MassChallenge announced the expansion of its global accelerator network to Switzerland and detailed plans to launch a MassChallenge accelerator in Geneva in 2016. Four founding partners are supporting the MassChallenge Switzerland launch: Bühler Group, Nestlé, Inartis Foundation and Swiss Economic Forum.
Switzerland was selected based on the strength of the ecosystem to support entrepreneurs, especially in terms of access to innovative enterprises and expertise in many advanced areas of technology and manufacturing. “Switzerland is a well-established leader for innovation and industry,” said MassChallenge Founder and CEO John Harthorne. Startupticker.ch reported about the plans to start an accelerator programme in Switzerland in May. Up to know Swiss start-ups took part in the London and Boston programmes. One example is flatev (Picture).
Based in the Lake Geneva Region, the accelerator will attract startups from Switzerland, other parts of Europe and beyond, who want to understand and access Switzerland’s unique innovation culture and prowess in high technology. Applications for the MassChallenge Switzerland 2016 program will open February 10, 2016. The first program will start in June 2016 and run through October.
A high-profile supervisory board has been formed to launch MassChallenge Switzerland in 2016. Members include Stefan Catsicas, Executive Vice President Nestlé S.A., CTO; Calvin Grieder, Chairman of the Board of Directors & CEO Bühler Group; Benoît Dubuis, Director of Campus Biotech and President of the Inartis Foundation; Peter Stähli, Chairman of the Swiss Economic Forum Group; and John Harthorne.
Annual MassChallenge accelerator programs in Boston and London support large cohorts of startups (128 in Boston, 90 in London) from anywhere in the world, in any industry. Entrepreneurs receive mentorship, office space, education, access to a vast network and other resources during four months of acceleration. At the conclusion of the programs, MassChallenge awards several million dollars in no-equity, non-dilutive grants to the startups demonstrating the highest impact and highest potential.
MassChallenge committed to scale its no-equity accelerator program to ten new cities by the end of 2019, beginning with MassChallenge UK in London. In all, the commitment will contribute to the creation of 20,000 new jobs from MassChallenge startups.
Follow MassChallenge Switzerland on Twitter @MassChallengeCH. For updates, please register interest here.
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