Innosuisse Camps

Are you an early-stage Swiss startup looking to test your product on the US market or ready to start selling to American customers? The Innosuisse Internationalization Camps run by Swissnex in Boston and New York will give you the knowledge and contacts you need. We offer two types of Innosuisse camps:

  • Market
    Validation Camp

    A tailor-made program of up to one month to test your startup's business idea onsite and develop a market entry strategy.

  • Market
    Entry Camp

    A tailor-made program of up to three months to accelerate your startup’s market entry, giving it a jump-start in a new country.

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How Do the
Camps Work?

Although Switzerland is repeatedly ranked as the world’s most innovative country, the size of its market remains relatively limited. Because it is crucial for Swiss startups to think globally from the get-go, the Swiss innovation agency Innosuisse launched internationalization camps that offer early-stage Swiss startups a first step into important foreign markets. In partnership with Swissnex, Innosuisse developed two types of internationalization camps: a Market Validation Camp and a Market Entry Camp.

 

In Boston and New York, Swissnex runs these two camps throughout the year. When applying, startups choose either Boston or New York as a camp location and if accepted, agree with Swissnex on an appropriate start date, which can coincide with relevant events or conferences in the US. The startup will then complete a program of up to one month (market validation) or up to three months (market entry), during which it will benefit from tailored support from Swissnex. It will also receive a stipend allowing it to visit the selected location during the chosen time frame.

Market Validation Camp

The Market Validation Camp offers you the opportunity to experience the target market in person, test your business idea on-site, talk to local experts, and develop a tailored market entry strategy.

What do you get?

  • An individualized and tailor-made program with full immersion in the target market of up to four weeks
  • An opportunity to validate and test your product, service, or business model on-site
  • Scouting services and targeted introductions to potential customers, investors, and business partners
  • Internationalization mentoring and continuous guidance
  • Office and meeting space with on-site support
  • A stipend to cover a portion of your travel expenses
  • A series of webinars on topics including Pitching in the US, Cultural Intelligence, How to Methodically Evaluate the US Market, US Legal Basics, Intellectual Property & Property Rights, Fundraising Strategies in the US, Swiss Entrepreneurs in the US
  • Access to the Swissnex Expert Network

 

Market Entry Camp

The Market Entry Camp will catalyze your business expansion and accelerate your market entry, giving your startup a jump start in a new country. It is recommended that you complete the Market Validation Camp before applying for the Market Entry Camp.

What do you get?

  • An individualized and tailor-made program of up to three months to accelerate market entry
  • Scouting services and targeted introduction to potential customers, investors, and business partners
  • Office and meeting space with on-site support
  • A stipend to cover a portion of your travel expenses
  • A series of webinars on topics including Foundations of US Incorporation, Global Operations & Accounting, Product Pricing in the US, Taxation in the US, Hiring in the US, Public Relations & Media in the US
  • Access to the Swissnex Expert Network

Application

Applications to the Innosuisse Internationalization Camps are accepted on a rolling basis. If you plan to arrange your visit around an industry-specific conference or event, please contact us as early as possible to discuss your plans.

Who can apply?

  • Swiss startups that are enrolled in Innosuisse Start-up Coaching (Initial, Core, or Scale-up Coaching)
  • Swiss startups that have been awarded the Innosuisse Certificate within the past three years
  • Startups that do not fulfill either of these criteria must first apply to Innosuisse’s Coaching.

Partner

Innosuisse is the Swiss Innovation Agency. Its role is to promote science-based innovation in the interest of the economy and society in Switzerland.

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Startup Testimonials

    The camp enabled us to validate the market in a timely manner and allowed us to connect to relevant stakeholders. We would definitely recommend it to any start-up that is thinking of expanding to the respective locations.

    Jakub Szczesniak Scandens

    Overall we had a great experience, we especially enjoyed the 2 week bootcamp as there were some very insightful topics such as IP, investor environment as well as coaching on pitching.

    Sophie Witkamp TP24

    The camp is a good balance with a first good, condensed session with all that you need to prepare US expansion, followed by 12 months of support to reach out to partners, investors, and customers through the Swissnex ecosystem.

    Nicolas Abelé TYXIT

    The information received in the Camp, and the connections to the experts and the coaches are a super helpful resource to achieve the set milestones in time.

    Nicolas Borgeaud Adresta