Silicon Valley Programme for deeptech start-ups

• Swisscom and Venturelab are inviting applications from deeptech start-ups until mid-June 2023. The top three will take part in a Business Acceleration Programme in Silicon Valley. They will also have the chance to win an investment or collaboration with Swisscom.

The first home computer was invented in Switzerland, but failed due to a lack of funding. Instead, a region near San Francisco seized the opportunity and Silicon Valley was born. The same problems exist today. Although Switzerland leads the world in innovation, we still lag behind in financing the growth of start-up companies.

Start-ups that create expensive solutions based on highly developed technologies, known as deeptech start-ups, are particularly affected by this. With their solutions in the areas of industry, robotics, space, FinTech, AgTech, EdTech, smart cities and clean tech, they are actively contributing to social issues such as climate protection, education and location attractiveness. Through the Swisscom StartUp Challenge 2023, Swisscom wants to support these start-ups in their growth phase.

Start-ups can apply for the Swisscom StartUp Challenge until 11 June 2023. Ten start-ups will be selected and invited to a pitch in September 2023. From these, three winners will be chosen by the expert panel in cooperation with Venturelab. The prize: a customised acceleration programme at the Swisscom Outpost in Silicon Valley. The winners will also have the chance to win an investment or a business partnership with Swisscom.

About the Swisscom StartUp Challenge

Since 2013, more than 2,000 start-ups have applied for Swisscom’s support programme and 50 have completed the Business Acceleration Programme. Around 100 young entrepreneurs have travelled to the Swisscom Outpost and pitched their business cases to global venture capitalists and Internet giants. These include start-ups like Ava, Creal, Ecorobotix, Geosatis, Gmelius or Nanolive, which all secured investment from Swisscom Ventures.