The Boost My Startup Challenge returns

On August 29^th, UBS Growth Advisory and BG Consulting Engineers will be opening the applications for the second edition of the Boost My Startup Challenge (BMSC). The competition is open to Swiss startups active in the areas of construction, environment, energy, water, logistics, mobility or real-estate.

Through this initiative, BG intends to strengthen its open innovation ecosystem with Swiss startups to develop new products and services for its clients, in line with market and societal challenges. For its part, UBS Growth Advisory brings its network of investors and its financial expertise. We had the opportunity to ask a few questions to Philippe Schlegel, UBS Corporate Finance Growth Advisory in Lausanne, to better understand the Swiss bank engagement.

What led you to launch the «Boost My Startup Challenge» with BG?
Philippe Schlegel: UBS Growth Advisory is the competence center for fast growing companies that runs equity fundraising processes and provides credit financing. But the startups/scaleups need also a network, not only with financial investors but also with industrial partners. Thus, with BG as a consulting engineering company, we found a partner which could give access to such networks with a technical and commercialization point of view. BG can also offer a business development ecosystem and the potential of collaboration and product co-development opportunities.

Does this competition fit into a strategy to identify startups for private investors? If yes, can you tell us more?
This competition is designed for startups / scaleups based in Switzerland which provide an innovative product or service with a high-growth potential and with already first revenues confirming the proof of market. This fits perfectly the scope of our fundraising services in which we scout for interesting companies that we then present to suitable investors.

Can you tell us a few words about the role played by UBS? What makes this challenge particularly important for you?
Boost My Startup Challenge was founded and launched for the first time in 2021 by UBS Growth Advisory and BG Consulting Engineers. We put together our competences and know-how to detect promising fast growing companies that we could support in their growth. This challenge is the opportunity for UBS and BG to put in place a win-win collaboration with the winner, to facilitate networking between startups/scaleups and investors and to show that UBS can be the financing partner for innovative Swiss startups and scaleups

Fostering win-win collaborations

The collaboration between BG and Swiss Cleantech startup Sympheny, which has already been carried out on two projects, has proven its added value to clients. This is set to continue in the coming months on new projects at a territorial scale. Driven by these positive results and momentum of the first Boost my Startup Challenge, both organizers look forward to the coming edition. 

(ES)