Venture Kick

The philanthropic initiative Venture Kick provides up to CHF 150,000 in seed funding to Swiss startups and offers a well-structured entrepreneurial path towards building a winning business. Startups pitch to expert juries at three stages to obtain funding, gaining direct feedback, and access to an international network of 200 successful entrepreneurs and investors. Winners of Venture Kick are eligible for CHF 850,000 investment from the Kickfund and for an InnoBooster grant of an additional CHF 150,000. Since its launch in 2007, Venture Kick has provided 917 Swiss university spin-offs with CHF 44.85 million in seed capital. To date, 718 of them have been incorporated, creating 11,362 jobs. These startups have attracted CHF 6.7 billion in extra investment. Venture Kick alumni companies represent 52 companies ranked in the TOP 100 Swiss Startups 2022. In 2023, Venture Kick will pay out CHF 6.3 million to idea-stage startup projects to bring Swiss science to global markets. The Venture Kick Foundation is supported by Gebert Rüf Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Hauser-Stiftung, André Hoffmann, Hansjörg Wyss, Martin Haefner, Fondation Pro Techno, ESA BIC Switzerland, and Swisscom.