Peptone, a biotechnology startup from the United Kingdom, settled in the Greater Zurich Area in spring 2022. The site in Bellinzona in the Swiss canton of Ticino is now the company's research and development hub.
Peptone, founded in 2018, specializes in the development of novel therapeutics against Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) for cancer and inflammatory diseases, to name a few. Peptone's approach stems from experimental biophysics, supercomputing, and machine learning. The specialized laboratory facility in Bellinzona was developed for advanced studies of intrinsically disordered proteins and serves as Peptone’s experimental innovation hub.
Peptone's investment in Bellinzona follows a 40 million dollar funding round completed in April 2022. The company's Bellinzona site brings together specialized expertise in experimental biophysics, AI, and drug discovery.
Founder and CEO Dr. Kamil Tamiola states that the potential for mental and physical growth was paramount in the location selection process. Switzerland came out top because of its distinctive research culture and growth-supporting capacity of the Greater Zurich Area. Tamiola comments: "We are on a constant lookout for the best researchers worldwide who want to work in our Swiss lab." He adds that recruitment is greatly facilitated by the unparalleled quality of life in the canton of Ticino. Plus, getting in and out of major cities such as Milan, Turin, Zurich, and Basel is a breeze. The company also hopes to benefit from the region's emerging biotech cluster, which Tamiola describes as well connected with numerous opportunities for interaction. The world-renowned Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) in Bellinzona is particularly crucial. Peptone already has many connections to the IRB and plans to develop these even further in the future.
Tamiola recounts how the company was welcomed with open arms when it settled in the area. The local authorities helped Peptone to search for suitable lab spaces, which were a high priority for the R&D-intensive company. Peptone occupies two floors of the Fabrizia building in the very heart of Bellinzona. Kamil Tamiola says: "When we weighed in all the things that we learnt about Bellinzona, it became obvious that the capital of Ticino was the place to be. The R&D conditions are excellent in Bellinzona."
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What are the corporate tax rates in the Greater Zurich Area?
Corporate tax rates in Greater Zurich range from 12% to 24%, depending on the canton and municipality. Switzerland’s decentralized structure allows for regional tax autonomy.
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The Greater Zurich Area offers economic and political stability, access to the European market, a highly qualified workforce, pragmatic regulations, and a competitive tax system. Further, the region is a global hub for innovation with world-class infrastructure, making it an ideal destination to grow business internationally.
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