Startup Selection Finalized for the Open Innovation Program 2025

🎉 Our vertical teams and partners have completed the startup selection for hashtag#Kickstart25!

After reviewing 450+ late-stage scaleups from over 50 countries, together with our partners and judges we’ve identified the most promising innovators ready to collaborate and scale with leading Swiss partners such as AXA, Stadt Zürich, Coop, die Mobiliar, MSD Switzerland, PostFinance, VNTR | Innovation & Venturing, Swisscom, Sanitas Krankenversicherung, CSEM, Romande Energie, ETH Zürich and over 200 partners globally.

Here’s a glimpse across our 5 core verticals 👇

Finance and Insurance

📍 Startups from 13 countries

💰 CHF 420M+ in funding

⚡ hashtag#FinTech, hashtag#InsurTech, hashtag#Cybersecurity, hashtag#LegalTech, hashtag#RegTech hashtag#AI, hashtag#Sustainability

Food and Retail

🌍 Startups from 4 countries

♻️ 90% align with Circular Economy principles

🧃 Clean label, food waste upcycling, smart logistics, alternative proteins

💡 Tech + sustainability = the new standard

Health and Wellbeing

🌐 20 countries represented

💰 CHF 250M+ raised

🧠 70% AI or data-driven; 25% address gender-specific/underserved needs

🧬 From chronic care to personalized prevention — it’s a healthtech evolution

New Work and Learning

🌎 24+ countries, 4 continents

💰 CHF 325M+ in total funding

🤖 75% use AI for learning, coaching, or productivity

🧘‍♀️ Topics: Wellbeing, DEI, Microlearning, Hybrid Work, Leadership

Smart Cities

🌍 25+ countries

💰 CHF 350M+ in funding

🚲 Mobility, energy efficiency, infrastructure resilience

🌳 Climate-conscious, tech-powered urban innovation is here to stay

📅 Save the Date: August 26!

We’ll reveal the bold scaleups shaping Switzerland’s innovation landscape, and beyond. Follow us to meet the startups very soon!

Alignment and Selection Workshops with Partners 2025