Kickstart bridges the gap between start-ups, corporates, foundations and the public sector, guiding promising young tech companies through a program lasting several weeks. The focus is on topics such as AI, Blockchain and Big Data across different verticals: EdTech & Learning, FinTech & Digital Assets, Food & Retail Tech and Smart City & Technology. As Kickstart writes in a press release, companies focusing on Cybersecurity and Healthtech can also take part in the fourth edition of the innovation promotion program. The application phase has started today.
So far Kickstart has facilitated 75 partnerships between start-ups and partners such as AXA, Coop, Migros, Swisscom, Mobiliar, Credit Suisse, Gebert Rüf Stiftung, Stiftung Mercator Schweiz and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. “Deep technologies have a great potential, which can only be fully exploited through the cooperation between different partners”, says Kickstart Co-Lead Katka Letzing. “Established players are increasingly looking to work with tech startups. Successful innovation doesn't happen in isolation – it needs cooperation.”
Kickstart will now become an independent company. The initiative was launched by digitalswitzerland in 2015 and has since been operated by the Impact Hub Zurich team. digitalswitzerland remains on board as a founding partner. In future Kickstart will also be able to access the network of the Impact Hub Zurich.
