Innosuisse Start-up Coaching

Innosuisse Start-up Coaching is the Swiss Innovation Agency's coaching voucher programme for science-based start-ups. It is built around three stages: Initial Coaching for early exploration, Core Coaching for founders with a confirmed innovation opportunity, and Scale-up Coaching for alumni ready to grow. The vouchers cover coaching rather than project costs, with awards from CHF 10,000 to CHF 75,000 depending on the tier. Initial coaching runs for 12 months at up to CHF 10,000, Core Coaching runs for 36 months at up to CHF 50,000, and Scale-up Coaching runs for 24 months at up to CHF 75,000. Applicants must be for-profit companies registered and operating in Switzerland, the company must be no older than five years, and the programme is aimed at TRL 2 to TRL 6 ventures. The model is practical rather than capital heavy: founders select from accredited coaches with science-based business experience, and the value lies in founder support, product-market fit, and scale-up readiness. Companies that already know what kind of support they need and can work well with an experienced coach are the best match. It is a rolling programme, so strong applicants can enter when the timing fits the company rather than waiting for a fixed call.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.