Venture Kick
Venture Kick was launched in 2007 with the vision to double the number of spin-offs at Swiss universities, to accelerate the time-to-market and to raise the attractiveness of these young companies to professional investors. Venture Kick offers a nine-month kicking process in order to effectively support young entrepreneurs with high-potential business ideas on their journey from science to market. We identify, structure and promote promising businesses with a unique approach and program. The focus on business development, which means that we focus on customers and not technology, and the tightly structured program, results in flourishing development of the entrepreneurs.
In 2020, Venture Kick has 5M CHF to invest in 149 "kicks" for high potential entrepreneurs. The funding starts before company incorporation and can increase to 150K CHF, over three stages during a nine-month period. At each stage, you are invited to present to a Venture Kick jury, where you stand a 50 percent chance of selection for the next stage!
But Venture Kick stands for much more than the money. It offers a structured entrepreneurial path to build a winning venture. Participants get 2-days kickers camps at each stage filled of kicking feedback, support for execution, and access to a network of successful entrepreneurs, industry partners, experts and investors. This is the Venture Kick experience. Just ask our former Venture Kickers about the impact.
Conditions of participation
To be eligible for Venture Kick you should fulfil all the following conditions:
- You are developing a highly innovative business idea, or are transferring the results of Swiss academic research to global markets.
- You, or an applying team member, are currently or were very recently linked to a Swiss academic institution or research center. A research collaboration with a Swiss academic institution may also be considered.
- You will establish your company and create jobs in Switzerland.
- You haven’t launched your company at the date you apply. Recently incorporated companies may be considered, provided they don’t have employees or revenue from commercial activities.
- You haven’t received funding from professional investors.
If you have a great project and want to kick it forward, apply now and our team will contact you.
Venture Kick process
Three stages over nine months:
- Applicants are invited to a Kickers’ briefing day. You learn how to prepare for the jury, we answer all your questions on the process, expectations and financing model.
- If selected by the jury at stage 1, you are invited to present at a stage 2 date in three months.
- If selected by the jury at stage 2, you are invited to present at a stage 3 date in six months.
- At each stage, the top 50% of presenting cases receive Venture Kick financing.
- Venture Kick sets the dates for each stage.
Use of funds
Receive 150,000 francs of start capital and an additional grant of 150,000 francs for research.
- CHF 10,000 at stage 1 is paid as a grant. It may only be used to cover expenses related to busi-ness development. It can’t be used for incorporation capital or to pay salaries to founders or per-manent employees.
- CHF 40,000 at stage 2 is offered as a convertible loan, which converts at the same valuation as the next investment round (no discount), with a 5% interest rate.
- CHF 100,000 at stage 3 is offered as a convertible loan, which converts at the same valuation as the next investment round (no discount), with a 5% interest rate. Your company has to be incorpo-rated to receive the third stage.
- Furthermore, candidates passing Venture Kick stage 1 may qualify for an additional grant of 150,000 francs from Gebert Rüf Stiftung’s InnoBooster program.
Important note: Venture Kick won’t have any liability toward applicants to present their project should Venture Kick assess that the project doesn’t match the expected quality level.
