Application process for Venture Leaders Technology 2024 is now open

09.01.2024 10:45, Rita Longobardi

Every year, ten tech startups are chosen to join the Swiss National Startup Team as Venture Leaders and represent Swiss startup excellence on the international stage. As participants in a roadshow in Silicon Valley, the entrepreneurs profit from meetings with investors and industry experts and take a decisive step in the growth of their ventures. Apply by January 15, 2024, and win your place in the Swiss National Startup Team!

The Venture Leaders Technology program provides founders of startups a way to fast-track the growth of their businesses. By bringing them to Silicon Valley, one of the foremost hubs for technological innovation and entrepreneurship, the program aims to accelerate the development of Swiss-based software startups specializing in AI, machine learning, computer vision, and cloud and security solutions.

This free-of-charge program offers a distinctive chance for startups to establish a global presence, broaden their U.S. network, and gain exposure to the expertise and perspectives of industry leaders, venture capitalists, and investors. Additionally, the journey promotes exchanges with fellow entrepreneurs, creating a space for insightful exchanges and collaboration.

Alumni of the program include high-flying startups such as Lemoptix, Composyt Light Labs (acquired by Intel), Faceshift (acquired by Apple), HouseTrip (acquired by TripAdvisor), Kooaba (acquired by Qualcomm), Dacuda (acquired by Magic Leap), as well as unicorns like GetYourGuide and Scandit.

APPLY NOW and win your place in the Swiss National Startup Team 2024!

Learn more about the Venture Leaders Program 2024 and apply by January 15, 2024!

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Looking back: Venture Leaders Technology 2023

In 2023, the Venture Leaders team included founders from a broad range of companies, including ecorobotix's Simon Aspinall (AI for sustainable agriculture), Tune Insight's Juan Troncoso-Pastoriza (data collaborations with federated confidential computing), and Neural Concept's Pierre Baqué (engineering processes optimization).

The founders, whose startups were chosen from over 150 applications by a jury of investors and technology experts, pitched to well-known investors such as Bessemer Venture Partners, Rothschild Global Advisory, True Ventures, DCVC, FyrFly Ventures, Tenacity, Swisscom, and Unionlabs. Furthermore, they participated in high-class workshops with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Simon-Kucher & Partners, and HR expert Jodi Johnson. The team impressed local VCs, who underlined the Venture Leaders' vision's maturity and the innovative potential emerging from the Swiss startup ecosystem.

Between meetings and learning opportunities, there were many other chances to connect with representatives of the local innovation scene: The Swiss National Startup Team 2023 pitched at the BBQ hosted by Swisscom Outpost as well as the Swiss Pitch Night hosted by Swissnex.

"I was fortunate to participate in Venturelab Technology Leaders 2023 in San Francisco. The exchange with other founders and the intense program gave me many takeaways," commented Michel Mohler—Co-Founder and CFO of Lyfegen—on the Venture Leaders Technology program 2023.

"It is impressive to see how deep-tech oriented and lab-designed the startups we bring from Switzerland are, which makes a clear difference to startups in Silicon Valley," added Ben Narasin, founder and director of Tenacity.


The Venture Leaders Technology 2023 in the Bay Area

Venture Leaders Technology 2024 is organized by Venturelab in collaboration with our partners DPD, EPFL, ETH, Helbling Technik, Kellerhals Carrard, Rothschild & Co. and Canton of Vaud.

APPLY NOW and win your place in the Swiss National Startup Team 2024!