Kickstart Accelerator is looking for start-ups from all over the world

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19.01.2016
Kickstart Accelerator

Kickstart Accelerator was officially launched today. Its goal is to make startups succeed globally by giving them exclusive access to Switzerland’s growing hub of tech and innovation. The program is an initiative by the Kick Foundation in cooperation with DigitalZurich2025.

Kickstart – The Swiss Accelerator based in Zurich, has announced its launch today at the Investor Summit. The startup program combines the strengths of academia, several globally competitive corporations, and many successful local startup initiatives. The three month long program is now open to applications from startups all over the world.

What sets Kickstart apart from other accelerator programs is its global reach, its non-equity model and its strategic focus on areas in which Switzerland has a strong competitive advantage. In particular, Kickstart is looking to accelerate early-stage startups in the following verticals:  

▪   FinTech with a focus on Wealth Management, Digital Identity and Blockchain

▪   Smart & Connected Machines with a focus on Robotics, IoT and sensors

▪   Food with a focus on logistics, processing and food waste solutions

▪   Future & Emerging Tech with a focus on the next big thing

Running from July through September of 2016, the selected founders and their teams will live and work in Zurich. Kickstart provides startups with seed investment, mentoring, office space and fast-track access to relevant industry partners. The program culminates on Demo Day, where each startup presents their company to Swiss venture capitalists, corporate leaders, and journalists. Additionally, select corporate partners are offering to do a proof-of-concept with at least one startup per vertical.

Kickstart is offering each startup:

▪        Up to 25,000 Swiss francs per startup in non-equity seed funding (approximately $25K)

▪        1,500 Swiss francs per month for each founder to support living costs

▪        Free office space and infrastructure

▪        Access to dedicated mentors, top corporates, academic partners, and investors

Kickstart’s goal is to make startups succeed globally by giving them exclusive access to Switzerland’s growing hub of tech and innovation. As a Kick Foundation program working in cooperation with DigitalZurich2025, Kickstart is in a unique position to provide their startups with connections to Switzerland’s top serial entrepreneurs, industry experts, corporate mentors, and startup investors. Additionally, with the support of these corporations, Kickstart is able to provide non-equity funding, setting them apart from most other accelerators.

“Switzerland is bursting with incredible resources for young startups. Zurich has countless established, high-level organizations that are interested in assisting young startups both financially and via mentorships,” says Ruedi Noser, Council of State of Zurich. “This is a really exciting opportunity for international startups to experience all of the incredible expertise that Zurich has to offer.”

Applications can be found on: http://kickstart-accelerator.com/

(Press release)

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