Federal Department of Economic Affairs FDEA Commission for Technology and Innovation CTI Innovation Promotion Agency

Seed Funding from Foundations for Swiss Technology Startups

The purpose of this document is to offer a compiled source of useful information and links for accessing seed and early stage startup funding from foundations in Switzerland. It is meant as a quick reference guide for entrepreneurs in order to help identifying the pertinent sources of seed funding for their venture companies. Creating a company requires great ideas or solid technologies, a lot of hard work and commitment, dedicated teams, initial access to customers, a pinch of luck and some funding to get started or to accelerate business developments. The scope of this document is to focus on the seed and early stage phase, i.e. sources of funding available before venture capitalists or traditional banking instruments can come in to fuel company growth with additional equity or credit financing. It is meant to identify additional sources of seed money beyond the initial funds provided by the 3 FFFs (Founders, Friends & Family or Fools ). Bootstrapping a company with non-dilutive funding is a very interesting way to create initial value, focus on the essential in product development (minimum viable product) and with first customers (ensuring a clear understanding of their issues and how the startup can add value). While not conventional for every business, bootstrapping does build great companies. Some of the worlds top technology companies were bootstrapped (companies like Microsoft, SAP or Oracle). Always ensure to be well prepared in approaching these sources of seed funding. Each of them has its own history, objectives and decision criteria but they all will want to understand and be convinced about the potential of your startup. Foundations are numerous and diverse. The spirit of most foundations resides in public utility, to contribute to make Switzerland a better place. Unlike professional investment (see members of CTI Invest), foundations can afford to fill gaps in the market place, notably for seed or bridge financing. Usually fewer strings are attached. Most common applications are: Seed financing - Very early stage, typ. technological developments or proof of concept - Finance validations required to attract further financing - Often instrumental in the continuation of the venture - Before or after the creation of a legal entity Bridge financing - Cash shortage before round of financing - Buy time, negotiation support Leverage seed / bridge financing - To obtain funding from academic partner - To obtain more from other available support

This compilation is meant to be as exhaustive as possible. It is relying on public information. Neither KTI/CTI nor the author shall have any liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for the interpretation thereof.

National Foundations and Main Prizes

Name and Web Fondation de Vigier www.devigier.ch Venture Kick www.venturekick.ch GebertRf Stiftung www.grstiftung.ch Amounts CHF 100000 as a prize (5 prizes per annum) Up to 130000 As a prize (in 3 stages) Between 50000 and 500000 As a grant for pilot projects Up to 150000 As an interestfree loan 150000 as a prize (3 prizes; every two years) 50000 for smaller projects and more for extensive projects 60000 as a prize 50000 as a prize (30000 in cash) 25000 as a prize (3 categories)
Average 350000 (can go up to 1M and more) Submission dates
Pascal Dutheil/ May 2011

Volkswirtshaft Stiftung www.volkswirtschaft-stiftung.ch Heuberger Winterthur www.jungunternehmer-preis.ch Hasler Stiftung www.haslerstiftung.ch

Objectives & Key Criteria Innovative and promising product ideas. Applicants must be Swiss citizens. Further selection criteria (Sept 30). Early detection and promotion of promising business ideas. Applicant must be a member of a Swiss university or a school of higher education. Promotion of innovation. In Switzerland. Projects of highly qualified young scientists. See also BREF program (deadline Aug 19) Technology spinouts. To support specific expenses (not salaries). Eg: to coincide with a CTI project financing (conditions April 15 and Sept 30) All type of business ventures with high growth potential. For Germanspeaking Swiss entrepreneurs (conditions Aug 24). Information and telecommunication technologies. See terms & conditions

Venture www.venture.ch Startups.ch www.startups.ch/de/award Swiss Economic Award www.swisseconomic.ch Commission for Technology And Innovation Applied R&D funding CTI projects

Business plan competition combined with learning events & coaching. Takes place every two years (2012). Annual business plan competition sponsored by several partners (Postfinance, Axa, Sunrise). 3 regional finals. (deadline June 30) Annual award for Swiss entrepreneurs with outstanding achievements. Funding flows 100% to university partner. Start-up can exploit results of the project (for free since 1.1.2011). Start-up needs to show in house resources in the same order of magnitude as the CTI funding.
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Seed funding in Switzerland

Regional or Cantonal Foundations and Prizes

Name and Web Fondation FIT www.fondation-fit.ch Amounts CHF 100000 As a loan (with conditions) 100000 up to 500000. As a loan (with conditions) 100000 As a loan 100000 up to 500000 As a loan (with conditions) 500000 as a prize Up to 500000 As a convertible loan Objectives & Key Criteria Technology ventures. Located in Romandie. Collaboration with a HES or EPFL. From a lab to a commercial prototype. Technology ventures (UAS of Berne). Located in Espace Mittelland. From a lab to a commercial prototype. Technology ventures. Located in Bodenseeraum/StGallen. From a lab to a commercial prototype. Technology ventures. Located in Neode incubator. Canton de Neuchtel. Innovative ventures located in the Canton of Neuchtel. (deadline end February) Technology ventures. Located in Canton du Jura. Supported by www.creapole.ch Technology ventures. Located in Canton de Genve.

STI Stiftung www.sti-stiftung.ch Startfeld Stiftung www.startfeld.ch Finergence www.finergence.ch BCN Innovation Prix BCN Innovation FITEC www.fitec.ch Fongit www.fongit.ch

Variable. Possible coinvestment from Fongit Seed Invest Fondation SeedCapital Fribourg Up to 200000 www.seedcapital-fr.ch (as a loan with milestones) Prix Crateurs BCVs www.prixcreateursbcvs.ch ZKB Pionierpreis Technopark www.technopark.ch ZKB Finanzierung Startups www.zkb.ch Ernst Ghner Stiftung www.ernst-goehner-stiftung.ch Innovationsstiftung der
Seed funding in Switzerland

Technology ventures. Seeking further technical and commercial validation; based in Canton de Fribourg. Startup companies in Canton du Valais (deadline 31 mars). Technology ventures. Greater Zrich area. Before or After incorporation. See detailed conditions (30 October). Technology ventures. Greater Zrich area. Conditions In collaboration with TechnoPark Zrich. Scalable product innovations.
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30000 as a prize 98696 as a prize Variable amounts (loan/equity) Variable seed amounts (loan/equity) 300000 up to
Pascal Dutheil/ May 2011

Schwyzer Kantonalbank Kurzpresentation SVC SA www.svc-risikokapital.ch

2M (loan/equity) Up to 2M (equity/loan)

Ventures located in Kanton Schwyz. For later stage startups. Conditions. Supporting jobs creation in Switzerland.

Local Foundations, Prizes or Grants

Name Innogrant by EPFL Amounts CHF 100000 Pioneers grant by ETHZ 100000 Aargauer Unternehmerpreis 10000 Burgdorfer Innopreis 10000 InnoPrix SoBa 25000 Solothurner Unternehmerpreis 20000 KMU Primus 50000 Motivationspreis Thurgauer Apfel 10000 Zuger Innovationspreis 20000 Innovationspreis 10000 Neuunternehmerpreis Jungunternehmerpreis Tebo-Umsetzungspreis Lista Innovationspreis Innovation Fribourg Concours InnoKick Trophe PERL Lausanne EPFL research awards Prix Strategis HEC Lausanne Prix du dveloppement durable 10000 Support 20000 20000 20000 20000 + support 50000 Various 50000 30000 Objectives & Key Criteria http://vpiv.epfl.ch/innogrants Pioneers grants Kanton Aargau Berner Fachhochschule Solothurn Solothurn St.Galler KantonalBank Thurgau Kanton Zug Zentralschweizerischen Handelskammer Zentralschweizer Neuunternehmer Nordwestschweiz EMPA StGallen (Bodenseeraum) Lista AG, Erlen (Bodenseeraum) Fribourg HEIG VD Yverdon (deadline June 15) www.lausanneregion.ch EPFL Research Awards information www.prixstrategis.ch (deadline May 31) Geneva region

Cautionnement/ Brgschaftsgenossenschaft
Name and Web Cooprative Romande de Cautionnement www.crcpme.ch Amounts CHF Up to 500000 (as a banking line of credit) Objectives & Key Criteria Possible for startups showing initial product commercialization (not for R&D). In Romandie. Can imply additional personal guarantees. See detailed conditions . For companies in the cantons of Bern, Jura, Solothurn, Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Luzern, Obwalden und Nidwalden Die OBTG Ostschweizerische Brg4/6

Brgschaftsgenossenschaft Up to 500000 BGMitte (as a banking line of credit) www.bgm-ccc.ch Brgschaftsgenossenschaft Up to 500000
Seed funding in Switzerland

Pascal Dutheil/ May 2011

BG Ost www.obtg.ch Brgschaftsgenossenschaft SAFFA www.saffa.ch Fondation George Aegler www.microcredit-solidaire.ch Fondetec www.fondetec.ch

(as a banking line of credit) Up to 50000 (as a garantee to a banking credit) 30000 (as a loan) 100'000 or above As a loan (with conditions)

schaftsgenossenschaft ist berkantonal in den Kantonen AG, AI, AR, GL, GR, SG, SH, SZ,TI, TG, UR, ZG, ZH ttig. For women entrepreneurs. See application conditions To support company creation in CH. Innovative companies. Not ready yet for classic bank financing. Developing jobs in City of Geneva.

Prizes with support/coaching or industry-specific recognition

Name and Web Awards CHF CTI Startup Label Visibility www.ctistartup.ch Fondation du Dr Ren Liechti 50'000 as a priwww.fondation-liechti.ch ze Idee Suisse Award www.idee-suisse.ch IMD Startup Competition IMD 2011 Swiss Technology Award Award 2010 Venture Leaders VentureLab Best of Swiss Web Best of Swiss Gastro Award James Dyson Award Award ETG ElectroSuisse Innovationspreis 2011 ITG ElectroSuisse Innovationspreis 2011 Life Sciences Prize Prize 2010 Prix Eclosion Bio Innovation DebioPharm Award 2011 Umwelt Preis Award 2012 Prix Evenir Award Watt dOr
Seed funding in Switzerland

Visibility Collaboration with MBA students Visibility & Media Education Visibility Visibility Visibility Visibility + 10000 Visibility + 10000 Visibility + 10000 Visibility + 10000 Visibility & support 100000 (4 prizes) 50000 50000 Visibility

Objectives & Key Criteria Most promising startup companies. Support for US market entry Very early stage. Coup de pouce. Projects with an ecological or humanitarian purpose. (Sept 30). Supports new ideas and innovations in Switzerland. Early Stage ventures. Swiss Innovation Forum in November. 3 categories (seed, startup, mature) Selection of 20 entrepreneurs. US trip to Boston with networking. Master of Swiss Web 2011 Innovative companies or ideas in gastronomy. Product design and industrial design. Open for entry as of April 2011. Innovations in energy & electricity. Deadline 31 March 2011. Innovations in IT, electronics and automation. Deadline 31 March 2011. Innovative life sciences startups in Switzerland. Life Science ventures. Life Science ventures. Deadline April and May 2011. For technology innovations in environment and construction (Sept 30). Personality or innovative startup active in sustainable development. (November). Best energy projects in Switzerland.
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Pascal Dutheil/ May 2011

Award Swisscanto Sustainability Award Banque Alternative Suisse Fonds dinnovation Schwab Social Entrepreneur Award Social Entrepreneurship Initiative Swiss Logistics Award Milestone Tourismus Award

Visibility (G21 forum) 50000 (as a banking credit) Visibility Visibility & support Visibility Visibility + 33000

Deadline 31 July 2011. Innovative projects for sustainable development. (May 31). Sustainable energy; social entrepreneurs. See conditions Social Entrepreneurship. Business plans in the areas of health, social or environment. www.swisslogisticsaward.ch (May 28) Innovations in tourism industry (Aug 31).

Seed funding in Switzerland

Pascal Dutheil/ May 2011

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