Kickstart Accelerator opens the application phase for the third edition of its program. Switzerland's largest innovation acceleration program focuses on deep technologies – science and engineering driven technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Blockchain and others – across different sectors, bringing together key actors in these fields. Promising later-stage startups will meet with partners such as Credit Suisse and Swisscom in the area of financial technology. Retailers Coop and Migros aim to work with startups in the area of food and retail; while universities such as ETH Zurich and University of Zurich will focus on education and learning technology. The City of Zurich and AXA Winterthur will seek out and support pilot projects and proof of concepts in the area of Smart Cities.

Collaboration between civil society, industry, government and science as key to innovation

Kickstart Accelerator aims to initiate successful partnerships and pilot projects between the participating startups and the partner companies and institutions. "The first two programs resulted in over 30 ambitious proof-of-concepts (PoCs) and collaborations," says Kickstart Co-Lead Katka Letzing. "In our view, genuine and sustainable innovation is only possible through cooperation across sector and company boundaries. That's why we are focusing even more on these partnerships this year".

Later-stage startups preparing to accelerate their technologies, business models and market access with the help of such collaborations can now apply for the program. The application period will close on 27th May. 30 startups and intrapreneur teams (innovation teams from companies, cities and universities) will have the opportunity to take their products or technologies in the areas of EdTech & Learning, FinTech & Crypto, Food & Retail Tech as well as Smart Cities & Infrastructure to the next level in Zurich this fall.

Internationally connected and widely supported

Kickstart Accelerator is run by Impact Hub Zürich , which is part of a wide international network of entrepreneurship and innovation centers. The program was initiated by the cross-sector association digitalswitzerland in 2015 and counts on key partners such as Coop, Credit Suisse, Migros and Swisscom as well as AXA Winterthur , City of Zurich, ETH Zürich, EY , Gebert-Rüf-Stiftung, Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Stäubli , Swisslinx and University of Zurich . The commitment of and value for these partners has increased since Kickstart’s launch: “Looking back at the success of the past two years of Kickstart Accelerator, Credit Suisse has benefited tremendously from the ideas and technologies generated through this program”, says Thomas Saler, Digital Solutions – Head of Fintech Partnerships at Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd. “This year, we are excited to commit again to continue our support to the innovation ecosystem.”