Meet the Venturelab team: A coffee break with Yannick Bomhard

17.08.2021 07:30, Isabelle Mitchell

Venturelab supports the most innovative Swiss startups with tools, programs, and a one-of-a-kind network of partners and investors. To find out who makes all of this happen, we will take a look behind the scenes: We meet the Venturelab team members for a coffee break to talk about their work and find out what makes them tick when they are not supporting Switzerland’s innovation ecosystem with their expertise and experience. Our next guest is Yannick Bomhard, one of our Venturelab program managers and startup scouts.

Yannick, thank you for taking a coffee break with us. What were you working on just now?
Currently, I am heavily focusing on the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award 2021, which will take place on September 8. My main focus is on the invitation-only TOP 100 Investor Summit, in the morning of the full-day event. Here, we aim to connect the brightest Swiss entrepreneurs with top international investors from all over the world. Since the TOP 100 is our biggest event of the year, it truly is a team effort!

You have been working as a program manager and startup scout here at Venturelab in Schlieren since April 2021. What are your primary responsibilities?
Besides managing startup.ch and creating fundraising reports, most of my time is spent scouting for startups to participate in our various programs—either with corporate clients or the Venture Leaders.

What is your favorite part about being a program manager and startup scout at Venturelab?
I enjoy working with entrepreneurs from all high-tech verticals (e.g., medtech, biotech, engineering, and ICT), starting with pre-Seed stages up until they become successful scale-ups.

What did you do before joining Venturelab?
Before joining Venturelab, I worked as an investment analyst for a private equity growth fund near Zug, which focuses on scalable cleantech and software companies.

Why did you apply for the job as a program manager and startup scout?
I wanted to move more toward the early stage, as I believe this is where we can offer the founders the most guidance and help them become successful. Further, I find the broad sector approach of Venturelab very intriguing. It does not hurt that the whole team is very professional, friendly, and young at heart. This makes for some good after-work drinks.

What is something your co-workers might not know about you?
I am very much attracted to the outdoors and try to spend as much of my free time in the mountains while mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, etc.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Not too many, but if I had to pick one, it would be dark chocolate and gin (not necessarily in that combination, though!).

What would you like to invent?
Very tough question, but optimally, it would be something that greatly reduces our need for natural resources and pushes us a lot further to a circular economy while not standing in the way of technological advancement. Think of an AI that efficiently manages our resources in a fair and humanistic way.

How did you earn your first salary?
That would probably be working night shifts in a high-bay warehouse for an automotive supplier.

What is a social media account everyone should follow?
Ray Dalio for sharing invaluable life advice.

What is your favorite topic to discuss during coffee breaks? 
That would probably be either sports, adventures, and traveling or business ideas and investing.

What is your favorite playlist to listen to while working?
Currently probably Yoga Electronica on Spotify—chilled electro with enough drive to keep me going.  

Last but not least, could you show us your smartphone home screen and tell us about your three favorite apps?

• Spotify to listen to music
• Trailforks to explore new areas for mountain biking
• Threema/Telegram to stay in touch with family and friends