AcceleratorEquity-free

Kickstart Innovation

Zurich, Switzerland

A zero-equity, open-innovation accelerator connecting startups with corporate partners like AXA, Coop, and Swisscom.

Location:
Zurich, Switzerland
Equity:
Equity-free

What you need to qualify

  • Later-stage startups based anywhere in the world or within Switzerland
  • A product or technology is available, preferably with a patent
  • Previous investment has been secured
  • The venture is ready for collaboration with Kickstart partners
  • At least one founder or senior executive present during key events (Final Selection, Planning Sprint, CEOs and Founders Dinner, Opening and Closing Ceremony, key partnership negotiations)
  • A promising product or technology in one of five sectors: Finance and Insurance, Food and Retail, Health and Wellbeing, New Work and Learning, Smart Cities

Eligibility

Eligible stages
All stages
Countries
Global, subject to the provider’s eligibility and approval

How to apply

  1. 1

    Check the stage and focus fit

    Kickstart selects later-stage ventures, meaning a technology or product already in market with external funding secured, in one of its five focus areas. Before each round it works with its partners to define the challenges it scouts against.

  2. 2

    Submit the application form

    kickstart-innovation.com/apply redirects to a Google Form asking for the company, a one-sentence summary, website, country, stage, circular-economy readiness, focus area and a contact person.

  3. 3

    Screening and Final Selection

    A jury of Kickstart partners and experts screens and evaluates applicants. The round includes the Partner Safari networking event and a Final Selection.

  4. 4

    Planning sprint

    In September: the opening ceremony, an executive dinner in Zurich, and a week of one-to-one meetings and cross-vertical engagement.

  5. 5

    Collaboration sprint

    September to November, focused on creating and securing partnerships and proofs of concept with Kickstart's partners, and including the Investor Summit and further executive dinners.

  6. 6

    Closing ceremony

    In November the confirmed proofs of concept and commercial projects are announced.

Frequently asked

No. Kickstart states the program takes no equity and charges no fees.

Not at the moment. It says there are no investment activities on its behalf, but it runs events including an annual Investor Summit to bring participating startups together with investors, and once a partnership is established there is a fund secured for that purpose.

Later-stage startups anywhere in the world, with a product or technology available (preferably patented), previous investment secured, readiness to collaborate with Kickstart's partners, a founder or senior executive available for the key events, and a fit with one of five sectors: Finance and Insurance, Food and Retail, Health and Wellbeing, New Work and Learning, Smart Cities.

Kickstart defines it as mature startups or scale-ups that already have a technology and a potential product in the market, have secured external funding, and operate with a team of several people.

Direct access to top executives and decision makers at Swiss corporations, organisations, foundations and cities, the chance to start proof-of-concept trials and other innovation partnerships, high-quality advisors and experts from the Swiss innovation ecosystem, training and workshops in innovation and collaboration skills, access to a dedicated partnership fund, and free coworking space at the Kraftwerk innovation space in Zurich.

Kickstart runs two selection rounds a year, with applications closing on 31 May and 25 July. The page does not say which year those dates belong to and publishes no date for the next round, so check the join page before planning around them.
New workFinanceInsuranceFood/retailHealthSmart cities

Browse more like this: Healthtech accelerators

We have not been able to confirm a deadline for this one. Check the official page before you start.

Do I qualify?

2 things decide this one. Check yourself against them before you spend time on the form.

Stage
Seed, Series A+
Where it runs
Switzerland. In person, so you need to be able to take part there
What you give up
No equity stated
Deadline
Not confirmed. Check the official page

That is the rulebook. What we cannot show you here is whether your startup clears it, how this ranks against the other programs you qualify for, and what to fix if you do not.

Check what I qualify for

Five questions, about a minute, no account needed.

Last verified against the official page. Report an error

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