HeiQ goes public on the London Stock Exchange

HeiQ is the fourth ETH spin-off to be listed on the stock exchange, and the first to have its shares traded on a stock exchange outside Switzerland. In total, new investors are investing around £60 million or around CHF 72 million in HeiQ - 20 million through a capital increase and a further 40 million through the acquisition of existing shares. HeiQ is valued at 127 million pounds or 169 million Swiss francs before the stock market launch.

According to CEO and founder Carlo Centonze, these funds will enable the company to grow in size and expand its market share. HeiQ has recently seen success with an antiviral and antibacterial treatment for textiles that has also been shown to be effective against coronavirus. According to HeiQ, the launch of the product more than doubled the company’s turnover in the first half of 2020.

Founded in 2005

CEO Carlo Centonze graduated from ETH in forestry engineering – now known as environmental sciences – and established the company HeiQ in 2005 together with the chemist Murray Height, following a hike in the mountains in malodorous polyester t-shirts.

HeiQ has since been developing chemical formulae that help to make textiles antistatic, water-repellent or odour-free, for example. Centonze is also one of the founders of Myclimate, the NGO that promotes climate protection projects.

HeiQ is based in Schlieren, currently employs more than 100 people in 12 countries and has production sites in Switzerland (Bad Zurzach), Australia and the US.