The Switzerland Founder Institute, the local chapter of the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, is proud to announce the newest Alumni from the Switzerland Spring 2021 program.
Over 220 people applied to the program, and after an intense four months of aggressive business-building sprints and constant evaluation and feedback from investors and mentors, just six companies were able to make it through.
Each of these Founders have demonstrated a high level of perseverance and creativity, and their businesses have been thoroughly vetted and supported by a panel of Switzerland's top startup experts and investors.
And now, without further ado, we present the Alumni of the Switzerland program:
The Switzerland Spring 2021 program would not have been possible without help, because it truly takes a region to raise a startup. We would first like to thank the Local Leaders of the Switzerland Founder Institute: Athanasios Ladopoulos, Christina Senn Jakobsen, Daniel Boehi, Eszter Olver, Ingeborg Gasser-Kriss, Kipras Undzenas, and Thomas Ackermann. Our Local Leaders play an incredibly important role in building the local Founder Institute program, and creating an environment and network in Zurich that is conducive to building to great companies.
In addition, the Switzerland Spring Virtual 2021 program was supported by some of Zurich's top technology organizations, including:

Some of Switzerland’s top startup mentors helped our founders in the program, including:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
- Adrian Hirt: CEO & Founder
- Adriano Di Dia: Chief Marketing Officer, Fyffes International SA
- Alain Nydegger: Founding Partner, 21Celsius Ventures
- Alastair Wong: General Partner, Big Wok Ventures
- Alejandro Garcia: CEO & Founder , AI Retailer Systems
- Aleksandar Bradic: Chief Technology Officer, Supplyframe
- Aleksandrina Ikonomova: Startup Advisor & Angel Investor, Pisana Labs
- Alena Hloba: Conference Producer, 0100
- Alessandro Tschabold: Entrepreneur and Startup Coach
- Alexander Mathys: Assistant Professor of Sustainable Food Processing, ETH Zuerich
- Alexander Schmitt: CTO, FYTA GmbH
- Alexandra Pinto: Founder, hoursec
- Alice Sachova Kleisli: Partner, Vendbridge AG
- Amine Tazi: Founder & Managing Partner, AT Swiss Ventures
- Amit Grinvald: Communication Strategist & Pitch Coach, Amit Grinvald Consulting
- Ana Veremyova: Founder & PR Advisor, Trust
- Andrew Ive: Founder / Managing General Partner, Big Idea Ventures
- Anette Gärtner: Intellectual Property Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
- Angela Stathi: Expert at European Innovation Council, .
- Anja Willms: Founder & Managing Director Shileo GmbH/ Venture Architect for Sparrow Ventures, Shileo GmbH
- Annu Gmeiner: Principal , Xista Science Ventures
- Antoine Mallard: VP, Causality Link
- Antonios Kouris: CEO, Curzyy
- Arcui Usoara: Global Board Advisor and Brand Strategist, Founder, Iaculus
- Ari Veltman: Business Strategy Advisor | Board Director | CBDO@, Sparko.TV
- Ari Aaltonen: CEO , Efides.io
- Aron Braun: Founder / Co-Founder, Epigenomics AG / Arpega AG / Zimballo GmbH
- Balthasar Wicki: Senior Partner, Wicki Partners Ltd
- Barak Peled: Managing Partner, DR Ventures
- Barbara Van Lodensteijn: Founder & Business Psychologist MSC, Vision Aligns
- Bart Jan Veldhuizen: CEO and Co-Founder, KitchenRepublic
- Bastian Thurneysen
- Beat Scheidegger: Co-Founder, Company Factory AG
- Benjamin Elad Rubin: CEO, Advisor & Angel Investor, Sirenum, Insectika, Pro-Active,
- Bhaskar Bulusu: Associate Partner, IBM India
- Bob De Wilde: Founder, ADELANTUM Services
- Bogdan Krinitchko: CEO & Founder , BRU
- Carina Freundt: Consultant / Former Director Strategic Planning & Analytics, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Health
- Carl P-Conquilla: Director / Design Engineer, Torson Injex AG
- Carlos Ruiz: CEO & Co-Founder, Flatev AG
- Carolin Schneider: Founder & CEO, 4di2 GmbH
- Caroline Schwieger: Category Director Home Care, Unilever
- Cassiano Gobbet: Founder, Troovr
- Catherine Falk
- Cedric Waldburger: Founder & General Partner, Tomahawk.vc
- Cédric Waldburger: CEO, tenderloin ventures
- Charlotte Christensen: Executive Director, Fintocat
- Chevonae Walcott: Associate, Relay Ventures
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Foltz: Global Entrepreneur-In-Residence, Founder Institute
- Christian Bärtsch: CEO and Co-Founder, Essento
- Christian Zeidler: Co-Founder and CEO, Adaptive
- Christina Hoffmann: CEO and Founder, BRANDMIND
- Christine Gould: Founder & CEO, Thought For Food
- Christodoulos Papachristou: COO, Funkmartini
- Christof Tremp: Founder and CEO, REBELS 0.0%
- Christoph Sollich: Freelancer, The Pitch Doctor
- Christoph Birkholz: Co-President & Founder, Impact Hub Switzerland
- Christoph Kellenberger: CEO and Co-Founder , DrinkPure / Novamem
- Clemence Marcilly
- Costas Papaikonomou: Co-Founder, Happen
- Daan Weddepohl: CEO & Founder, eCO
- Dalith Steiger: Co-Founder / Managing Partner, SwissCognitive / Cognitive Valley
- Daniel Puerta Diaz: Founder and expert on Industrialization and Scale-up, Sunflower Labs
- Daniel Neder: Venture Partner, Flashpoint Venture Capital
- Daniel Michael Böhi: Executive Coach, Founder & Investor, Founder Institute
- David Lunsford
- Deep Moteria: Founder , Elluminati
- Dionysis Linaras: President of the Investment Committee, Hellenic Pension Fund
- Dominique Dufour: CEO, Blue Wave Consulting
- Dr Mark Post: Founder , Mosameat
- Eddie Laventman: Founder & CEO, Goodpoint - Storytelling Masters
- Edgar Kussberg: AI Group Product Manager, Snyk
- Elena Mlotok: General Manager, Head of EU Newsstand, Amazon
- Elena Walder Schiavone: Managing Partner, Übermorgen Ventures
- Eleni Lialiamou: Founder, Kimolian Academy
- Eliana Zamprogna: CEO and Founder, Yumame Foods
- Elias Kleimann: Founder & CFO, Wingtra
- Elisa Chiarelli: CEO and Founder, Yoordi
- Eliza Sophia: CEO, Aleonz Consultancy Sdn Bhd
- Emil Virag: Founder, Foodanza, Inc.
- Erika Darmstaedter: Co-Founder, Collective63
- Erin Chen: Founder& CEO, Gilly, Inc.
- Ethan Aiem: Founder & CEO, Klendify
- Fabian De Vos: User Journey Manager, MoneyPark
- Fabio Ziemssen: Director Food Innovation, NX-FOOD (METRO AG)
- Felix Kernbichler: Attorney at Law, Kernbichler Law
- Ferdinand Dietrich: Co- Founder, Storebox
- Fiorella Erni: CEO and Founder, Cheetah Stories SA
- Flavio Rump: Entrepreneur and Investor, Flavio Rump
- Florian Nyffenegger: Founder, Agedo
- Florian Kandler: Pitch & Fundraising Expert, Der Perfekte Pitch
- Frank Mertens: Founder & CEO, FM Consulting GmbH
- Fraser Doherty: Founder/Co-Founder, SuperJam | Beer52.com
- Freddy Atangana: Founder and Chief Executive Director, Ekamou
- Frieder Damm: Managing Director & Founder / Chairman , Daizu & Sleep.ink / German FoodTech Expert Group
- Gal Nachum: Active Chairman, xFind / Cognishape
- Galit Farkash: Corporate Counsel & Strategic Advisor, Galit Farkash
- Georg Molzer: CEO & Founder, Shadowmap
- George Papanikolaou: Founder and Owner, WINE ART SA
- German Ramirez: Co-founder & Chief Relevance Officer, THE RELEVANCE HOUSE AG
- Gianmaria Monteleone: Founder , YouniteStars SpA
- Gil Margalit: CEO, PhoneDue Technology in Motion
- Gonçalo Castanho: CEO, Avenue Ideas Lda
- Greg Beardwell: CEO and Co-Founder , Connie's Kitchen
- Gregor Zehetner: Founder, GZE Advisory
- Guillaume Balas: Angel Investor | Mentor | Entrepreneur, 3scale / Meta Pool / The Inbound Labs / Tings
- Guillaume Rozenblat: Founding Partner, Seven Lanes Capital
- Guillermo Söhnlein: Co-Founder & CEO , Blue Marble ExplorationBlue Marble Exploration
- Gulnaz Khusainova: CEO & Founder, EasySize
- Gunter Pauli: Founder / Director, ZERI
- Guy Zurawel: Angel Investor
- Haim Rot: C.E.O, Cohen Rot Financial Management
- Helena Frumson: Systemic Growth Architect, Co-Founder at NeoClear, Founder at infinita Club, Infinita Club & NeoClear
- Henrietta Hearth: Investment Principal , Big Idea Ventures
- Herman Gyr: Member of the Board, Eligma
- Hilda Kilama: Founder, YouTold
- Hilda Liswani: Founder, webloom
- Huang Chen: DigiDream Solutions e.U. || CEO & Founder || Product Owner & Manager, DigiDream Solutions e.U
- Ido Zahavi: Associate, Arnon, Tadmor-Levy
- Ingeborg Gasser Kriss: Board Member, Advisor , Agent21
- Ion Badekas: CEO, M-Stat SA
- Irina Berkon: Member, Golden Seeds
- Ivo Ronner: VC & Advisor, Swiss Post Ventures, Digital Twins, etc.
- Jana Thiel: Senior Researcher ETH Zuerich, ETH Zuerich
- Janne Saarikko: Director, Food Ecosystems Accelerator, Founder Institute
- Jay Marathe: Fundraising adviser and investment banker for growth companies in energy technologies, Bryan, Garnier & Co.
- Jeff Shapiro: Partner, Bounty M&R
- Jeroen Maudens: Managing Partner, ONEtoONE Corporate Finance
- Jerome Mutschler: CEO and Co-founder , Demetrics
- Jessica Korthuis: Founder & CEO, SOHUIS
- Jiaran Wang: CEO, Expand Future GmbH
- Jimmy Jaspers: Founder, CEO, Vincitori Technologies
- Joanna Demkow Bartlomé
- Joanna Kapela: Founder, SLEEBOO
- Julia Devecchi: Entrepreneur/Mentor, Venturelab
- Julien Lepetit: Director Europe, The Business of Trust
- Kamran Houshang Pour: Patent Expert , Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
- Karim B
- Kartik Buddha: Co-Founder/CTO, MOOCTORS
- Kasia Sadowska: Founder, FutureHabits.Tech
- Katharina Kurz: Co-founder & MD , BRLO craft beer
- Kezia Cottrell: Senior Innovation Consultant, Happen.com
- Klaus Kummermehr: Co-Founder and Partner , SNGLR Group
- Konstantin Berezin: Technology Entrepreneur , Stealth Mode
- Kostas Karolemeas: Founder, CEO, Allcancode
- Laurentiu Christian Nat: Co-Founder, Easyplan Hospitality
- Lavina Ramkissoon: AI Ethics and Technology Policy, African Union
- Lea Von Bidder: Co-Founder and CEO, Ava Science
- Léa Miggiano: CMO and Co-Founder, Carvolution
- Leonidas Papadopoulos: Growth Strategist/CEO, Viable Growth Marketing Agency
- Lidia Zabala: Co-Lead , Lean In Zurich
- Lilla Peczely: co-director, Founder Institute Switzerland
- Liran Akavia: Serial entrepreneur (2 exits) | Executive Chairman | , CallMarker / Seebo / Sogomatic / Intelichain
- Luca Ferraro: Program Manager, Teleflex
- Luis Allo: Director External Innovation R&D, Kenvue
- Lukas Böni: Co-Founder, Planted
- Lukas Wieser: Co-Founder, myflexbox
- Lydia Bronze: Founder, Linie7
- Magdalena Tarasinska: Investor, SICTIC
- Majbritt Byskov Bridges: COO and Co-Founder, Alver World SA
- Malgorzata Goraczek: Founder, Funding Coach
- Manpreet Kohli: Senior Principal, Adobe
- Manuel Gonzalez: CEO and Managing Partner, Global RIFF
- Marco Tosoni: Startup Advisor, Freelancer
- Marcus Kuhn: Co-Founder, Viable Labs
- Marita Price: Founder & Director, Hello
- Mark Leinemann: Founder & President, Crowdfoods.com - the 1st AgriFood/-Tech Startup Association in DACHLI
- Markus Haas: Regional Director, Asia & Oceania, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA
- Martin Frühwirt, enablico
- Martin Habfast
- Martina Frick: Attorney at Law and Mediator SBA, lic. iur., LL.M., Eversheds Sutherland
- Martina Vitezova: Managing Director, NextPlay
- Mateja Kramar: Serial Entrepreneur / Project Lead, ETH Zuerich / Swiss Smart Farming
- Matthias Käch: Senior IP Trainer, Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
- Max Itskovich: Director of Global Markets Development, Apriorit
- Micha Verhagen: Coach & Consultant & Program Manager, StartupBootcamp / ng Strategic Programme Management
- Michael Blank: Investment Manager, Investiere.ch
- Michael Striligás: Founder, Vertliner
- Michael Mosimann: Partner, Eversheds Sutherland Ltd.
- Michael Dudli: CEO and Founder, Xelon
- Michelle Grant: Committee Member and Lecturer, ETH Zuerich World Food System Centre & Swiss Committee of UN FAO
- Michelle Tschumi: Head Start-up Finance, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)
- Mike Lingle: Entrepreneur / Mentor, Rocket Pro Forma
- Mine Uran: CEO and Founder, Alver
- Mohammad Hossein Tavangar: Director , Founder Institute Germany
- Monika Bercu: COO, GrowersTech
- Morgaine Gaye: Founder, Dr Gaye
- Moshe Mikanovsky: Product Director, Rootquotient
- Moshe David: Founder, Investor & Startup Mentor, Zugi Ventures
- Nadav Kaidar: Partner, Systems Of Disruption
- Nadine Zerrini: Director, Founder Institute Boston
- Natasha Drapeau: Founder, Augeous Advisory
- Nathan Evans: Founder | Angel Investor | Advisor , AURIS Investment
- Neriya Rosner: Founder , SpecBite
- Nicola D'Apice: Sr Manager Engineering EMEA, Johnson & Johnson
- Nik Zechner: Founder & Managing Director, Grauberg
- Nimrod Vromen: Partner, Yigal Arnon
- Noah Pickholtz: Founder & VC Investor | +$100M Raised for Startups & VC Funds, Champel Capital
- Oana Ria Nasaudeanu Ghinea: Regional Manager, SINGA Switzerland
- Ofer HaCohen: Head of Innovation Center, Israel, AT&T
- Olena Bochulia: Co-Founder, Severus
- Oliver Stahl: FOUNDER, Snackbox Express / Früchtebox Express / Hofladen Express / Dalou / Fruchtbox Express
- Olivier Laube
- Oron Zachar: CEO & Founder , Vytonic
- Pamela Wolf: Operating Partner, exCoty / exSalesforce
- Panagiotis Tomadakis: General Manager, Oriani
- Pascal Koenig: Co-Founder | Member of the Board, AVA Women
- Patricia Kastner: Angel Investor, Strategic Advisor
- Patrick Blumenthal: Investment Manager, Ecosystem Ventures
- Patrycja Pielaszek: CEO/Founder, WeCoCo.io
- Paul D'souza: President and CEO, The D'Souza Group
- Peter Lazou: Creative Future Venture Builder & Investor, otherDOTS
- Philippe Küng: Executive Board Member, resilient
- Pierre Gaubil
- Pouria Kay: Founding Partner, Atlan
- Raanan Shenhav: Founder, RS-CPD
- Rachel Sheppard: Digital Strategist & Startup Mentor - Helping Female Founders Launch & Grow Their Businesses Around the Globe, Founder Institute HQ
- Raphaela Kurer: C0-Founder | CMO, Meloncast
- Réginald Bien Aimé: Founder & Managing Director, Veelab
- Rene Lehmann: Co-Founder, Kanbii Solutions AG
- Ricardo Perez Font: Head of Marketing, BOBST
- Rolf Van De Velde, Undagrid
- Rusty Schwartz: CEO, KitchenTown
- Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
- Ryan Bethencourt: CEO, Wild Earth
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Sandeep Raju: Co-founder and Director, Samaaru India
- Sandro Kunz: Co-Founder & CEO, Pingen
- Sharon Alvarez: Chair Entrepreneurial Studies, Graduate School of Business / University of Pittsburgh
- Sharon Tal: Author & Facilitator, Where to Play
- Shira Teger: Attorney, Arnon, Tadmor - Levy
- Simon Dössegger: former CEO, modum
- Simon Gerstler: Helped over 200 companies increase sales | 2 tech exits | Founder UAE-Israel Business Council | Angel investor, Pipe Global
- S.K. Lee: Angel/LP + Coach, Launch Lab
- Sona Chandra: CEO and Founder, Terra Lumina
- Sonia Eterno: CEO and Founder, SHUBiDU AG
- Sophie Neuhut: President, Impact Angel Investors
- Stavros Pavlidis: Head Direct and Strategic Investments, Deep Capital Group
- Stephan Kreiger: Director, FI Austria
- Stephanie Naegeli: Chief Strategic Business Development Officer, SV Group
- Stephen Dowling: Global Vice President - Marketing | Digital Commerce | Go To Market, adidas
- Sunnie Groeneveld: CEO & Founder, Inspire 925
- Susanne Lauber Fuerst: Founder & CEO , InnoNext
- Sush Bapna: General Partner, 10Ten Ventures
- Suzanne Van der Maarel: Lead Food & Retail | Investor Program, Kickstart Innovation
- Tal Tuchman: Global Director, Deel
- Tatjana De Kerros: Head of Venturing @RicoLab, RicoLab
- Thomas Ackermann: Co-Director, Founder Institute Switzerland
- Thomas Helbling: Co-CEO, CARU AG
- Thomas Walbert: Ecosystem Leader, DEEP Ecosystems
- Tim Delhaes: CEO, Restacked.ai
- Timo Hahn: Chief Venture Officer, Sparrow Ventures
- Tobias Gunzenhauser: Co-Founder and CEO, Yamo
- Trudi Haemmerli: Partner, SNGLR CAPITAL
- Ulla Fletscher: CEO, HEYLIFE
- Unnat Bak: CEO, Revscale
- U Shin Kim, U-Shin Group Agency (UGA)
- Valentina Podda, Radical Value
- Vera Futorjanski, Veritas Ventures
- Veroniek Vermeulen: Founder, Silatha
- Vincent Irrling: Co-Founder | CEO, KAPSLY
- Willy Bischofberger: MSc Computer Science ETH, MBA INSEAD, Serial Entrepreneur
- Yael Daniely: A start-up psychologist, coach and Co founders therapist, YD- Scale Up your Business
- Yaniv Lavi: CEO and Co-Founder, fitto
- Yoav Bar: VicePresident, CocaCola Israel
In the Founder Institute's pre-seed accelerator program, early-stage entrepreneurs and teams build their business alongside a critical support network of local startup experts that share equity in their success, and through a structured and challenging business-building process that has helped alumni raise over 2BN.
After Graduation, the new Zurich Founder Institute Portfolio Companies now have a fast-growing company that has been fully validated by experienced startup founders, with access to the Founder Institute's global network and post-graduate support programs to continue building their business.
Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to raise funding, building a co-founding team, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200+ cities and 100+ countries, the Founder Institute’s mission is to Globalize Silicon Valley and empower talented and motivated entrepreneurs to build companies that will create one million new jobs.
The next Switzerland Virtual Fall 2021 Founder Institute program is being planned now. If you are interested in being notified when applications open, visit FI.co/apply/zurich.
Alumni of the Founder Institute are creating some of the world's fastest growing startups, having raised over 2BN in funding, and building products people love across over 200 cities worldwide.
See the most recent news from our Grads at FI.co/news, or learn more about their stories at FI.co/journey.
