Swiss National Startup Team 2023: 10 technology startups selected to showcase Swiss innovation in Silicon Valley

15.02.2023 06:30, Morgane Ghilardi

An expert jury chose ten promising technology startups to join the Swiss National Startup Team 2023. As Venture Leaders Technology, the startups’ founders will go on a roadshow in Silicon Valley in April, where they will connect with investors and industry experts, expanding their network and presence on the international stage. The Venture Leaders Technology 2023 program is organized by Venturelab with the support of ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne, Kellerhals Carrard, Rothschild & Co, the Canton of Vaud, and the Canton of Zurich.

After reviewing over 150 applications, a jury of investors and technology experts selected ten tech startups to join the roadshow in Silicon Valley, one of the world's most important tech hubs. The roadshow provides a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to accelerate their startups' expansion in the US while expanding their professional network and profiting from workshops with investors and industry leaders. 

The Venture Leaders program also showcases the drive and vitality of Switzerland's tech startup ecosystem. The chosen startups work on a wide range of solutions, from machine learning and sensors to encryption and positioning technology, and serve a variety of sectors, such as agriculture, healthcare, digital marketing, and engineering.

"The startups chosen to join the Venture Leaders Technology program are working at the forefront of innovation, so the roadshow in Silicon Valley represents the natural next step in their growth," says Stefan Steiner, co-managing director of Venturelab. "By offering exposure to industry experts and investors in this nexus of innovation, the program provides the entrepreneurs with access to invaluable insights about the US market as well as industry know-how while bolstering their international network. We look forward to the exchanges and opportunities the roadshow will bring about for the Venture Leaders and their future fundraising."

This year's Venture Leaders Technology join an impressive group of alumni, including startups such as Lemoptix and Composyt Light Labs (acquired by Intel), Faceshift (acquired by Apple), HouseTrip (acquired by TripAdvisor), Kooaba (acquired by Qualcomm), Dacuda (acquired by Magic Leap), and the unicorns GetYourGuide and Scandit.

"Being challenged by US investors was very constructive in order to improve our communication and pitches," said Matteo Vanotti, CEO of xFarm and a Venture Leader Technology 2022 that raised a EUR 17 million financing round after the roadshow. "Additionally, we breathed the atmosphere of the valley populated by tech companies; we came back to Switzerland with many inspirations."

"I can confidently say that the Venture Leaders program is truly unique in many aspects," said SONIX founder and CEO Nicolas Abelé, who was a Venture Leader Technology 2022 as well and raised USD 2 million last October. "The amount of personal and professional development packed into this one week is next to none."

The Venture Leaders Technology 2023 program is organized by Venturelab and supported by ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne, Kellerhals Carrard, Rothschild & Co, the Canton of Vaud, and the Canton of Zurich.

The entrepreneurs will meet and introduce themselves to the public at a kick-off event on February 22, 2023.

About Venture Leaders  
The Venture Leaders—the members of the Swiss National Startup Team—have a clear goal: envisioning themselves as global players, they want to take the first step towards their global expansion. Venturelab has almost 20 years of experience bringing Switzerland’s best entrepreneurs to the heart of the global technology hubs: Silicon Valley, New York, Boston, Barcelona, London, Munich, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Companies founded by the 475 Venture Leaders alumni have created more than 9,300 jobs and raised more than CHF 6 billion in funding.

Learn more about the Venture Leaders Technology 2023: