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
- Aksil Amel: Mr., aux pieds des bibans
- Alain Nydegger: Founding Partner, 21Celsius Ventures
- Alastair Wong: Head of Engineering, International, Restaurant Brands International
- Alejandro Garcia: CEO & Founder , AI Retailer Systems
- Aleksandar Bradic: Chief Technology Officer, Supplyframe
- Alessandro Tschabold: Entrepreneur and Startup Coach
- Alex Von Mühlenen: Founder & CEO, Chainwork
- Alexander Mathys: Assistant Professor of Sustainable Food Processing, ETH Zuerich
- Alexander Schmitt: CTO, FYTA GmbH
- Alexandra Pastollnigg: Founder, Fair Voyage
- Alexandra Pinto: Founder, hoursec
- Alexandre Bastos: Global Director Innovation, Givaudan
- Alice Sachova Kleisli: Partner, Vendbridge AG
- Amine Tazi: Founder & Managing Partner, AT Swiss Ventures
- 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
- Antoine Mallard: VP, Causality Link
- Antonios Kouris: CEO, Curzyy
- Arcui Usoara: Founder/CEO, Iaculus
- Ari Veltman: Business Strategy Advisor | Board Director | CBDO@, Sparko.TV
- Armin Fricke: Managing Director, CGC Capital-Gain Consultants GmbH
- Aron Braun: Founder / Co-Founder, Epigenomics AG / Arpega AG / Zimballo GmbH
- Athanasios Ladopoulos: CEO | Founder, MOOCTORS
- Balthasar Wicki: Senior Partner, Wicki Partners Ltd
- Barbara Rübel: Managing Partner, Brand Essence AG
- Bart Clarysse: Professor of Entrepreneurship, ETH Zuerich
- Bart Jan Veldhuizen: CEO and Co-Founder, KitchenRepublic
- Bastian Thurneysen
- Beat Scheidegger: Co-Founder, Company Factory AG
- Bhaskar Bulusu: Associate Partner, IBM India
- Bogdan Vasile: Co-founder, phase2
- Bogdan Krinitchko: CEO & Founder , BRU
- Brad Peppard: Partner & Principal, Ravix Group
- Carina Freundt: Consultant / Former Director Strategic Planning & Analytics, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Health
- Carl P-Conquilla: Director / Design Engineer, Torson Injex AG
- Carlo Loderer: CEO, Zippsafe AG
- Carlos Da Silva: Director, Founder Institute Portugal
- Carlos Ruiz: CEO & Co-Founder, Flatev AG
- Carolin Schneider: Founder & CEO, 4di2 GmbH
- Caroline Schwieger: Category Director Home Care, Unilever
- Cassiano Gobbet: Founder, Troovr
- Cedric Waldburger: Founder & General Partner, Tomahawk.vc
- Cédric Waldburger: CEO, tenderloin ventures
- Chander Nagpal: Managing Partner, Enabling Excellence
- Chevonae Walcott: Associate, Relay Ventures
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Chris Foltz: Entrepreneur In Residence, Founder Institute + Responsible Solutions Ltd + IRG 100 CMO's & Change Agents
- Christian Bärtsch: CEO and Co-Founder, Essento
- 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 Laib: CEO, Founder, ViOS GmbH
- Christoph Birkholz: Co-President & Founder, Impact Hub Switzerland
- Christoph Kellenberger: CEO and Co-Founder , DrinkPure / Novamem
- Clemence Marcilly
- Costas Papaikonomou: Co-Founder, Happen
- Cristobal Sanchez: Global Marketing & Digital Leader – BUSINESS ACCELERATOR, Invacare
- Dalith Steiger: Co-Founder / Managing Partner, SwissCognitive / Cognitive Valley
- Daniel Kästli: Co-founder, Lead Customer Success, Spontacts, Frontify
- Daniel Puerta Diaz: Co-Founder, Head of Production, Almer Technologies
- Daniel Michael Böhi: Founder & Partner, Alphorn Venture Partners | TheForge | Swiss FoodTech Scaleup Factory
- David Butler: Director, Startup Grind Zurich
- David Lunsford
- Deep Moteria: Founder , Elluminati
- Devesh Kothari: Technical Program Manager, Google Austria
- Dionysis Linaras: President of the Investment Committee, Hellenic Pension Fund
- 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
- Eliana Zamprogna: CEO and Founder, Yumame Foods
- Elias Kleimann: Founder & CFO, Wingtra
- Elisa Chiarelli: CEO and Founder, Yoordi
- Emil Virag: Founder, Foodanza, Inc.
- Eric Postler: Managing Partner, Impact Hub Bern
- Erika Darmstaedter: Co-Founder, Collective63
- Erin Chen: Founder& CEO, Gilly, Inc.
- Eszter Tanczos Olver: Partner , EJ Capital AG
- Fabian De Vos: User Journey Manager, MoneyPark
- Fabio Ziemssen: Director Food Innovation, NX-FOOD (METRO AG)
- Fiorella Erni: CEO and Founder, Cheetah Stories SA
- Flavio Rump: Entrepreneur and Investor, Flavio Rump
- Florian Nyffenegger: Founder, Agedo
- Fortunat Diener: Founder , AVEC-SAVE AG
- Frank Mertens: Founder & CEO, FM Consulting GmbH
- Fraser Doherty: Founder/Co-Founder, SuperJam | Beer52.com
- Freddy Atangana: Founder & CEO, EKAMOU
- Frieder Damm: Managing Director & Founder / Chairman , Daizu & Sleep.ink / German FoodTech Expert Group
- Georg Greve
- 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 Chew: CEO, Founder, QPQ
- Greg Beardwell: CEO and Co-Founder , Connie's Kitchen
- 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
- Haim Rot: C.E.O, Cohen Rot Financial Management
- Hans Stier: Founder & CEO, Bonaverde Coffee AG
- Henrietta Hearth: Investment Principal , Big Idea Ventures
- Herman Gyr: Member of the Board, Eligma
- Hilda Kilama: Founder, YouTold
- Hilda Liswani: Founder, webloom
- 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.
- Jacques Hefti: Entrepreneur, Investor & Senior Lecturer, Startup Campus
- Jan Fülscher: Owner, janfuelscher.ch
- Jana Thiel: Senior Researcher ETH Zuerich, ETH Zuerich
- Janne Saarikko: Director, Food Ecosystems Accelerator, Founder Institute
- Jean Philippe Spinas: Principal, Kienbaum
- Jerome Mutschler: CEO and Co-founder , Demetrics
- Jessica Korthuis: Founder & CEO, SOHUIS
- Jill Allemang: Founder and Managing Director, jallé
- Jim Cheng: Serial Entrepreneur and Advisor
- Joanna Demkow Bartlomé
- Joanna Kapela: Founder, SLEEBOO
- Julia Devecchi: CEO/Founder, naanu Foods AG
- Julien Lepetit: Director Europe, The Business of Trust
- Jürg Stuker: Partner, Kickstart Innovation
- Kamran Houshang Pour: Patent Expert , Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
- Kartik Buddha: Co-Founder/CTO, MOOCTORS
- 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: Strategic Project Manager, Biotronik
- Luis Allo: Director External Innovation R&D, Kenvue
- Lukas Böni: Co-Founder, Planted
- Lydia Bronze: Founder, Linie7
- Magdalena Tarasinska: Investor, SICTIC
- Majbritt Byskov Bridges: COO and Co-Founder, Alver World SA
- Manuel Gonzalez: CEO and Managing Partner, Global RIFF
- Manuel Rinaldi: Program Director , Starta VC
- Mara Rada: Chief Operations and Strategy, Loon (loonbio.com)
- Marcel Gasser: Managing Director and Founder, GEN (Global Entrepreneurship Network) | AKASHA
- Marco Tosoni: Startup Advisor, Freelancer
- Marcus Kuhn: Co-Founder, Viable Labs
- Marina Helm Romaneschi: President and Co-Founder, foodward
- Marita Price: Founder & Director, Hello
- Mark Leinemann: Founder & President, Crowdfoods.com - the 1st AgriFood/-Tech Startup Association in DACHLI
- Markus Ursprung: Owner, Level 48
- Martin Boos: Partner, Amatin
- Martina Frick: Attorney at Law and Mediator SBA, lic. iur., LL.M., Eversheds Sutherland
- Mateja Kramar: Serial Entrepreneur / Project Lead, ETH Zuerich / Swiss Smart Farming
- Matthias Dorner: Founder, Wydr
- Matthias Käch: Senior IP Trainer, Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
- Max Itskovich: CEO and Founder, Mobindustry
- Micha Verhagen: Coach & Consultant & Program Manager, StartupBootcamp / ng Strategic Programme Management
- Michael Blank: Investment Manager, Investiere.ch
- Michael Baier: Start-up-, Venture Capital- & M&A-Lawyer, Wenger & Vieli
- 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 Roborg Sondergaard: VP HR, Carlsberg
- Michelle Tschumi: Head Start-up Finance, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)
- Mike Suprovici: Head of Acceleration, VC Lab
- Mike Lingle: Entrepreneur / Mentor, Rocket Pro Forma
- Mike Abegg: Lawyer, Wenger & Vieli
- Mine Uran: CEO and Founder, Alver
- Mohammad Hossein Tavangar: Director , Founder Institute Germany
- Monika Bercu: COO, GrowersTech
- Morgaine Gaye: Founder, Dr Gaye
- Nadav Kaidar: Partner, Systems Of Disruption
- Nadine Zerrini: Director, Founder Institute Boston
- Natasha Drapeau: Founder, Executive Consultant, Augeous
- Nathan Evans: Director, Founder Institute
- Neriya Rosner: Founder , SpecBite
- Nicola D'Apice: Sr Manager Engineering EMEA, Johnson & Johnson
- Nicolas Egger: COO, Poinz
- Nilson Kufus: Co-founder, Nomoko
- Nimrod Vromen: Partner, Yigal Arnon
- Nina Portier Reinhart: Managing Director, Reinhart Capital
- Noam Tamari-Wekser: Growth Investor, TheCircle
- Noemi Nagy: Business Development , Alpine Angel Investors
- Oana Ria Nasaudeanu Ghinea: Regional Manager, SINGA Switzerland
- Ofer HaCohen: Head of Innovation Center, Israel, AT&T
- Olena Bochulia: Co-Founder, Severus
- Olha Kubiv: Startup Mentor, Beloyara
- Oliver Flueckiger: Entrepreneur, Lecturer, Startup, University of Zurich
- Oliver Stahl: FOUNDER, Snackbox Express / Früchtebox Express / Hofladen Express / Dalou / Fruchtbox Express
- Olivier Laube
- Oron Zachar: CEO & Founder , Vytonic
- Otto Freijser: Co-Founder / Lean Innovation Lead, Perpetulon
- Panagiotis Tomadakis: General Manager, Oriani
- Pascal Brunner: CEO, Vatorex
- Pascal Koenig: Co-Founder | Member of the Board, AVA Women
- Patricia Kastner: Angel Investor, Strategic Advisor
- Patrycja Pielaszek: CEO/Founder, WeCoCo.io
- Paul D'souza: President and CEO, The D'Souza Group
- Paul Peyrot: Partner, Peyrot, Schlegel & Györffy
- Peter Lazou: Creative Future Venture Builder & Investor, otherDOTS
- Philippe Küng: Executive Board Member, resilient
- Pierre Gaubil
- Pierre Alain Ceralli: CEO & Co-Founder OriginFood / Former Executive Ambrosus, OriginFood
- Pouria Kay: Mentor, Founder Institute
- Raanan Shenhav: Founder, RS-CPD
- Rachel Sheppard: Digital Strategist & Startup Mentor - Helping Female Founders Launch & Grow Their Businesses Around the Globe, Founder Institute HQ
- Ralph Walter: CTO, Assentis
- Ralph Mogicato: Member of the Advisory Board, Swiss Finance Startups
- 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
- Roland Siegwart: Professor Autonomous Systems, ETH Zuerich
- Rolf Van De Velde, Undagrid
- Rusty Schwartz: CEO, KitchenTown
- Ryan Micheletti: Head of Global Operations, Founder Institute
- Ryan Bethencourt: CEO, Wild Earth
- Sabrina Tachdjian: Head of Ecosystem APAC, Hedera Hashgraph
- Sameer Sortur: Founding Partner, SquareCircle Ventures
- Sandeep Raju: Co-founder and Director, Samaaru India
- Sandro Kunz: Co-Founder & CEO, Pingen
- Sasha Schriber: Founder and CEO, Nanos.AI
- Sean Paul Shanor: Bliss, Breathwork, Startup Coach, Synergy Space
- Sébastien Flury: Co-founder & CEO, Coteries SA
- 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 Heinzle: CEO and co-founder, Crowd
- Simon Dössegger: former CEO, modum
- Sona Chandra: CEO and Founder, Terra Lumina
- Sonia Eterno: CEO and Founder, SHUBiDU AG
- Sophie Neuhut: President, Impact Angel Investors
- Søren Bjønness: Partner, Catapult Capital GmbH
- Stavros Pavlidis: Head Direct and Strategic Investments, Deep Capital Group
- Stephanie Naegeli: Chief Strategic Business Development Officer, SV Group
- Stephen Dowling: Global Vice President - Marketing | Digital Commerce | Go To Market, adidas
- Stijn Pieper: Founder & CTO, Advanon
- Sunnie Groeneveld: CEO & Founder, Inspire 925
- Susanne Lauber Fuerst: Founder & CEO , InnoNext
- Suzanne Van der Maarel: Lead Food & Retail | Investor Program, Kickstart Innovation
- Tatjana De Kerros: Head of Venturing @RicoLab, RicoLab
- Thomas Baer: Chief Operations Officer, Koch & Gsell
- Thomas Boesch: Co-Founder, Earlybird Food
- Thomas Ackermann: Co-Director, Founder Institute Switzerland
- Thomas Helbling: Co-CEO, CARU AG
- Tim Reinermann: Senior Projektmanager Digitales Marketing, Schwyzer Kantonalbank
- Timo Hahn: Chief Venture Officer, Sparrow Ventures
- Tobias Gunzenhauser: Co-Founder and CEO, Yamo
- Trudi Haemmerli: Partner, SNGLR CAPITAL
- Ulla Fletscher: CEO, HEYLIFE
- Vera Futorjanski, Veritas Ventures
- Veroniek Vermeulen: Founder, Silatha
- Vincent Irrling: Co-Founder | CEO, KAPSLY
- Wendelien Loopik: Director Digital Innovation, Royal Haskoning DHV
- Willy Bischofberger: MSc Computer Science ETH, MBA INSEAD, Serial Entrepreneur
- Yaniv Lavi: CEO and Co-Founder, fitto
- Yoav Bar: VicePresident, CocaCola Israel
- Yury Melnichek: Co-founder & ex-CEO, MAPS.ME
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 $1.85BN.
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 $1.85BN 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.