Kickstart Innovation

🌍 Why Switzerland is a Prime Destination for Scaleups and Businesses 🚀 Expanding into #Europe can be a game-changer for businesses, and #Switzerland consistently shines as a top destination. In an insightful article with our partner Switzerland Global Enterprise, Sirpa Tsimal Director Global Marketing, shares why Switzerland’s business environment is unmatched for companies looking to establish a European footprint. Here are some key takeaways: ✅ 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞: Switzerland ranks as a global #leader in innovation, driven by world-class universities, #research institutions, and strong public-private #collaboration. ✅ 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Life sciences, #biotech, digital #technologies, and advanced manufacturing thrive here, supported by hubs like Basel, Zurich, Lausanne, and Lugano. ✅ 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬-𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Efficient bureaucracy, competitive tax #incentives, and programs like the Patent Box Regime make Switzerland a dream for businesses. ✅ 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞: Political neutrality, a multilingual workforce, and a stunning natural environment provide an ideal backdrop for both work and life. If you’re considering expanding your business into Europe, Switzerland offers a unique mix of opportunity, stability, and innovation. 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dZ2bRPpw 📩 For support, contact: [email protected] Dominique Von Rohr Viktor Vogt Katka Letzing Sara Fedele #BusinessExpansion #Innovation #Switzerland #ScaleupGrowth #KickstartInnovation #SwitzerlandGlobalEnterprise

📊It was a pleasure to participate this year to the 7th edition of the Boldbrain Startup Challenge in Lugano. Our CEO, Katka Letzing, was part of the #NationalJury to rank the projects and award the top 5 teams during the Boldbrain Award Ceremony held on December 4. 🎉 Over 10 bold and brilliant projects competed at Boldbrain this year, showcasing the vibrant ecosystem of startups in the Ticino region. 👏 Congratulations to this year’s winners! 🏆 1st place: InVirtuoLabs – an innovative platform that seamlessly integrates cutting-edge artificial intelligence with molecular simulations to accelerate the drug discovery process 💊 🏆 2nd place & audience award: #SynthEnergy - a company that has developed a revolutionary process for producing sustainable synthetic fuels, also awarded by the audience jury. 🏆 3rd place: GraphSight 🏆 4th place: Deutelio AG 🏆 5th place: #FarmAid Thanks to the Boldbrain team for organizing the event and for having us! Read more about the winners and their stories 👉 https://lnkd.in/eb5vqHCb Barbara Pin Umberto Bondi Fiorenza Trento Lorenzo Ambrosini USI Startup Centre Fondazione AGIRE | Tecnopolo Ticino Anastasia Bedova Francesco Lurati Samuele Morales Francesco Meli Repubblica e Cantone Ticino BancaStato Corriere del Ticino

🌇 Can cities become energy powerhouses? 🌇 The construction industry accounts for nearly 40% of global #carbon emissions, and as urban areas grow, Made of Air is redefining what #materials can do, offering carbon-negative solutions that turn rooftops, facades, and everyday products into tools for combating #climatechange. 🌱 Their #biomaterials don’t just replace traditional plastics; they sequester #CO₂, transforming industrial and design sectors while aligning with sustainability goals. 🏆 Made of Air has achieved remarkable milestones, and their work highlights the potential to turn industrial challenges into climate-positive solutions. ✨ Curious about their journey and vision for the #future? Dive into this Interview with Allison Dring, CEO and co-founder, and learn how Made of Air is making sustainability not just an option but a standard. Read it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dfDhpfuf #AlumniStories #Innovation #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #KickstartInnovation #ClimatePositive #FounderStories #makeithappen

🚀 At our 2024 Closing Ceremony, we proudly celebrated a major milestone—since our journey began in 2016, 𝐰𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 340 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐂𝐬 and commercial projects, with 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 2.8𝐁 𝐂𝐇𝐅 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞! 🎉 This achievement is a testament to the #collaborative spirit, #innovation, and unwavering #dedication of our scaleups, partners, and advisors—who have become part of our ever-growing family. In addition to that, we celebrated: 🌍 41 innovative scaleups and intrapreneurship teams from 9 countries ⁠⁠💰 +245M CHF in total funds raised by our startups this year 🤝 30+ impactful deals in 2024 alone ♻️ Solutions touching 15 Sustainability Development Goals 🧠 Support from 150+ advisors and experts 🌐 Engagement in over 80 countries 💬 200+ negotiations with startups and intra teams 🙌🏼 300+ partners & ecosystem players 🎤 100+ Investors 🏆 TOP25 innovation platform in Europe A heartfelt thank you to our incredible community for supporting us to #MakeItHappen! 🌟 Congratulations to our esteemed partners for driving innovation forward: AXA, City of Zurich, Coop, die Mobiliar, IKEA Switzerland, MSD Switzerland, PostFinance, Swisscom, CSEM, Etat de Vaud, ETH Zürich, Romande Energie, Sanitas Krankenversicherung and others. And kudos to the startups for making it through this incredible journey together! Here's to continuing our journey of #innovation and #collaboration! 🌟 Read the press release to discover the PoCs and deals 👉 https://lnkd.in/dKzTGmhP Check all the photos here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dCWqgfbe #fastforward #newmilestone #kickstartinnovation #impact #makeithappen Katka Letzing Tiziano Luccarelli Franziska Legoupil Andrea Bianchi Sara Fedele Oana Ria Elisabetta Maria Chiarantoni Blanka Skacelova Claire-Marine Pandraud Markus Geissler Ray Neubauer, CPA, CGMA 🦙 Fritz Seidel Jürg Stuker Blanka Skacelova Suzanne van der Maarel Oender Boyman Anikó Ivanics #goteam

🚀 Yesterday was an incredible journey through #innovation and #collaboration. The day began with inspiring presentations and pitches from our Kickstart scaleups at Innovaud in Lausanne. We then explored cutting-edge innovation during visits to Romande Energie and the Rolex Learning center - Epfl. The afternoon brought us to the #InnovationDay at die Mobiliar, where we dived into #AI’s transformative role in #insurance and connected through impactful networking opportunities. 🚀 ✨ The evening was the perfect culmination, as we welcomed over 70 startup founders, regional investors, local government representatives, and corporate changemakers to Kickstart’s #ExecutiveDinnerRomandie at La Mobilière’s headquarters in Ville de Nyon. The night kicked off with a warm welcome from Katka Letzing, CEO & Co-Founder of #ickstartInnovation, followed by inspiring words from Aline Brügger, Head of Private Provision at La Mobilière. A highlight of the night was the fireside chat on sustainable investments and the transformative power of collaboration. We were fortunate to have Patrick Barbey, CEO of #Innovaud, Felix Stähli, Co-Founder of Impact Hub Lausanne and Geneva, and Iohannès Bry, Head of Innovation at Ville de Lausanne share their insights, setting the tone for a night of meaningful conversations and visionary thinking. 🌍 🎤 Of course, it wouldn’t be a Kickstart event without rapid-fire pitches! Kudos to members of our 2024 cohort participating last night - AllyWell, B'ZEOS,Billogram, Enterprise Bot , HAPSTER, hypt, Interloom, irmos technologies AG, Lixea, Moodtalk, Nature Coatings, NEUR.ON, Over Easy Solar, ProSeed, Shayp, Silatha, Solskin by Zurich Soft Robotics, Thryve, Watchibia , Wequity—for distilling their innovative visions into a challenging brilliant single impactful sentence! 🤝 This wasn’t a typical networking event. The atmosphere buzzed with genuine excitement, as curious minds connected over shared ideas and potential collaborations—all while enjoying fantastic food and local wine. 🍷 Evenings like this remind us that building innovation #ecosystems is about more than business; it’s about fostering connections that inspire action and create real impact. 🚀 Next up: Kickstart’s Closing Ceremony, where we’ll celebrate the successes of our 11-week program and announce the incredible achievements of this year’s cohort and our partners AXA Coop IKEA MSD Swisscom PostFinance Stadt Zürich Romande Energie Sanitas Krankenversicherung CSEM Etat de Vaud and more. #KickstartInnovation #ExecutiveDinner #Collaboration #SustainableInvestments #Startups #Networking 🚀

🏆 Forbes has just named Switzerland as Europe’s hottest tech hub, surpassing Berlin and London! Our partner ETH Zürich plays a pivotal role in this success, producing more spin-offs than any other university globally. 🚀 This dynamic ecosystem is also a breeding ground for transformative startups and unicorns, particularly in the Greater Zurich Area —a region we are proud to be part of. 🌱 At Kickstart Innovation we are dedicated to fostering this vibrant landscape by empowering the next generation of startups to address global challenges across #deeptech, #sustainability, and beyond. Whether you’re a #startup looking to scale or an organization seeking transformative #partnerships, Kickstart Innovation is the platform connecting the brightest minds and cutting-edge ideas driving Switzerland’s tech revolution, #innovation and #impact: https://lnkd.in/dVH_pPV 🔍 Read the full Forbes article here: https://lnkd.in/d8WPytnT #SwitzerlandInnovation #KickstartInnovation #ETHZurich #Startups #Innovation #Collaboration Switzerland Global Enterprise About Switzerland Impact Hub Switzerland Invest in Switzerland Swissnex

Join us at Slush, one of the world’s premier events for #startups and #tech #innovation, where founders, investors, and innovators gather to shape the future and drive #impact. We’re looking forward to contributing to the conversation during our panel discussion on 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 at the swisstech pavillion! Together with a Swiss delegation of industry leaders, we’ll explore the latest #trends in open innovation and #investment opportunities. Whether you’re a startup, corporate leader, public institution, or investor, this is your chance to discover the potential of Swiss innovation! 📍 Panel Discussion: 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 🗓️ Date: Thursday, November 21, 2024 ⏰ Time: 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM 📌 Location: swisstech Booth @ Slush 🎤 Speakers: • Patrick Barbey, CEO, Innovaud • Katka Letzing, CEO & Co-Founder, #KickstartInnovation • Raphael Fässler, Investment Director, Swiss Post Ventures • Max Vogt, Investment Analyst, Swisscom Ventures Moderation by: Jürg Stuker, President of the Board, Wirz Group & Head University of St.Gallen START Global Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with the leaders shaping innovation and investment! 👉 Find the full panel details here https://lnkd.in/dHyMcrMq Let us know if you’ll be there—we’d love to connect! 🌟 #switzerland #deeptech #makeithappen Switzerland Global Enterprise Swissnex Innosuisse Presence Switzerland BERNINVEST AG EPFL Innovation Park Greater Zurich Area Kanton Luzern Kanton St.Gallen Kanton Schaffhausen Kanton Schwyz Kanton Zug Novartis Roche Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation Lindt & Sprüngli Nestlé Nespresso SA Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

🌞 How can urban spaces better harness renewable energy? 🌞 As urban spaces tighten, Over Easy Solar is leading the way with vertical solar solutions that maximize #energy generation in dense city environments. 🌱 Their innovative panels integrate with #greenroofs, enhancing energy production while supporting urban #biodiversity through cooling and water retention. This approach 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, even during low winter angles, 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 🏡 In #Zurich, more than a third of buildings with flat roofs reportedly can’t support conventional solar systems, making Over Easy Solar’s lightweight vertical panels an ideal solution. 🏆 Since joining #Kickstart, Over Easy Solar has reached key #milestones, including a 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 and forming strategic partnerships to expand their impact. This work underscores the potential for transforming rooftops into sustainable, energy-generating spaces. Learn more about their journey in this 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 with Trygve Mongstad Tommy Engvik Aria Yadmelat Pichler Katka Letzing Andrea Bianchi Ray Neubauer, CPA, CGMA

💡In her recent interview with Venturelab, Marjorie Hamelin Head of Business Development at Greater Geneva Bern area (GGBa), highlights the incredible opportunities Western Switzerland offers for tech companies. With strong talent pools, access to European markets, and a vibrant startup ecosystem, this region is positioning itself as a dynamic alternative to Silicon Valley. 📈At Kickstart Innovation, we’re proud to witness this momentum firsthand. Collaborating with innovators across #Switzerland, we’re committed to fostering growth in regions like Western Switzerland that have immense potential to shape the #futureoftech. Discover what makes this region a global #innovation hotspot and why it’s capturing the interest of tech companies worldwide. 🌐 Read the full interview here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dm8d3-Bq Innovaud Etat de Vaud Impact Hub Basel Impact Hub Bern Impact Hub Geneva CSEM Romande Energie Swisscom EPFL IMD Sanitas Krankenversicherung Switzerland Global Enterprise

Today and tomorrow we will be in Winterthur at Startup Nights 2024! Great connecting with many innovative #startups and organizations from Switzerland with die Mobiliar, UBS, Wenger Vieli, Kanton Zürich, Swiss Life, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Cisco and more. Katka Letzing Oender Boyman Jürg Stuker #startupnights #Switzerland #makeithappen #KickstartInnovation