Dominique Gruhl-Bégin: ‘Swiss startups need to keep on thinking bigger and dare to take more risks’
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Every year, the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award celebrates Switzerland’s most promising startups, which are selected by a jury of 100 investors and startup experts and celebrated during an award ceremony. This year’s Award Night, on September 9, marks the 10th anniversary of this benchmark event of the Swiss startup ecosystem. We had the chance to talk with Dominique Gruhl-Bégin about the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award and her views on the evolution of the ecosystem. As the Head of the Start-ups and Next-Generation Innovators Division at Innosuisse, Gruhl-Bégin keeps a close eye on the development of startups in Switzerland.
What is Innosuisse’s mission and objective with regard to supporting startups? Innosuisse promotes the innovative capacity of Swiss startups, SMEs, and other innovative organizations by offering them support so that they can position themselves at the forefront of international technological or scientific advances in their field, in the interests of the economy and society. The Swiss Innovation Agency offers startups targeted, personalized programs adapted to the digital age and supports them in all phases of their development.
Exactly what support does Innosuisse offer to startups?
There are many things on offer for startups, and I recommend entrepreneurs to visit our website for a comprehensive overview. In a nutshell, Innosuisse offers the training program to help entrepreneurs develop their business idea, set up their company, and implement a growth strategy. The four training modules, ranging from entrepreneurship awareness events to five-day intensive courses, are led by experienced entrepreneurs and take place all over Switzerland. Personalized coaching, international camps in ten locations around the world, and scale-up training top off our services.
The TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. How has the startup ecosystem evolved over the past decade?
The Swiss ecosystem has changed a lot and has become much more active. We have seen the number of startups created increase significantly each year, and the support on offer has multiplied not only in terms of the number of players supporting young entrepreneurs but also in terms of the type of support the entrepreneurs can receive. Whether in the form of awards such as the TOP 100, theoretical courses on starting a business, coaching, assistance with internationalization, advice on legal or regulatory matters, or on presenting your business idea to investors, nowadays, there is a wide range of support on offer for startups.
In your opinion, what role does the TOP 100 play in the ecosystem?
The TOP 100 plays a central role. The event helps to present startups to and promote them among numerous investors in Switzerland and abroad. Our country is home to some of the world’s most innovative startups, and this type of ranking gives them the visibility they deserve to receive the funding and support they need from business partners, foundations, and public stakeholders. Investors recognize the quality of the ranking, and the event is among the best in Switzerland for allowing local startups to make themselves known.
Where do you see Swiss startups 10 years from now?
The model whereby startups are taking over part of the role once played mainly by established companies, i.e., bringing the results of R&D projects to market, will continue to develop. An ever-increasing number of young scientists feel capable of starting companies and show interest in this venture. At the same time, startups are recognized as being more flexible, more agile, and dynamic in how they respond to market demands. As a result, I believe that the number of startups created each year will continue to increase over the next decade. In the future, startups will potentially gradually seize market opportunities and grow faster. I also think they will take relatively more risks. The failure rate could, thus, increase, but it will be offset by the increased energy of the ecosystem and thus by the increase in the number of corporate foundations.
Furthermore, Switzerland’s international recognition will be further bolstered in certain sectors in which it is particularly strong, for example, biotechnology. Finally, I believe that the number of startups springing up from a combination of different disciplines and those with mixed-gender management teams will increase as they will be “on the radar” of more investors. As a result, I expect an increase in the number of women managing or co-managing startups in Switzerland.
How can Swiss founders improve and become global shapers?
In my opinion, Swiss startups must keep on thinking bigger, dare to take more risks, act faster, and accept a loss of some control in favor of exponential growth. Conservatism is always too present in the development strategy and jeopardizes brilliant ideas. Startup managers sometimes focus so much on the technical development of their innovation that they forget about the customer and the actual market launch.
Furthermore, the interdisciplinary and diverse nature of the founding team should be included from the start of any business. Finally, business models based on responsible environmental, social, and governance goals will, in my opinion, set the winning companies of the next decade apart and play a key role in their sustainability and resilience.
Last but not least: What are you most looking forward to from the TOP Startup Award 2020?
Supporting and showcasing our best startups so that they find the right financing and partners to succeed and grow!
This interview has been edited and condensed. Read the full interview here.
