A sports activity inspired by Mexico, an innovative idea to upgrade lighting systems, and health supplements to boost gut health — these are just some of Switzerland’s highly demanded solutions offered by the startups Padelta, Lumvin, and mybacks. They have been awarded the SEF.Growth High Potential Label, a seal of quality that recognises promising young companies with strong growth potential and innovative market offerings.
The SEF.Growth High Potential Label by the Swiss Economic Forum recognises companies demonstrating robust growth strategies and high potential for significant market impact. The label serves as a seal of quality, enhancing startups’ credibility and visibility among customers, suppliers, and financing partners. Three new startups have received the Label. Three companies that met this criterion have been awarded the label.
Padelta: from indoor sport to lifestyle ecosystem
Launched in 2021 as a leisure idea among four friends – Yannick Moser, Philipp Strebel, Markus Wyss, and Michael Stutz- Padelta is currently leading the development of padel, a fast-growing racquet sport originating from Mexico that blends tennis and squash. Padelta invests in high-quality infrastructure, professional coaching, and sustainable concepts, hospitality and co-working spaces, fostering a vibrant community around the sport and organising innovative events and partnerships to further promote padel throughout the country. The company today has over 30 courts across eight high-quality locations – including Rothenburg, Dierikon, Kriens, Emmen, Baden, Milandia, Chur and Thun – covering 16% market share. In the next months, additional locations will be launched. In addition to its courts, Padelta is present at recurring annual events such as the pop-up in Zurich West (Puls 5) or the floating court on Lake Obersee in Arosa. Furthermore, the Padelta Academy is already the largest training centre in the country, led by a former Spanish professional. In early August, a national performance centre was created in Biberist in partnership with Swiss Tennis. As part of its growth strategy, Padelta focuses on proximity, experience, and consistent, sustainable growth; each facility is operated as its own profit centre. Read more about their journey.
LUMVIN: Upgrading, not replacing
Founded in 2020 in Zurich, Lumvin specialises in the energy-efficient retrofitting of existing lighting systems. Rather than replacing lamps, the start-up upgrades existing systems to smart, networked LED technology, cutting energy use by up to 90 per cent. Production and development take place locally, in collaboration with libs, a training association for apprentices. Lumvin has already delivered more than 100 projects for over 60 clients, including cities such as Lenzburg and companies such as AXA. Particularly in demand are solutions for listed buildings, where standard approaches do not work. By 2024, revenues nearly doubled, and the pipeline for 2025 exceeds CHF 2.4 million in confirmed contracts, with additional offers totalling CHF 5.4 million. Looking ahead, Lumvin’s founders Kristjan Jozipovic and Besfort Biljali supported by their team, plan to extend its technology to street, tunnel, and railway infrastructure. Its product pipeline also includes IoT solutions for remote maintenance and predictive maintenance. The company also won the Swiss Economic Award 2025 in the Production/Trade category, recognising its pioneering model in sustainable manufacturing. Learn more about their mission and vision.
MYBACS: from gut fueling to global growth
With science at its core and the consumer in focus, mybacs has grown from a bold idea into a dynamic player in the wellness industry. Founded by Carl-Philipp von Polheim and Sebastian Wahl, who blend business acumen with microbiome expertise, mybacs develops high-quality probiotic, prebiotic, and postbiotic supplements designed to support digestion, immunity, energy, sleep, and skin health. Each formulation is created in close collaboration with medical and scientific experts and undergoes rigorous testing to ensure both efficacy and safety. Their product portfolio includes science-backed probiotic, prebiotic and postbiotic supplements targeting digestion, immunity, energy, sleep, and skin health – including popular lines like Dailybacs, Dietbacs, Dermabacs, and Radiant Glow. Since its launch, mybacks has pursued a digital direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, offering subscriptions that secure recurring revenue and fosters strong customer relationships. Looking ahead, mybacs is entering its next growth phase. Partnerships with leading retail chains are in development, and the company is preparing new product formats tailored for shelf presence, including short-course probiotic programmes aimed at gut resets and digestive balance. The company also plans to expand further into European markets. Spain has served as a successful pilot, with additional growth expected in France, the Benelux region, and the United Kingdom. Learn more about the company’s growth plans.
(Press release / RAN)
