# Haelixa **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/haelixa **Vertical:** Luxury Goods **Subcategory:** General **Tier:** Emerging **Website:** haelixa.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Zurich ETH Zurich spin-off DNA supply chain traceability (founded 2016); $1.5M 2024 revenue (+84%) tracking 30M+ garments for C&A/Soorty with forensic-grade origin verification competing with Applied DNA Sciences for EU textile compliance. ## Company Overview Haelixa is a Zurich, Switzerland-based physical supply chain traceability company — an ETH Zurich spin-off founded in 2016 by PhD researchers — embedding DNA markers into textiles, precious materials, and luxury goods to provide forensic-grade authentication and origin verification that remains detectable through washing, processing, manufacturing, and global distribution. Founded by Michela Puddu (CEO) and CTO Gediminas Mikutis, with new CEO Patrick Strumpf and Stefan Karlen joining the Board in 2024-2025, Haelixa has grown to 17 employees and achieved $1.5 million in 2024 revenue (up 84% from $815,000 in 2023), tracking over 30 million garments globally for partners including C&A, Soorty Enterprises, Oerlikon, Damteks, and regenagri. The company has raised seed funding from investiere and Zurich Cantonal Bank and won 20+ international awards. Haelixa's DNA markers are engineered to be non-toxic, vegan, and biodegradable — validated through laboratory spectroscopy analysis providing forensic-grade proof of origin. Haelixa's physical DNA traceability addresses the greenwashing and counterfeiting vulnerability in supply chain sustainability claims: fashion brands sourcing organic cotton, recycled polyester, or ethically-mined gold face audit fraud and documentation forgery that makes digital tracking systems (paper certificates, QR codes, blockchain records) insufficient for verifying physical material origin — a fabric can be certified organic on paper while the actual fiber in the garment is conventionally farmed cotton from a different region. Haelixa's DNA markers (applied directly to cotton fibers at the farm, recycled material at the processing facility, or gemstones at the mine) create a persistent physical link between the material's origin and the finished product that cannot be separated by mixing, processing, or falsifying documentation. The forensic-grade laboratory validation (spectroscopy detecting unique DNA sequences that identify the exact origin batch) provides the evidentiary standard that EU supply chain due diligence regulations (German Supply Chain Act, EU CSRD) require for non-financial sustainability reporting. In 2025, Haelixa competes in the supply chain traceability, textile authentication, and material verification market with Oritain (private, chemical fingerprint traceability, $50M raised), Applied DNA Sciences (NASDAQ: APDN, SigNature DNA for textiles), and Fibretrace (fiber traceability with photoluminescent markers) for fashion brand adoption of physical traceability verification in response to EU textile and supply chain transparency regulations. The 84% revenue growth (2023→2024) reflects accelerating demand from fashion brands under EU compliance pressure — the EU Textile Labelling Regulation and the German Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz (Supply Chain Due Diligence Act) require verifiable sustainability claims that Haelixa's DNA markers provide. The 30 million garment tracking milestone demonstrates commercial-scale deployment capability beyond pilot programs. The 2025 strategy focuses on expanding partnerships with major European fashion brands under EU regulatory compliance timelines, growing the precious materials traceability application (gold, diamonds), and scaling the Zurich-based DNA marker manufacturing capacity. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Haelixa? Haelixa is a Swiss technology company that pioneers physical product traceability solutions using DNA markers. Founded as an ETH Zurich spin-off in 2016, Haelixa enables end-to-end supply chain transparency by physically embedding biodegradable DNA markers into materials like textiles and precious metals, creating forensic-grade proof of origin and authenticity. ### Who are Haelixa's customers and target market? Haelixa serves textile manufacturers, fashion brands, luxury goods companies, and supply chain stakeholders committed to transparency and sustainability. Major customers include C&A, Soorty Enterprises, Oerlikon, Damteks, and brands focused on verifying organic cotton, recycled materials, ethical sourcing, and combating greenwashing and counterfeiting. ### When was Haelixa founded? Haelixa was founded in 2016 by Michela Puddu and Gediminas Mikutis as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, Switzerland's leading technical university. The founders developed the DNA marker technology during their PhD research in bioengineering and materials science. ### Where is Haelixa based? Haelixa is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, maintaining close ties to the ETH Zurich innovation ecosystem. The company operates globally, with partnerships and traceability implementations across Europe, Asia, and other regions serving textile and luxury goods supply chains. ### How much funding has Haelixa raised? Haelixa has raised seed financing from investiere and Zurich Cantonal Bank (ZKB), with investiere contributing CHF 1.2 million. The company also received Corporate Minority investment from Zurich Silk Association in September 2023. Total funding details are not fully disclosed but include multiple rounds supporting technology development and commercial scaling. ### What makes Haelixa different from digital tracking systems? Unlike digital tracking that can be hacked or manipulated, Haelixa's DNA markers are physically embedded in materials and cannot be separated or falsified. The markers stay linked to products through washing, processing, and manufacturing, providing forensic-grade proof verified through laboratory testing. This physical traceability ensures unalterable verification of sustainability claims and brand authenticity. ### Who are Haelixa's main competitors? Haelixa competes in the supply chain traceability and authentication space with companies using RFID, QR codes, blockchain solutions, and other chemical markers. However, Haelixa's physical DNA marker approach offers unique advantages in forensic-grade verification and resistance to manipulation that distinguish it from digital-only or externally-attached tracking methods. ### How can brands partner with Haelixa? Brands and manufacturers can contact Haelixa through their website at www.haelixa.com to implement DNA traceability solutions. The company works with partners to apply markers at source (fields, recycling facilities, manufacturing), provide testing validation, and build trustable supply chain ecosystems for textiles, precious materials, and other applications. ### Is Haelixa hiring? With a team of 17 employees and recent leadership expansion including new CEO Patrick Strumpf, Haelixa is in growth mode and may have opportunities in technology development, business development, supply chain partnerships, and laboratory operations. Interested candidates can check the company's website and LinkedIn page for openings. ### What's the latest news about Haelixa? Recent highlights include the February 2025 appointment of Patrick Strumpf as CEO and Marwa Zamaray to the Advisory Board, December 2024 partnership with C&A for organic cotton traceability, November 2024 EcoPassport certification by OEKO-TEX, and tracking over 30 million garments globally in 2024. The company achieved $1.5 million revenue in 2024. ### What is Haelixa's market position? Haelixa is a leader in physical DNA-based traceability for textiles and sustainable supply chains, with ETH Zurich spin-off credentials, over 20 awards, EcoPassport certification, and major brand partnerships. The company has demonstrated commercial scale by tracking 30+ million garments annually and is positioned at the forefront of combating greenwashing and counterfeiting in fashion and luxury goods. ### What are Haelixa's future plans? With new leadership under CEO Patrick Strumpf and strong revenue growth ($1.5M in 2024 vs $815K in 2023), Haelixa plans to expand DNA traceability solutions beyond textiles into additional precious materials, scale partnerships with global brands committed to transparency, and grow applications in regenerative agriculture verification and circular economy validation across industries. ## Tags b2c, retailtech, global, enterprise, healthtech --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*