Scale-Up Vaud: In Boston to learn about the other Scale-Up ecosystems in the world
The first event dedicated to Scale-Up initiatives’ organizers from around the globe took place end October 2018 in Boston. The Director and the President of Innovaud, Patrick Barbey et Rémi Walbaum, had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with other Scale-Up ecosystems based in different countries such as Brazil, Panama, Scotland or Russia. They could also present the Scale-Up Vaud program. The common objective was to learn and exchange about the different international supporting models and boost the economic growth at the local level.
Two years after the creation of the Scale-Up Vaud initiative by Innovaud, the community has gone up to 25 high growth SMEs (compared to 10 at launch). Together, these companies - who for many started off as startups - have already generated 1000 highly qualified jobs in Switzerland. Several criteria need to be fulfilled in order to obtain the Scale-Up label: show a minimum 20% annual growth (measured in sales revenue or in the amount of jobs created) on a period of at least 3 years; and have a minimum of 10 employees at the beginning of the considered program entry period.
Create or maintain jobs in Vaud
Vaud, which positions itself well regarding to the other worldwide initiatives, can now count on new knowledge to manage its Scale-Up program: “This international exchange enables us to remain vigilant on keeping a good ratio between efficiency and costs, in our support efforts for scale-ups. Our objective is to continue to create or maintain jobs in Vaud”, explained Rémi Walbaum, the President of Innovaud, after his trip to the US.
Read more about the key learnings of Innovaud in Boston in the article and interviews of Patrick Barbey and Rémi Walbaum in L'Agefi (in French) of 14.11.2018 (author: Elsa Floret).
Picture: Patrick Barbey (left), Rémi Walbaum.0Comments
The new Swiss Venture Capital Report was published on 26 January. It analyses 304 financing rounds closed in 2020 and includes further article such as an interview with Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Board, and a list of Swiss "soonicorns". 
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