Startup Report 2025: Startup boom in Switzerland – Zurich breaks historic milestone

Company formations reach a historic high in 2025

Switzerland recorded more company formations in 2025 than ever before. A total of 55,427 new companies were entered into the commercial register, representing an increase of 4.6 percent compared to the previous year. For the first time, the Canton of Zurich surpassed the threshold of 10,000 new registrations. These figures are based on analyses conducted by the online platform Startups.ch.

Switzerland’s startup sector continued its growth trajectory in 2025. With 55,427 new entries in the commercial register, the previous year’s record was exceeded. The record year was driven in particular by AI-related services, consulting and the skilled trades, which benefited from sustained demand in the construction and real estate sectors. In addition, a growing number of foreign entrepreneurs are choosing to establish parts or entire companies in Switzerland due to increasingly restrictive tax policies in their home countries.

With 10,140 newly registered companies, the Canton of Zurich crossed a historic milestone. New registrations in the economically strong and broadly diversified canton also increased significantly (+5.4 percent). Regionally, Central Switzerland recorded the strongest growth at +12.9 percent, led by the Canton of Zug (+18.7 percent), which remains particularly attractive to international founders due to its tax and regulatory framework. Western Switzerland also developed robustly (+3.7 percent), with Geneva (+8.2 percent) benefiting in particular from foreign company formations thanks to its strong international connectivity.

Corporate forms: LLCs clearly preferred

As internal data collected by Startups.ch show, the number of companies founded as limited liability companies (LLCs) continued to rise (+5.9 percent). More than 60 percent of all new company formations are structured as LLCs. In contrast, sole proprietorships and corporate forms involving personal liability, such as general partnerships, continue to lose relevance.

“The shift towards LLCs at the expense of sole proprietorships and personally liable corporate forms shows that founders are structuring their businesses more consciously today. The early separation of private and business risks, as well as considerations regarding future scaling, financing and collaboration with partners, reflect an increasingly professional approach to company formation,” says Michele Blasucci, Founder and CEO of Startups.ch.

Outlook: solid development expected

For 2026, Startups.ch expects company formation activity to remain solid. Stable framework conditions, international attractiveness as a business location and continued demand for AI-driven processes are likely to further strengthen Switzerland as a startup hub.