Swiss Entrepreneurship Program, Phase III

Innovation is one of the main drivers of long-term sustainable growth in any economy and the only unlimited source of prosperity. Countries all around the world depend on successful entrepreneurs to develop new ideas and turn them into modern products, services and value creation. However, start-ups are often perceived as a particularly risky and challenging segment of businesses to serve. Although the number of providers to support start-ups has grown rapidly, the start-up ecosystems are not yet viable, while business accelerators, angel networks, mentoring, access to capital and markets were identified as particularly critical.

The Swiss Entrepreneurship Program aims to create and retain jobs, to facilitate tailored access to finance and to improve support mechanisms for growth-oriented start-ups and entrepreneurs throughout the business growth cycle, by strengthening selected local entrepreneurial ecosystems, particularly in Peru, Vietnam, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and North Macedonia.

In phase III, the Swiss EP will continue to foster the development of those partner countries’ start-up ecosystems and support organizations, by having a critical mass of growth-oriented and resilient start-ups, by providing tailor-made advise, by strengthening networks and facilitating connections, by supporting access to capital, internationalization and innovation-orientation, by closing critical gaps in the start-up ecosystems as well as by capitalizing experiences and lessons learnt.

Pillar 1 - Accelerating Entrepreneurship

Growth-oriented start-ups scaled their businesses and became successful, innovative and more resilient.

Local ecosystems improved through effective support by partner organizations, successful founders, mentors and promotion programs.

Pillar 2 - Mobilizing Capital

A variety of financial sources for start-ups is available and can be effectively mobilized.

Start-ups became investment ready.

Pillar 3 - Catalysing, Internationalization and Stock Taking

Through partner organizations and experts, start-ups achieved better access to networks, resources and key global markets, expertise and knowledge in developing their business, new markets, governance and innovation processes, while effectively mitigating risks.

Experiences, results achieved and lessons learned from all groups of partner organizations supported by the Swiss EP were systematically collected, analysed and shared.

Erwartete Resultate:  

Pillar 1 - Accelerating Entrepreneurship - Capabilities of key ecosystem actors were deepened, targeted support to scale-ups was enhanced- Start-ups’ cooperation, partnerships and innovation orientation were fostered- the effectiveness of networks increased and showed clear results.

Pillar 2 - Mobilising Capital - Financial support to start-ups was strengthened and start-ups enabled to attract and absorb investments- Capacities of investors and angels to design and implement investment readiness programs tailored to needs of scaling start-ups were built- Investors, angel groups and service providers (POs) were enabled to establish and implement also women-dedicated investment programmes.

Pillar 3 - Catalysing Internationalization of Start-ups and Stock taking - International connectedness increased and its traction accelerated- Swiss EP lessons learned and results achieved over three phases were analysed and shared with interested partners.

Resultate von früheren Phasen:  

Phase II (07-2019 to 06-2023): The Swiss Entrepreneurship Program contributed to the creation of over 7'100 new jobs, not including likely follow-on job effects. Almost 11'600 start-ups were supported and entrepreneurs benefitted from tailored support (51% female) and were able to raise close to CHF 500 million of capital, 126 organizations in the ecosystems were supported, 37 diaspora members engaged, 652 investors trained, 3'265 mentors trained.

Phase I (07-2015 to 06-2019): The Swiss Entrepreneurship Program contributed to the creation of over 3'500 new jobs, not including likely follow-on job effects. Over 2’500 entrepreneurs benefitted from tailored support and were able to raise almost CHF 40 mio of capital, 66 organizations in the ecosystems supported, 81 diaspora members engaged, 823 investors trained, 1406 mentors trained.

The program also nurtured trustful relationships, new types of collaboration and innovation that is critical for successfully developing start-up ecosystems.