Startup Days 2020 goes “phygital”

Startup INVEST through its flagship event Startup Days provides decision-makers, startups, investors and corporates from all over the world with a platform to exchange ideas through meetings and networking.

Due to the pandemic situation earlier this year, the organising committee has announced new changes as follows:

New dates
The two-day event will take place on October 5th & 6th at Kursaal in Bern where the investor dinner will also take place. For the first time, the Startup NIGHT will be held in parallel to the Dinner at the same location.

Physical attendance limited to 650 participants
To respect the social distancing rules at all times during the event, the team has decided to limit the number of potential on-site participants to a maximum of 650 people per day. “We choose the safest option to guarantee the well-being of our participants.”

Virtual Content and Tickets
All interactions on the main stage will be live-streamed to all virtual participants. Investors and supporters that join virtually will have the opportunity to submit their pre-recorded elevator pitches. The Pitching Battle Semi-finals will also be streamed to all participants. A new ticket category has been defined, the Virtual Ticket, at half the price of the normal one.

New Agenda available now
The new Agenda is now available on the event website. Due to the current situation, the INNOVATION WALK with the Glass Cubes in the City of Bern and the concept of the Guest Countries will not take place.

Pitching Battle
Startups aiming to qualify for the pitching battle will be pre-selected by the jury members virtually before the event. The Startups will submit their pre-recorded pitches before the event. The semi-finalist will be announced at the end of Day 1.

1:1 Meetings
To respect social distancing, the organising team will only have 50 tables available on Day 2 with a similar format as the previous years. Pre-booking is open.

Masterclasses & Workshops
Majority of the Masterclasses and workshops will take place at the venue in Bern; however, some will be pre-recorded as a Webinar and provided to all participants in the Premium Content Area.

Athletes Network
Beni Huggel, a well-known Swiss international professional soccer player, will host the launching event of the Athletes Network at the Startup Days. The network aims to support sports enthusiasts on their way to their sports career.