HealthTech” in Brazil and Switzerland: opportunities and challenges In November 2019

CHamBR held its first event dedicated to an increasingly relevant theme: “HealthTech”. The event enabled a greater understanding of this growing sector and promoted interaction between companies and entrepreneurs in Brazil and Switzerland, encouraging strategic investments and sustainable partnerships.

The Consul General of Brazil in Geneva opened the event with the special participation of a delegation of Brazilian scientists and academics from Fiocruz and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The delegation spoke about the main areas of activity Fiocruz and about synergies with Swiss start-ups in the HealthTech area. On the Swiss side, the general director of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services explained the reasons for Switzerland’s success in the health sector and stressed that with more than 1,000 multinationals and 37 international organizations, the country has a unique ecosystem in relation to its size.

In his speech, the representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization stressed that after the financial crisis of 2009 there was a resurgence of research and development in the medical field. Health investments reached US $ 177 billion worldwide in 2019. This makes the sector the second largest after the telecommunications sector. In the second part of the event, 5 start-ups from the Canton of Vaud participated in a round table on HealthTech opportunities and challenges.

One of the highlights was the discussions about the reasons for Swiss start-ups to bet on Brazil. Many start-ups that intend to export their products and services still dream of going to the USA, but emerging markets like Brazil have crucial needs and allow for freer innovation and with greater impact.