HeiQ is celebrating 10 years of bringing unique technologies to the textile world. Marking the tenth anniversary, HeiQ has earned a place in the McKinsey ETH Venture Top 10 Hall of Fame for Swiss start-ups.
It all began on a hike… During a weeklong hike with friends in the Swiss Alps, Carlo Centonze and Murray Height were lamenting the problem of smelly hiking shirts. During their conversation they saw – or rather smelled – a business opportunity when together they realized that a new silver material that Murray was researching at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) might offer a better solution to the pungent problem of smelly clothes. What began as an idea quickly became reality as together the friends mapped out a path for bringing the new technology to the textile market. In 2005 Carlo and Murray founded HeiQ as a spin-off from ETH and began their journey to bring new technologies to the textile world. HeiQ – pronounced [hi-kew] – not only recalls the hike origins of the company but also represents high quality textile treatments and intelligent “IQ” materials that HeiQ stands for.
HeiQ_among_the_top_10_start-ups_in_Switzerland_Seite_01Ten years have passed since that hiking trip, ten years that have seen HeiQ actively build on the founding motivation to bring new technologies to textiles. Over the past decade HeiQ has successfully launched a diverse range of innovative products, including the odor-free technology PURE, the dynamic cooling technology ADAPTIVE, the fluorine-free water repellent BARRIER ECO, and the low-friction technology GLIDER. In 2010 HeiQ played a leading role in the creation of OILGUARD, a Swiss Technology Award winning technology for protecting beaches from oil spills.
HeiQ has earned a reputation as a reliable and innovative Swiss company that provides high quality technologies to leading textile brands around the world. Key to this success is the intelligent combination of innovative technologies, successful business strategies, state-of-the art marketing and the enthusiasm and dedication of a team that is passionate about assisting partners to expand the frontiers of what textiles can do for consumers.
With headquarters in Bad Zurzach (Switzerland) and subsidiaries in Geelong (Australia) and Hong Kong, HeiQ is well placed to support the innovation and implementation activities of its global textile partners. HeiQ develops and manufactures innovative products and provides integrated support throughout the textile value chain. HeiQ’s services include R&D, testing, regulatory compliance, and consumer-focused innovation marketing support. The result – brand partners like Hanes/Champion, New Balance and Skins achieve rapid market entry, breakthrough innovation and strong brand differentiation.
During this 10th anniversary year, as a reflection of its commitment to innovation and entrepreneurial drive, HeiQ has been recognized as one of the Top 10 McKinsey ETH Venture start-ups in Switzerland over the past two decades. The leading Swiss newspaper NZZ has dedicated the book “>>venture>> graduates go to the top” to the Top 10 McKinsey ETH Venture start-up companies, and the book provides an entertaining portrait of each company’s journey and shares some secrets of their success.
