Three Priorities for Promoting Entrepreneurship – the Swiss Entrepreneurs Initiative

Abstract

The Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation was established in late 2017, with Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin its current patron. The privately funded public-interest foundation has three primary objectives: 1) Helping bring the innovative technologies of the future to market; 2) Delivering improvements to the political environment for startups and innovative SMEs; 3) Channelling more Swiss growth capital to home-grown startups. It has implemented various initiatives to achieve these goals. It oversaw the creation of a fund to provide high-potential startups with financing, which had raised CHF 250 million by the end of 2019. The UpScaler programme can rapidly provide support to growing businesses looking to open up international markets while the recently established Swiss Entrepreneurs & Startup Association has pledged itself to creating even better political conditions. The Foundation can count on the support of a high-profile Advisory Board and has access to a pool of around 50 renowned entrepreneurs and specialists.