Innosuisse startup innovation project funding before market entry
The Start-up innovation funding is aimed at science-based projects of start-ups with significant innovation potential. The innovation projects must be based on application-oriented research and prepare start-ups for entering the market for the first time.
The Innosuisse Startup Innovation funding is intended to make a substantial contribution to significantly accelerating the market launch of new products and services. Innosuisse directly supports innovations that are not yet ready for market launch when the application is submitted but which can be launched quickly on the market after project completion. In the case of projects, only the start-up is supported, not the research partners. Eligible for funding are projects in all fields.
The funding is aimed at start-ups that meet the following criteria:
- They have not yet entered the market. The start-up does not yet have ready-developed products or services on the market (except for services in research and development, consulting and expert opinions, etc., on which the business model is not based).
- their scalable business model is based on a product or service and thus has the potential for more than linear growth.
- have headquarters in Switzerland.
- established not more than 5 years ago (in justified exceptional cases up to 10 years).
- has less than 50 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) when submitting the application form; if the start-up is controlled by another company (i.e. another company commands a direct/indirect majority of votes or has the direct/indirect right to appoint or remove a majority of the members of the executive board or board of directors of the start-up) and its financials are consolidated by the controlling company, then the consolidated group must have less than 250 FTE.
- Non-commercially active associations and foundations, as well as units of public administration, are not considered start-ups.
