Applications open for Kickstart Accelerator 2017, to focus on fintech, healthcare and more

Kickstart Accelerator, a multi-corporate accelerator in Europe, has announced ​the opening of applications for its second programme, predominantly based out of ewz-Unterwerk Selnau, the old transformer station in centre of Zurich.

An initiative of digitalswitzerland, Kickstart Accelerator will shortlist up to 30 startups who will participate in an 11-week programme designed to help them develop their ideas and products across one of the programme’s verticals, which includes Food, FinTech, Smart Cities and Robotics & Intelligent Systems. Kickstart Accelerator also announced that it has entered into a partnership with BaseLaunch to offer a healthcare-specific vertical in the life sciences hotspot Basel.

“Our inaugural year saw over 850 applications from across the globe and so we are looking forward to seeing the calibre of this year’s innovators. The Swiss ecosystem offers startups the opportunity to work with like-minded entrepreneurs, experienced mentors and some of the biggest corporate players to deliver impactful innovations to key industries”, Patricia Schlenter, Programme Manager at Kickstart Accelerator, said.

Kickstart aims to develop close collaboration between the corporate partners and the startups, as well as between the startups themselves across the different verticals, during and beyond the duration of the programme.

Successful applicants will be international startups with promising business ideas that have the potential to disrupt the chosen verticals and benefit the wider society, the release said. The shortlisted startups will meet with over 15 corporate partners and mentors, including Switzerland’s largest ICT provider Swisscom, multinational insurance firms Swiss Life and AXA Winterthur, Swiss financial services companies Credit Suisse, UBS and Raiffeisen, global consultancy firms EY and PwC, as well as Switzerland`s largest food retailers Migros and Coop among others. 

This year's applicants will also have the opportunity to secure a ‘Proof of Concept’ trial with one of the corporate partners. These trials will allow the startups to test the application and scalability of their products in a demanding corporate environment, provide them with the opportunity of exploring longer-term commercial partnerships with leading corporate giants and to further develop their market offering.

Founders will have the chance to win up to 25,000 CHF, as well as receiving a monthly founder stipend and masterclass sessions with mentors from the corporate partners and the Swiss innovation ecosystem.

Operated by Impact Hub Zurich, the programme will begin on 4 September, with the official Opening Ceremony taking place on 7 September in the accelerator space at the ewz-Unterwerk Selnau. The Final Demo Day and closing event will be held on 17 November, where each team will present their products to investors, corporate leaders and the media.

“With the second edition taking place in Zurich and the extension of the programme to Basel, Kickstart will be one step closer to becoming the largest European startup Accelerator. digitalswitzerland is also looking to extend the scope of the programme and is carrying out research ahead of establishing Kickstart Accelerator and additional verticals in Lausanne. This is another step towards establishing Switzerland as a leading digital innovation hub worldwide”, Nicolas Bürer, Managing Director of digitalswitzerland, said.