Academia-Industry Training (AIT) Programme India

Swiss Startups

We help Swiss scientists and early-stage entrepreneurs explore how their research can become a viable business in emerging markets. Through a week-long immersion in India, participants gain first-hand exposure to market realities, meet potential partners and investors, and refine their business strategies with guidance from industry experts. The programme offers workshops on pitching, intellectual property and on scaling deeptech innovations, while also helping participants test the relevance of their technology in new contexts.
Indian Startups

We offer Indian researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to explore Switzerland’s world-class innovation ecosystem. The programme helps participants refine their research-based ideas into market-ready products through exposure to Swiss expertise in technology transfer, entrepreneurship and applied research. During a week-long immersion, participants receive business coaching, network with investors and industry leaders, and learn to strengthen their business models while aligning their innovations with global standards.

Current Opportunities

The Market Access Program (MAP) to Switzerland, conducted under the Government of Karnataka’s Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) in partnership with Swissnex in India, offers Indian startups the opportunity to explore one of the world’s most advanced innovation ecosystems. Through a week-long immersion in Switzerland (March 2026), selected startups will gain first-hand exposure to Swiss innovation and entrepreneurship while connecting with key players across academia, industry and investment networks. Apply here before November 9, 2025.

Details (for Swiss participants)

The AIT is an all-expenses-paid training programme spanning two weeks, where a ten-member Swiss cohort spends one week in India and—after a gap of three-six months—one week in Switzerland. The gap is for the cohort to absorb their learnings and strategise accordingly before the second leg of the camp. Final selection of the cohort is made by an expert jury.

Candidates are expected to prove their interest in India by presenting their hypothesis on why India is an exciting destination for them. Some ways in which you could do this is by telling us whether you see value in codevelopment in India, whether you think of India as an eventual market, if leveraging India’s strengths to expand to the world is what excites you, or if you want to understand the process of inexpensive development. Feel free to include other reasons for your interest in India. The more compelling your argument, the better your chances are at getting selected.

During your in-person India week, you can expect Swissnex in India to help you:

Understand India’s unique business culture
Understand the cultural ecosystem to see how your product fits in the market
Understand the boundary conditions of your sector—how it is structured, different categories of potential clients, rules and regulations, governing bodies. This knowledge would allow you to think about how you’d like to frame your innovation in the Indian ecosystem including where you could place your innovation, what resources you’re likely to need to place your innovation
Recognise and map the Indian ecosystem in a way that helps you understand the geographical and social constructs that would work best for your innovation
Gain knowledge of the basic tenets of conducting business in India, including protecting your IP, setting up a company, potential costs of space and hiring
Understand how funding works in India
Establish professional contacts including networking with Indian peers in the same sector
Ask tough questions so you are equipped to make informed decisions in order to minimise risk
Connect with subject-matter experts
Make public presentations at tech conferences and startup events that are attended by technology and innovation startups, multinational companies, investors, policymakers and key players in the ecosystem
Gain a 360-degree view of the Indian ecosystem and its potential so you can make the right decisions including figuring out whether it would make sense for you to consider India as a market in the first place, and whether it is the right time for you to consider it

In the duration after the first leg of the camp, you will have time to reassess and rework your proposal based on your learnings.

In the second and final leg of the camp, you can expect:

Masterclasses on incorporating your company; business development; team building and management; negotiating with investors
Relevant company visits
Presentation of your innovation to the Swiss ecosystem as well as a networking evening

On the final day, you will present your learnings to an expert jury, at the end of which the two top researcher-innovators will stand a chance to win a grant of CHF 10,000.

The Academia Industry Training (AIT) programme is supported by the Swiss government’s State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI). AIT is mandated by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), which is the Leading House for South Asia and Iran. In Switzerland, it is managed by Startup Campus, while in India the AIT programme is supported by the Government of Karnataka, and managed and executed by us at Swissnex.

Details (for Indian participants)

Through a week-long immersion in Switzerland (March 2026), selected startups will gain first-hand exposure to Swiss innovation and entrepreneurship while connecting with key players across academia, industry and investment networks.

During your time in Switzerland, you can expect to:

Gain an inside view of how Switzerland’s world-leading innovation ecosystem works
Connect with Swiss industry experts, mentors and investors for strategic insights and feedback
Understand how to take your product or technology to global markets Validate your idea and refine your business or market-entry strategy
Visit innovation hubs, incubators and leading companies across relevant sectors
Network with peers and potential collaborators working in your area of innovation
Participate in masterclasses and discussions on business development, scaling internationally and building cross-border partnerships
Learn how Swiss startups approach challenges in funding, regulation and product development

Selected startups will receive reimbursement of up to 80% of travel, accommodation and visa costs, subject to a maximum cap. Participants will be chosen through an expert-led evaluation process, forming part of a high-potential Indian startup delegation to Switzerland.

Eligibility criteria:

Startup must be registered with Startup Karnataka and hold a valid Startup Karnataka Registration Certificate under the Karnataka Startup Policy 2022-27
The proposed product/service must be in early ideation, prototype development or MVP stage and the startup must be in pre-commercialisation phase

Submit your application by November 9, 2025 using this form. Shortlisted startups will be invited for a virtual pitch on November 10 or 11, 2025, as part of the final selection round.