Swisspreneur Show

This episode was produced in collaboration with startup days, taking place this year on May 30th 2024. Click here to purchase your ticket. Timestamps: 7:39 - Why the tech giants should watch out  12:52 - Are the crazy AI valuations justified? 19:26 - Ethical challenges of AI 20:30 - The AI act & other regulation  23:10 - The Swiss supercomputer  About Alexander Ilic: Alex Ilic is the co-founde...

Timestamps: 1:31 - Being interested in social impact work  11:06 - The background of SINGA applicants 16:27 - Who funds SINGA  29:42 - Does the world share the Swiss fear of failure? 42:57 - Knowing when to move on  About Seraina Soldner: Seraina Soldner is the co-founder and former co-director of SINGA Switzerland , an incubator for projects built by people with a refugee or migrant experience, a...

Redeem your EUR 75 bonus at Splint Invest: https://splintinvest.onelink.me/ZGYb/swppod Timestamps: 6:06 - Getting the funds to start your venture 11:09 - Illegal work in Switzerland 27:55 - Deeptech Switzerland 40:03 - Raising funds in 2012 42:38 - The downsides of VC money  About David Christen: David Christen is the co-founder and CMO at quitt , a company that takes the effort, paperwork and str...

Timestamps: 2:20 - The Swiss ecosystem in the last 10 years  11:05 - Why are tradesales down?  19:19 - The rise of the Romandie  21:35 - How Switzerland compares to other startup hubs  28:17 - Going public in the US vs CH About Stefan Kyora & Thomas Heimann: Stefan Kyora is editor-in-chief at startupticker.ch , the leading Swiss news portal for startups, supporters, innovators and investors, a...

Timestamps: 1:20 - From 2 to 220 employees 3:50 - A founder’s motivation  7:45 - A leader’s biggest lesson 10:20 - Your support network as a founder  14:25 - A CEO’s evolving role  About Cristian Grossmann: ⁠⁠Cristian Grossmann ⁠⁠ is the co-founder and Head Bee at ⁠⁠ beekeeper ⁠⁠, the well-known Swiss frontline operating system. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from ETH and worked for comp...

Timestamps: 2:40 - Samuel’s biggest mistake 8:01 - Expanding to the US instead of DACH  10:10 - Growing your headcount 13:37 - OKRs at Scandit  18:38 - Staying healthy and sane as a founder About Samuel Mueller: Samuel Mueller is the co-founder and CEO at Scandit , the leading technology platform for mobile computer vision and augmented reality (AR) solutions for enterprises. He holds a PhD in Com...

Redeem your EUR 75 bonus at Splint Invest with code Dali24:  https://splintinvest.onelink.me/ZGYb/swppod Timestamps: 5:20 - Going from researcher to entrepreneur  8:57 - How bacteria kills cancer 15:14 - Proof of concept in biotech 17:56 - Avenues after a tradesale  24:13 - Entrepreneurship and motherhood About Ana Montalban-Arques: Ana Montalban-Arques is co-founder and CEO of Recolony , a biotec...

Timestamps: 8:13 - Why Nestlé isn’t doing what they’re doing 11:50 - Why the timing was right for new coffee 18:00 - Straying from the classical Swiss path  23:18 -  Developing the nonormal MVP with partners  27:00 - Fundraising through the Swisspreneur Syndicate About Philippe Greinacher & Alexander Häberlin: Philippe Greinacher is the co-founder and CEO of nonormal , a startup producing sust...

Timestamps: 7:03 - Their passion for Blinkist 12:33 - Losing co-founders 25:30 - The value Blinkist provides 33:56 - Going B2C and B2B 43:30 - From early adopters to mainstream user base About Holger Seim: Holger Seim is the co-founder and former CEO at Blinkist , the mobile-first microlearning app. He holds a diploma from the Philipp University of Marburg and previously worked for companies like...

Timestamps: 2:02 - From footballer to banker to student  10:35 - The emotional toll of a volatile startup journey 20:42 - Sorting out shares before you leave 41:00 - Getting good psychologists on Aepsy 54:00 - Going B2C first, then B2B About Nicolas Egger: Nicolas Egger is the co-founder of Poinz , a B2B2C platform for SMEs, and of Aepsy , a mental health platform for online or in-person sessions...

Timestamps: 4:25 - Three technical co-founders 6:37 - Completing Venture Kick 8:34 - qCella’s heated mats  10:25 - The challenge of finding the right people  12:28 - Having two rather different products About Murielle Schreck: Murielle Schreck is the co-founder and CEO at qCella , an ETH spin-off impregnating natural fibers with copper and using them to develop heating pads with superior propertie...

Timestamps: 14:08 - Running out of money 18:50 - Choosing loans over equity  19:55 - Ensuring sustainability across the supply chain 25:17 - Boycotting the 5 biggest plastic polluters 42:05 - Sharing margin with resellers About Sven Erni: Sven Erni is the co-founder and CEO at Impact Acoustic , a Swiss provider of high-performance, circular acoustic solutions made from upcycled material. He holds...

Get tickets to Scaleup Slopes 2024 here . Timestamps: 4:26 - Getting kicked out of home  16:00 - Immigrants and entrepreneurs 20:56 - Getting a job offer from NASA 39:35 - Startups and space missions  43:39 - Leaving NASA About Thomas Zurbuchen: Thomas Zurbuchen is a professor at ETH Space and the former Head of Science at NASA. He was born in 1968 in the canton of Bern, son of a Free Church preac...

Timestamps: 3:53 - How to know if you’re ‘investable’ 6:49 - Getting in touch with investors 8:08 - How much equity to give away  13:48 - Equity round or convertible loan? 37:16 - Celebrating a closed round About Pascal Koenig & Sophie Lamparter: Sophie Lamparter is the co-founder of DART Labs , an international fund investing in early stage Swiss climate and health tech startups to accelerate...

Get tickets to Scaleup Slopes 2024 here . Timestamps: 3:40 - Culture shock from moving to Switzerland 12:26 - Being a solo founder 20:43 - Expanding yourself vs franchising 28:05 - Acquiring silent partners 36:00 - Benefits of expanding slowly About Mallory Houston Nieman: Mallory Houston Nieman is the owner and operator of Velocity , Switzerland’s first indoor cycling studio. She holds a BA in En...

Timestamps: 1:50 - Joining the Navy 9:53 - Being a solo founder with a mentor 25:30 - Creating sustainability incentives  35:41 - Expanding to Norway and the USA 42:04 - Participating in the Sparks IPO Academy About Mario Michan: Mario Michan is the co-founder and CEO of Daphne Technology , a climate deep tech company reducing air pollution produced by the global shipping industry. He holds a PhD...

Timestamps: 1:27 - Renewable energy in 2008  10:02 - The volatility of the energy market 16:00 - Renewables subsidies on their way out 25:18 - Growing pains as a company 31:53 - Raising funds in an unideal context About Michael Waldner: Michael Waldner is the co-founder and CEO at Pexapark , a provider of energy risk and portfolio management capabilities for renewable energy. He holds a MSc in Ind...

We interview Switzerland’s most talented founders, business leaders and innovators. Listen to the trailer of Switzerland’s #1 podcast for entrepreneurs.

Timestamps: 1:13 - Accidentally ending up in China 9:04 - Psychological safety at work 18:50 - Publicly disclosing your pricing 28:10 - Getting the first customers 36:00 - Doubting if you’ll make it About Loris Niederberger: Loris Niederberger is the co-founder of Moodtalk , a software for clarity and structure on how teams work together successfully. He holds an MA in International Management fro...

Timestamps: 7:40 - High energy, high loyalty and high intelligence 13:46 - When a co-founder leaves 19:57 - The point of an MVP 32:08 - Grants or equity? 39:05 - Plans for future expansion About Philippe Ganz & Paulina Grnarova: Paulina Grnarova is the co-founder and CEO of DeepJudge , an AI-powered Knowledge Search for legal professionals. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from ETH. Philipp...

Timestamps: 6:44 - eMobility back in 2008 7:39 - CO2 impact of electric vehicles  8:56 - Sourcing the minerals sustainably & ethically 15:58 - Life after death, for batteries 25:00 - Partnering with Volvo About Adrian Melliger: Adrian Melliger is the co-owner and CEO of Designwerk Technologies , an electromobility one-stop-shop. He previously worked for companies like Swissport and Ground Hand...

Timestamps: 13:03 - The birth of TOPADUR 18:07 - Leaving the cushy life for entrepreneurship  23:26 - TOPADUR’s drug development  30:36 - Financing pharma 38:08 - Sparks IPO Academy About Reto Naef: Reto Naef is the founder and former CEO of TOPADUR PHARMA AG , a biopharmaceutical company developing disruptive therapies for aging diseases. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from ETH and an MBA from UZH a...

Timestamps:   6:29 - Looking for investors for your fund 13:08 - Managing investor relationships 19:56 - Deeptech in Europe 22:55 - Investing in very early stage companies 30:23 - Increasing legislation About Vivek Dogra, Arijana Walcott, Lukas André & Dominique Gruhl: Vivek Dogra is a venture partner at the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund , the leading investment fund dedicated to growth-st...

Timestamps: 8:37 - From building skis to building a company 14:55 - Losing half your co-founders 28:42 - Pricing materials 39:44 - Handling sales after the CCO leaves 45:56 - Doing an IPO on the SIX Swiss Exchange About Christian Fischer: Christian Fischer is the co-founder and CEO at Bcomp , a global leader in advanced renewable material solutions. He holds a PhD in Materials Science from EPFL an...

Timestamps: 4:22 - Why do an IPO/direct listing? 9:15 - When should you pursue an IPO/direct listing? 15:39 - Where should you list your company?  20:37 - The Sparks IPO Academy 26:44 - Direct listing mistakes  About Fabian Gerber & Jan Luescher: Jan Luescher is the CEO at ASMALLWORLD , an exclusive travel & lifestyle community. He previously worked as a Principal at Bain & Company and...