Venture Leaders Mobile: Going international at Mobile World Congress 2025

07.03.2025 10:00, Rita Longobardi

Organized by Venturelab and supported by Huawei, Swisscom Ventures, and VISCHER, the Venture Leaders Mobile 2025 roadshow brought ten Swiss startups to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona—the world's largest and most influential connectivity event—from March 3rd to March 6th. Selected in December from over 90 applicants by a jury of professional investors and industry experts, the Swiss National Mobile Startup Team introduced high-tech innovations across AI, gas detection, virtual and augmented reality, cybersecurity, underwater communication, and drone technology. Their participation at MWC and the 4YFN exhibition—the premier startup event within MWC—provided singular opportunities for exposure and networking on the global stage.

The Venture Leaders Mobile roadshow began on Sunday, March 2nd, with the Venturelab Sailing Trophy, an exclusive regatta hosted at the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, one of Spain's oldest yacht clubs. The event brought together the Swiss National Startup Team, investors, and Venturelab partners for a competitive and strategic race on the waters of Barcelona. The regatta was tough, but the challenging conditions only highlighted the participants' determination and teamwork.
 

Sailing into entrepreneurship: The sixth annual Venturelab Sailing Trophy towards innovation! https://t.co/4BLyTFPZTm

Yesterday, March 2nd, the Venturelab Sailing Trophy set sail in the waters of Barcelona, marking the beginning of the Venture Leaders Mobile 2025 roadshow.… pic.twitter.com/mPge70vsth

— Venturelab (@venturelab_ch) March 3, 2025

Monday set in motion a packed agenda as the Venture Leaders, representing the 20-year legacy of Venturelab, prepared for their contribution at 4YFN (Four Years From Now), a standout startup event held during the Mobile World Congress (MWC). A highlight of the day was the International Mobile Startups Pitchfest, where the ten Venture Leaders competed against ten Spanish startups. Swiss startup Alivion, represented by Christian Zwicky, took first place. Throughout the day, participants engaged with industry experts and potential partners, gaining traction for the week ahead.




"Venturelab brings a lot of value in bringing startups to large events such as MWC. We've had a productive time at the show and enjoy the network events organized in the evenings." Igor Martin, CEO of Hydromea.


Tuesday's schedule included an "Ask Your Lawyer" workshop with VISCHER, presenting useful observations for startups operating in international markets. The ten entrepreneurs also had the opportunity to present their technologies to the General Swiss Consul in Barcelona, Othmar Hardegger, at 4YFN. Later, a visit to FC Barcelona's Museum offered a break from the exhibition floor, before the Swiss Tech Night—organized by Swiss Business Hub Spain, the representative of Switzerland Global Enterprise—facilitated connections within Swiss and international tech communities.



Wednesday focused on networking with industry leaders and investors at 4YFN. The team also participated in an exclusive session with MWC sponsor Huawei, followed by the Swisscom Ventures Cocktail Party at Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, where the entrepreneurs delivered elevator pitches and expanded their business networks.

"The Venture Leaders program at MWC is one of its kind! It helps founders sharpen their pitch, interact with peers, extend their network, and attend probably the most impactful Mobile event in Europe. When talking about emerging technologies, Cloud, connectivity solutions, and space tech, MWC is the place to be. It's definitely worth it." Yacine Felk, Co-Founder of CYSEC.



On Thursday, the final day of 4YFN, the Venture Leaders concluded their roadshow, returning to Switzerland with enriching international experience and a wealth of new connections. Venture Leaders Mobile 2025 highlighted once again Switzerland's role in mobile technology and its ability to compete on a global scale.

"Outstanding program, well balanced between organized, and targeted exchanges with highly relevant business exponents and exploration time at the fair. Overall a huge success, an incredible amount of fun, and a strong recommendation to anyone aiming to expand their network and customer or investor base." Christian Hirt, CEO of AtlasVR.

Discover the lessons from the roadshow with Natalya Lopareva, Co-Founder of Algorized, and Gabriel Iobbi, Co-Founder of PROVUU.

Venture Leaders Mobile is organized by Venturelab and supported by Huawei, Swisscom Ventures, and VISCHER.