Swiss Accelerator application phase start on 28 August

The Swiss Accelerator, the highly competitive Innosuisse funding programme, is aimed at individual start-ups and SMEs that are carrying out innovation projects with above-average innovation potential. The aim is to commercialise new and innovative products and services quickly and effectively, which in turn should accelerate the growth of Swiss companies already established on the market.

Innosuisse covers 70 percent of project costs, with a maximum of 2.5 million Swiss francs per application. The selected companies bear the remaining 30 percent. The funding facilitates projects that require high-risk capital and thus enables entrepreneurs to take important development steps, including quickly and effectively implementing their project results. In the first call, 53 companies have been supported with a total amount of CHF112 million. Close to 800 companies had submitted short applications.

After submitting a short application, SMEs and start-ups will undergo a three-stage process. Based on Innosuisse’s evaluation of their short application, applicants will be invited to submit a full application, and those that pass the stage will again present their application to Innosuisse. The Innovation Council then makes the final funding decision.

In order to qualify for the funding, each company must submit an application for an individual project. Projects by consortia or university research groups are not supported. The applicant must also meet the following requirements:

The SME or start-up:

• is domiciled in Switzerland and has a Swiss company identification number.
• is already established on the market (that is, already producing and selling a product or service according to the respective specifications).
• has no more than 250 full-time equivalents at the time the application is submitted
  (for companies that are part of a group, the number of full-time equivalents across the entire group of companies is decisive).
• aims to commercialise the project results quickly and effectively and to scale accordingly.

In the assessment, the text of the funding ordinance and the corresponding implementing provisions are always determined.

The application window will open from 28 August 2023 until 09 October 2023 at 12:00 CEST (noon).

Innosuisse start-up innovation projects for companies before market entry

Start-ups that have not yet entered the market are not allowed to submit applications for Swiss Accelerator projects. For companies from this group, start-up innovation projects might be an alternative. The start-ups are funded directly by Innosuisse, and a research partner is unnecessary. Start-up innovation projects can be submitted on an ongoing basis. There are no calls. It is not possible to submit simultaneous applications to the Swiss Accelerator and for start-up innovation projects due to the defined criteria.

The Swiss Accelerator is a transitional measure for Horizon Europe. Innosuisse is expected to issue an annual call for projects for the Swiss Accelerator programme until Switzerland is again associated with the European Union’s research framework programme.

(Press release/RAN)