Swissnex: A launchpad for Swiss Startups’ Global Expansion

Internationalization can be a pivotal factor in determining the success of a promising startup. However, each market — whether East or West, North, or South — comes with its own unique business culture and intricate investor networks that can be challenging to navigate without support. That’s why Swissnex, in partnership with key players in the startup ecosystem, has developed programs to give Swiss entrepreneurs comprehensive and effective access to global opportunities. 

Over the past decade, these opportunities have helped the most innovative startups to connect with thriving ecosystems in the world’s leading innovation hubs and establish a foothold in new markets abroad. These offers are available at the six Swissnex locations – Boston and New York, Brazil, China, India, Japan, and San Francisco – as well as at the Science Offices part of the Swissnex network at the Swiss Embassies in London, Tel Aviv, and Seoul. The main programs available to access this support are presented in the article below.

Although each location offers unique features and local adaptations, the Innosuisse camps are organized by Swissnex into two primary programs to support Swiss startups in their internationalization efforts:

• The Market Validation Camp usually lasts between two to four weeks. Its main objectives are to help startups to get to know the local innovation ecosystem, to validate the market potential of their business idea, and to develop and strengthen their go-to-market strategies.

• The Market Entry Camp typically lasts between one to three months. Its purpose is to help participants implement their go-to-market strategy, to strengthen their local networks, and to get their first local customers.

Both types of camps offer selected startups direct access to tailored mentoring, targeted introductions, scouting for local opportunities, free desk space, and the possibility to host meetings on Swissnex premises. They offer a unique opportunity to evaluate the potential of global markets for a particular technology, gain insights into specific business cultures, test products or business models, and connect with interested partners, customers, or future collaborators.

By providing access to market research and latest information on trends, the camps facilitate partnerships between innovators, research institutions, and other stakeholders relevant to each ecosystem. The camps also provide services such as local landscape analysis, immersion in the regional industry and research ecosystem, intrapreneurship, and university outreach. More importantly, Swissnex customizes programs based on the specific needs of each participant to maximize the impact of their time abroad.

These camps are open to all Swiss startups that are enrolled in the Innosuisse coaching (Initial, Core, or Scale-up Coaching) or were awarded an Innosuisse certificate within the last three years. Admission is conditional on meeting defined thresholds such as market fit, technology readiness level, and maturity of startup.

Depending on local conditions, some Swissnex locations organize sector-specific cohorts. For instance, in San Francisco, all startups attending a camp are invited to a 2-week deep dive offering toolbox sessions, fireside chats, and networking events, often with an industry focus such as climate tech, digital trust and AI, health tech, or robotics.
More information: https://swissnex.org/sanfrancisco/startups/

Swissnex’s Startup Exchange Programs offer Swiss innovators the opportunity to connect with local startups around the world. Participants gain access to the startup ecosystem of the target country, explore local market opportunities, and receive customized training and mentoring. The programs provide entrepreneurs with the necessary tools to connect with local partners and stakeholders.

• Climate Collider is a startup-exchange program, powered by Innosuisse, that brings together Swiss and American startups working on global solutions to climate change. The program aims to build a transatlantic startup community and foster international collaboration in climate innovation. The fourth edition of Climate Collider is planned for fall 2025.
  Learn more: https://swissnex.org/boston/work/startups/climate-collider/

• Swiss-Israel Lean Launchpad, powered by Innosuisse, is a tailor-made program offering an insight into the Israeli market for Swiss startups. The five-week hybrid exchange program is based on the famous “Lean Startup methodology” by Steve Blank and offers personal mentoring sessions to connect with relevant partners, master storytelling, and learn pitching techniques. In 2024, its fifth edition is dedicated to mental health.
  Learn more: https://swissleanlaunchpad.ch/

• Academia-Industry Training (AIT) aims to connect promising researchers-entrepreneurs with the industry in order to develop the market application of their high-level research. It also encourages international researchers to share best practices, understand new markets, develop new market applications and create synergies. Swissnex collaborates on this program in Brazil and India, in cooperation with several partners.
  - AIT in Brazil: https://swissnex.org/brazil/our-work/startups/academia-industry-training/
  - AIT in India: https://www.venturelab.swiss/AIT

• Entrepreneurship Study Trip is a short immersive program for entrepreneurship students to discover the vibrant London/Cambridge/Oxford ecosystems. From pitching competitions with local students to visiting of universities and successful startups, this program offers Swiss students a chance to learn from their counterparts in England and explore opportunities of international exchange.
  Learn more: https://swissnex.org/about-us/locations/london/entrepreneurship/
   

3. Venture Leaders

Venture Leaders is a business development program by Venturelab. For the biotech, medtech, and fintech verticals, Swissnex co-organizes the one-week roadshows by bringing 10 startups for each program from Switzerland to Boston and London respectively. The program provides an accelerated learning curve and a solid network through peer-to-peer exchange, market exposure, feedback from investors and experts, and hands-on business development. Swissnex has also supported Venturelab with roadshows in several other innovation hubs, including China and San Francisco.

• Venture Leaders in Boston: https://swissnex.org/boston/work/startups/venture-leaders-roadshow/
• Venture Leaders in London: https://swissnex.org/event/fintech-venture-leaders-uk-2024/

 
4. Tailor-made local opportunities

In addition to the aforementioned offers, Swissnex has developed additional initiatives to provide access to unique opportunities in selected locations and leverage the strengths of diverse markets.

In San Francisco, Swissnex hosted the Swissnex Bridge | Silicon Valley Immersion program in partnership with the SWISS USAccelerator. The program is tailored to Swiss entrepreneurs and startups who are not (yet) part of the Innosuisse coaching program but want to immerse themselves in the Silicon Valley ecosystem, deepen their understanding of US business culture, and foster entrepreneurial growth. The program takes a holistic approach that emphasizes mindset cultivation, network expansion, and skills development. In the UK, our Science Office at the Swiss Embassy in London organized a Swiss-UK Medtech Mission last year in collaboration with the British Embassy in Bern, where a cohort of Swiss medtech companies explored business opportunities in London and Leeds.

Other examples of these special offers include Hardware Horizons in China, the Future of Food Bootcamp and nexBio Amazônia hosted by Swissnex in Brazil, and the Indo-Swiss Space Week in India launched this year. Hardware Horizons is an initiative by Swissnex in China to strengthen Swiss startups’ strategic decisions on hardware sourcing, manufacturing, and supply chain management. The initiative supports Swiss startups to establish connections with reliable suppliers and potential partners and equip startups with the decision-making process required to scale productions efficiently and sustainably. The program nexBio Amazônia is a Swiss-Brazilian sustainable innovation program that brings together Swiss and Brazilian startups to work in areas of the Amazon bioeconomy. The main objective is to initiate sustainable, short-term, easy, and quick-to-implement technological solutions that improve the sustainability and efficiency of existing production chains. The Indo-Swiss Space Week is hosted by Swissnex in India for startup founders amongst others to understand the Indian space ecosystem and tap into India’s dynamic space industry opportunities.

Explore all programs to see how Swissnex can help your startup thrive on the global stage – follow Swissnex on LinkedIn and visit https://swissnex.org/services/startups/ to learn more and get started.