Innosuisse Swiss Accelerator

Swiss Accelerator

Funds Swiss SMEs and start-ups already on the market to commercialise and scale innovation projects through Innosuisse direct grants.

The Swiss Accelerator is a direct grant from Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency, awarded under the Innosuisse Funding Ordinance and its implementing provisions. It is a transitional measure linked to Horizon Europe: since 1 January 2025 Swiss companies can also participate directly in the EU's EIC Accelerator, and the evaluation criteria are aligned with the EIC Accelerator.

Innosuisse funds at most 70 percent of the eligible project costs, with the company covering the remaining 30 percent, up to a maximum of CHF 2.5 million per application. The first payment is 50 percent of the grant at project start, with further instalments paid against milestone reports and the final 20 percent released after Innosuisse reviews the final report.

The scheme is open only to individual Swiss SMEs and start-ups (not consortia or university research groups) that are headquartered in Switzerland, registered in the Swiss commercial registry, already established on the market, and employ fewer than 250 full-time equivalents (counted group-wide). Pre-market start-ups are not eligible and are directed to the Start-up Innovation Projects offer instead; associations, foundations and public organisations do not count as SMEs or start-ups here.

Applications run through a three-stage process: a short application via the Innosuisse application platform assessed by three independent experts; on invitation, a full application with a financial due-diligence review; and finally a 15-minute jury presentation, after which the Innovation Council makes the funding decision and issues a contract before the project starts.

No call for projects under the Swiss Accelerator is currently planned; the 2023 submission round is closed. Applicants should check the SERI website and the Innosuisse FAQ for the current status before preparing an application.