Kickstart Accelerator

Kickstart Accelerator is one of Europe's largest zero equity, multi-corporate accelerators based in Switzerland.

Kickstart Accelerator invests in solutions that work for problems that matter. It provides startups with access to mentors and industry experts, corporate partners, investors and seed funding, while taking no equity nor fees. For 11 weeks, Kickstart welcomes 30 of the most promising international teams, that are working on solutions in the areas of FinTech, Food, Robotics & Intelligent Systems and Smart Cities to come and work in Switzerland. The accelerator is backed by academia, public institutions, leading corporates and the local startup ecosystem and aims to put Switzerland on the global map of innovation and entrepreneurship. After a very successful 2016, Kickstart Accelerator has entered into a partnership with BaseLaunch (initiated and operated by BaselArea.swiss) to offer an additional healthcare-specific vertical for startups working in that field. Kickstart Accelerator was launched 2015 by digitalswitzerland, a cross-industry association which is driven by the goal to make Switzerland a leading digital innovation hub in Europe. The program is operated by Impact Hub Zurich, which is part of the largest network of entrepreneurship and innovation communities across the globe. Kickstart Accelerator's corporate partners are AXA Winterthur, Coop, Credit Suisse, EY, Gebert-Rüf-Stiftung, Migros, PwC Switzerland, Raiffeisen Switzerland, Swiss Life, Swisscom and UBS. The program is also supported by ABB, Accenture, Empa, Global Fintech Association, Helsana, Hilti, Metall Zug, Stäubli as well as the city of Zurich and city of St. Gallen.