedeal/sbct.cgi?s=119230519&i=363379&d=1536039
> > >
>
> --
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Nicole Hillbrecht
> headwire
> 25006 crystal circle
> lake forest
> ca 92630, usa
>
> ++1 949 595 4365
>
> http://www.headwire.com
>
> headwire - connect your brain
> we make the future come true
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
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Received on Fri Jul 20 2001 - 00:03:38 PDT
