MassChallenge Switzerland has launched the third edition of its startup competition. The four months program aims to support up to 70 startups in solving the world’s biggest challenges. The winners will be awarded with a prize of up to $2 million. A new vertical for Agri-based startups has been added to the program. Registration is now open.
MassChallenge is a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators comprising of 1,211 MassChallenge alumni that have raised over $2 billion in funding, generated approximately $900 million in revenue, and created over 65,000 total jobs. In 2016 MassChallenge set foot in Switzerland and has continued to gain popularity among Swiss startups. Last year more than 65 percent of the accelerated startups were from Switzerland. Up to CHF 400’000 was awarded to the seven winners, of which four were from Switzerland.
MassChallenge Switzerland is now going into the third round. The four-month acceleration program is designed to shape early stage startups from all sectors around the world without taking any equity stake from them.
Up to 70 start-ups will be selected to participate in the program in Lausanne. They will benefit from a wide array of offers including mentoring from industry experts, tailored programmes, free co-working space, and access to corporate partners. By the end of four months, startups will have gained clear business insights within marketing, sales, pitching, finance, finding a co-founder, and more. The accelerator culminates with the MassChallenge Switzerland Awards Ceremony, where start-ups pitch for the opportunity to win a portion of up to CHF1 million in zero-equity awards.
Eligible to apply are startups with disruptive solutions for their area of focus, which have the potential to make an impact on humanity. Applying startups are required to have raised less than $500K in equity-based funding, generated less than $1M in revenue in the last 12 months, and are set to make a big impact in their industry or on the world. Applications can be submitted until 28TH March 2018.
A Food Accelerator for Agri based-startups
MassChallenge has joined hands with the EIT Food Accelerator Network, a multi-location accelerator program delivered across Europe to support high impact food-space start-ups and maximise their success. Together with a consortium of EIT Food partners, MassChallenge will support Food startups in gaining expertise in their sector as well as funding awarded by EIT. Up to 40 startups will be accelerated and the winner will be awarded an equity-free cash prize of up to €180,000. For Switzerland, EIT Food is held in Lausanne. Application window is now open until 1st March 2018.
Picture: Winners of MassChallenge 2017.
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