"No matter what happens ... learn as much as possible" — Interview with Caroline Widmer of -Pulse at HES-SO Geneva

During the summer months, we ask people who stimulate the Swiss startup ecosystem to provide the Venturelab community with food for thought, inspiration, and recommendations. For this year's Summer Series, we’ll be interviewing personnel from the country's leading higher education institutions about the diverse and unique programs available to support rising entrepreneurs across Switzerland. This week, we speak to Caroline Widmer of -Pulse Incubator at HES-SO Geneva.

Name: Caroline Widmer
Job title: Director of -Pulse Incubateur HES
City: Geneva
What I do: I bring out the most innovative projects from the six applied universities of HES-SO Geneva by accompanying them in their first steps towards entrepreneurship and by opening doors in the networks of the Swiss innovation ecosystem.  

How would you summarize the mission of the -Pulse Incubator? 
-Pulse helps innovative and high-potential projects from the six applied universities of HES-SO Geneva to emerge and contribute to the economic development of the region.

What are the main programs/resources offered by the -Pulse Incubator?
-Pulse is first and foremost a community to rely on. It is also a place to meet and share ideas while pursuing three phases of six months each, during which the entrepreneurs are coached and have access to many thematic workshops. Each phase gives access to numerous advantages including prizes that reward the most deserving projects.

Who are the people behind the -Pulse Incubator? What makes you all excited about supporting entrepreneurs? 
The governance is made up of a multidisciplinary steering committee, an organizational team, and an extensive network of coaches and experts, all of whom are there to support the teams embarking on the entrepreneurial adventure. Fongit helped us a lot to jumpstart -Pulse at first, we partnered with Genilem to accompany the entrepreneurs in their journey and Platinn is there to ensure that startups pursue their growth with the appropriate tools.

What is so exciting about supporting these entrepreneurs is that every day is a surprise with its share of successes and failures, which allow the projects to move forward. It is also an opportunity for us to discover all the innovative ideas and current trends brought by the youth. New generations are facing many challenges in a world that we obviously wish to be more sustainable. Their innovative spirit is precious in this context.

How can startup founders best benefit from the support of the -Pulse Incubator?
The best way to benefit from the support of -Pulse is to participate in as many events and workshops as possible, to get involved, and seize every opportunity that arises during the incubation and beyond.

Could you please share two or three success stories from HES Geneva that you are especially proud of? 
We are very proud of ProSeed which has managed to stand out by winning several grants and prizes, including the prestigious Innosuisse bridge of CHF 130,000. It is also a great pride to see the success rate of the projects once they have left the incubator. I have in mind the multidisciplinary team which launched klode°, a Swiss design brand that conceptualizes and develops innovative products whose functionality benefits the planet. It was one of the first startups of -Pulse with its organic waste garbage cans whose unique vacuum system avoids any bad smell or midge appearance in the kitchen. 

What are the key strengths of HES Geneva that make it a great place for entrepreneurs? 
The six universities of applied sciences of the HES-SO Geneva represent a rich pole of competencies, allowing students to quickly move on to practice in fields as varied as design and engineering, as well as management, music, health, and social work. These fields are inexhaustible sources of innovative ideas. Through -Pulse, we create the vibration, the desire to undertake.



Which fields of technology are the startups from HES Geneva especially strong in? 
The fields related to technology in Geneva's universities are as varied as the themes treated. We have already seen many promising projects in the fields of high precision control and measurement, cybersecurity, food, and agritech. We also have great talents coming from interaction design or gaming, like the FlyQ team who aim at bridging gaming and sports through an autonomous drone that acts as a flying ball. In parallel with these very tech projects, we are particularly attentive to low-tech initiatives that consume less energy.

Can you share a surprising moment observed during your work at the -Pulse Incubator and what you learned from it? 
The moments that always surprise us are the meaningful synergies created within the incubator that gives rise to long-term collaborations. I have in mind this new place in the heart of the city called Rue des Bains 63, which was created by Marie-France de Crécy from Studio Wondervision, in collaboration with Caritas and three projects from -Pulse: Lundi Piscine, Zoraober, and apropa. Their activities are focused on upcycling and their projects complement each other very well from fashion to interior design with a focus on circular economy.

Which book would you recommend as a must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur?
Having a long experience in communication, I am very sensitive to the way projects are presented. Whether it be in front of a jury or during a demo day, the young entrepreneurs that we coach at -Pulse must excel in the art of pitching. Be it a three-minute pitch or a one-hour talk, it takes just a few seconds for listeners to determine if they will let you captivate them. This fear of others' gaze often makes people dread public speaking. The good news is that you have the power to create that first impression. Vibrations, Nancy Duarte’s book, is a gem of a speech creation tool. She takes you on a tour of what lies behind some of the greatest speeches in history. From Martin Luther King's legendary "I Have a Dream" speech to Steve Jobs' presentation of the Macbook Air, she makes us understand these memorable speeches and how to achieve the same effect.

What is a piece of key advice that you’d like to share with every new founder? 
No matter what happens with an entrepreneurial project, the important thing is to learn as much as possible from it in order to bounce back from each difficulty and turn it into an opportunity to learn and improve.
 
At Pulse, NO = Next Opportunity.

Finally, what is your vision/prediction for the startup community in Switzerland?
In recent years, the number of investment funds has increased throughout Switzerland. Tech startups have been able to benefit from the strong growth in funding with some very nice success stories. Nevertheless, I think that Switzerland should not try to replicate the silicon valley model. Our country is among the most innovative in the world, and its strengths lie in long-term research and development. I recently had the chance to interview Patrick Hertzog, the co-founder of Nexthink, who reminded me that it took them eighteen years to bring their startup to unicorn status. It takes time to create a solid foundation that will allow a startup to last. 
 
Anything else you’d like our readers to know?
Technological innovations attract a lot of investments and media coverage. However, as David Narr, Genilem's director, underlines in their last report, we should not forget the less visible innovations, the ones that are centered on humans and which are much less energy-consuming. The search for meaning is a founding element in the projects that come out of applied universities and it leads to initiatives that are still little recognized but have such a great impact. I have in mind a very promising solution of solar panels developed by Lightswing Solar, that maximizes the potential of solar electricity generation without using technology. 
 
Available support for HES-SO Geneva spin-offs:  
-Pulse Incubateur HES
Venture Kick
Innosuisse Start-up Trainings 

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Notable startups founded by HES-SO Geneva alumni: