KICKSTART INNOVATION

Kickstart is one of Europe’s largest zero equity, multi-corporate ecosystem innovation platforms that runs a scale-up program for high-growth startups with a goal to accelerate deep tech innovation in Switzerland. Science and engineering-driven technologies have the potential to solve humanity’s biggest challenges. They require unprecedented collaboration between established organizations and the most audacious entrepreneurs out there. Kickstart is committed to building bridges and bringing ... various organizations such as startups, corporates, cities, foundations and universities together. Each year, Kickstart brings up to 100 entrepreneurs to Switzerland to collaborate with key players for proofs of concepts, pilot projects, and other innovation partnerships. Additionally, through an intrapreneurship program Kickstart helps established organizations to accelerate internal innovation. Kickstart is a spin-off of Impact Hub Zurich and was launched in 2015 by digitalswitzerland. In 2020, Kickstart runs five verticals: EdTech & New Work, FinTech & InsurTech, Food & Retail Tech, HealthTech, Smart City & Technology; an Intrapreneurship program and the Circular Economy Initiative together with partner organizations across industries: AXA, Coop, Migros, Swisscom, Mobiliar, ETH Zürich, City of Zurich, Gebert Rüf Stiftung, Holcim Schweiz, MAVA Foundation, Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Arcas Foundation, PostFinance, Mövenpick, New Work SE, Credit Suisse, CSEM, Energie 360°, Empa, University Hospital Zurich, Panter, SATW, Swiss Healthcare Startups, Roche, Ringier, Wenger & Vieli AG, Google for Startups and more.More