Helping Swiss start-ups go global

For their Start-up Internationalisation Roadshow 2024, Swissnex and Innosuisse have joined forces to support innovative Swiss start-ups in scaling their businesses internationally. From 8 to 12 July 2024, Start-up Managers from all Swissnex locations met with stakeholders from the startup ecosystem in multiple Swiss cities. The Roadshow allowed start-up entrepreneurs to connect and explore possible international markets, besides marking the occasion for the Startup Managers to work on their global strategy alignment.

Swissnex and Innosuisse offer start-up internationalisation camps in Brazil, Boston, China, India, Japan, London, New York City, San Francisco, Seoul, and Tel Aviv. Other programmes available to start-ups include the Start-up Exchange Programs like the Climate Collider in Boston and New York and the Academy Industry Training in Brazil and India. Two of Swissnex’s Start-up Managers, Oriane Rütsche and Charlotte Chenu, talk about supporting young Swiss companies in scaling their businesses internationally.

How do you help Swiss start-ups?

Oriane Rütsche: We offer a variety of services, including cohort-based and individual support through programs including the Innosuisse Internationalisation Camps, Climate Collider, and Venture Leaders. Through these programs, we aim to help Swiss start-ups achieve their goals by connecting them with key resources such as lawyers, experts, opinion leaders, investors, and other start-up founders. During the programs, I help them understand the US business culture, legal and regulatory frameworks, and administrative requirements. I also aid in adapting the start-up’s pitch to the US market. When the start-ups arrive in the US, I help them organize meetings with local experts and stakeholders. We also host networking events to introduce them to the broader ecosystem.

Charlotte Chenu: We support and guide Swiss start-ups in their expansion to the UK, from understanding the UK regulations to meeting potential partners. Our programs are tailor-made for each company. This means that they can come whenever it suits them, and, depending on their needs, we will try to open doors for them. The UK is a very competitive and fast-paced market, no matter the sector. It is important for Swiss start-ups to come prepared with a clear idea of their competition and what makes them better. We usually start by introducing them to experts and corporates to enhance their knowledge of the UK market and eventually validate it. When Swiss start-ups have successfully validated their business in the UK, they can take on the next step where their goal will be more to establish business operations. We facilitate introductions as much as we can, but we also help them if they need guidance on hiring a local team, setting up a subsidiary or finding offices.