Timestamps:
3:30 - Identifying a market gap in legal tech
10:06 - What is “smart money” after all?
16:22 - How do you go from researcher to CEO?
25:55 - The biggest risk for every scaleup
36:20 - Is Switzerland a hotbed for AI?
This episode was co-produced by SICTIC, the leading angel investor network in Switzerland.
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
Episode Description:
Thomas Dübendorfer is the founder and president of SICTIC, the leading angel investor network in Switzerland. He’s also a cybersecurity expert and serial entrepreneur, holding board seats at Frontify and several other startups.
Paulina Grnarova is the co-founder and CEO of DeepJudge, an AI-powered knowledge search for legal professionals. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from ETH, and started her company in 2021, directly after completing her studies.
Founded by ex-Google search engineers and legaltech veterans, DeepJudge reimagines how firms access and use their internal knowledge, unlocking the full breadth of data and depth of documents to improve all areas of a lawyer’s business. It enables you to build entire AI applications, encapsulate multi-step workflows, and implement LLM agents.
SICTIC is one of DeepJudge’s investors. During his chat with Merle and Paulina, SICTIC president Thomas Dübendorfer shared how he assesses startup teams:
Does the founder really understand what the journey of a startup is?
Can the startup team evolve to meet changing demands?
Does the team believe what they’re selling?
Are they aware that they’ll have to overcome several difficulties in the coming years?
Are they all moving in the same direction, working to achieve the same mission?
Thomas also takes care to assess companies from an ethical standpoint, especially when the tech has dual use. For instance, drones can be used for rescue missions or to bring food or medicine, but they can also be used to transport weapons. In cases like these, it’s crucial to confront the founders with the most problematic possibilities upfront.
Thomas is confident in Switzerland’s AI future: all the experts are here, across a very broad range of industries, and, when it comes to AI specifically, Switzerland can already count on several research institutions making great strides - like the ETH AI Center, the Swiss National Institute, and the Swiss National SuperComputing Center.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
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Timestamps:
6:38 The birth of Cradle
21:36 Convincing Skeptics and Finding Product-Market Fit
28:29 Raising Capital and Choosing the Right VCs
35:21 Europe’s missed opportunities (and how to fix them)
Episode Summary:
Stef Van Grieken, CEO and Co-founder of Cradle, the AI biotech startup helping scientists design better proteins in record time and pioneering the intersection of AI and biology, re-imagining how humans create life-changing molecules. Stef holds a MSc in Industrial Engineering from the University of Groningen .
In this episode, Stef shares his journey from policy activism and Silicon Valley engineering to founding one of Europe’s most ambitious deep-tech companies. We discuss how Cradle turned AI models into a tool for biologists, the hard early days when investors said “this is impossible,” and why the team literally paid its first customers to prove value before revenue followed.
Stef also opens up about raising over $100 million, the three hypothesis you need to prove to create a disruptive startup (feasibility, value, monetization), navigating the gap between US and European venture cultures, and why Switzerland has everything needed to lead Europe’s next innovation wave.
This episode was sponsored by infinity.swiss, Switzerland’s most advanced AI accounting tool. Save 25% by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps
04:53 - Product-Led vs. Sales-Led Growth
14:22 - How to Educate a Slow-Moving Market
24:43 - Sales Metrics in a product vs sale- led approach
34:16 - Choosing between product-led or sales-led
This episode was produced by Founders Hive — a community of founders, experts, and investors driving entrepreneurship in Switzerland. We support early-stage startups in becoming investment-ready and guide them through the fundraising journey.
As a partner of the Entrepreneurship Training programme, empowered by Innosuisse — Switzerland’s innovation agency — we contribute to strengthening startups, SMEs, and research institutions in their innovation and growth.
Checkout this link to learn more about Founders Hive, empowered by Innosuisse.
Episode Summary:
Igor Martin is the CEO of Hydromea, a Swiss deep-tech company building underwater wireless networks and portable intelligent robots to make data collection below the surface faster, safer, and cleaner. He holds an MBA in Business Administration and Management from Saint Louis University.
Ramzi Bouzerda is the Founder and CEO of Droople, a B2B cleantech startup developing a water intelligence platform that digitizes the “last mile” of water, from faucets to appliances, combining IoT, AI, and SaaS to help buildings save resources and money. He holds a Masters Degree in Computer Science from EPFL.
In this Opposing Views episode, they debate what really drives startup growth: sales-led or product-led strategies. Drawing from opposite industries - one building beneath the ocean, the other inside buildings. They reveal how timing, product maturity, and customer education shape growth models.
They discuss why hybrid models often win in industrial tech, how to balance education with revenue, and what metrics truly matter beyond vanity KPIs. The conversation also dives into managing long sales cycles, using customer feedback loops to guide product evolution, and the ultimate truth every founder learns: great sales can’t save a bad product.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
05:45 - From Scientist to Startup CEO
16:23 - Winning the Industries Trust With Data
28:33 - The Hidden Cost of Scaling Too Fast
47:31 - The Hard Truth About Going Public
Episode Summary:
Jurgi Camblong is the Co-Founder and CEO of SOPHiA GENETICS, a Swiss company using data-driven medicine to empower healthcare professionals worldwide. With a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Université de Genève, Jurgi transformed his deep scientific background into one of Switzerland’s few NASDAQ-listed success stories. SOPHiA GENETICS harnesses AI and advanced bioinformatics to make genomic and multimodal data accessible and actionable for hospitals all around the world.
In this episode, Jurgi shares how he founded SOPHiA GENETICS before AI became a buzzword, why timing and trust were everything when introducing cloud-based genomics to hospitals, and how a consumption-based business model helped the company stay customer-obsessed from day one. He also reflects on what it takes to educate a conservative industry, the importance of demonstrating value through accuracy, and why being early sometimes means having to build both the market and the product at once.
On a more personal level, Jurgi opens up about the challenges of scaling culture beyond 100 people, what he learned from taking SOPHiA GENETICS public on NASDAQ, and the emotional toll of entrepreneurship at that level. He talks about near-failures, resilience through crises, and why—after everything—he might never again build a company with more than 100 employees.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
05:55 - From Lab Work to Startup Workshops
10:49 - Finding the Right Co-Founders
16:24 - Spinning Out of ETH and Proving the Tech
34:21 - Fundraising and Resilience
This episode was co-produced with KickFund, a VC fund investing in the most promising Swiss deeptech startups.
Episode Summary:
Estelle Clerc is the Co-Founder and CEO of CellX Biosolutions, a Swiss biotech startup developing next-generation cell-based products for wound healing and regenerative medicine. With a PhD in Marine Microbiology from ETH Zurich, Estelle made the leap from academia to entrepreneurship and traded the lab bench for the founder’s seat.
In this episode, Estelle shares how she built CellX from the ground up and how she approached finding the right co-founder: from testing their collaboration through grants to aligning on values and long-term vision before officially joining forces.
She also discusses the Swiss startup ecosystem that shaped her journey and exposed her to the business world and the challenges of building a biotech company that bridges research and real-world impact. Estelle reflects on resilience, team building, and what it really takes to turn a scientific idea into a scalable company.
Programs mentioned:
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
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Timestamps:
6:51 - Is it possible to protect your mental health as a Founder?
20:00 - How to know when you’ve transitioned from a startup to a scale-up?
23:42 - What creates the most pressure for Founders?
35:49 - How do we build up resilience?
This episode was co-produced with Innovaud, the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud.
Episode Summary:
Sahar Hosseinian, Co-Founder and former CTO of Novigenix, spent over a decade building AI-powered oncology diagnostics before joining Zurich-based Prevision Medicine as Chief Quality Officer. She holds a PhD in Statistics from EPFL. Charlotte Ducrot is Head of Scaleups & Growth at Innovaud, the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud. She holds an MA in International Affairs from the Geneva Graduate Institute and worked for companies like Swisscontact and the WEF before joining Innovaud in 2022.
During their chat with Merle, Sahar and Charlotte dive into why mental health remains one of the biggest unspoken challenges for founders, even in high-performing Swiss startups. Sahar shares the emotional highs and lows of raising CHF 25 million in MedTech, while Charlotte explains how burnout risk spikes after funding success. They discuss how pressure from investors, teams, and personal expectations can compound - and how self-awareness, boundaries, and community can counter it.
They also get into the specifics of resilience and building systems that prevent chronic stress, breaking down how founders can recognize early warning signs, create support networks, and align their work with their personal values. Charlotte introduces the “Realize-Regulate-Recover” framework and Sahar reflects on redefining success beyond constant hustle. Together, they remind founders that protecting mental health isn’t a weaknes, but a strategic advantage for scaling sustainably.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
02:25 - Why Angels Invest Beyond Returns
05:40 - Spotting the Gap in Word of Mouth Marketing
10:00 - Investing in Founders, Not Just Ideas
18:48 - Scaling from Switzerland to Europe (and Beyond)
This episode was co-produced by SICTIC, the leading angel investor network in Switzerland.
Episode Summary:
Pascal Sollberger is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Hypt, a Swiss startup helping businesses harness word-of-mouth referrals at scale. With a background in marketing and sales, Pascal co-founded Hypt after noticing that no software effectively managed personal recommendations. Adrian Adank is a Business Angel at SICTIC, where he was considered the most active Business Angel (2024), as well as has held multiple leadership positions in Swiss companies. He is currently the CFO at Fabromont.
In this episode, Pascal and Adrian share the story of how a late night conversation led to a long-term founder-investor partnership. They discuss how Hypt grew from a marketing frustration into a SaaS platform trusted by banks and insurers, and how word-of-mouth can outperform social media ads by a factor of five. Adrian explains why he invests in founders with grit and selling power over academic credentials, while Pascal reveals how focus, storytelling, and sales discipline helped Hypt reach its first million in ARR.
The conversation dives deeper into Hypt’s go-to-market strategy, their shift from restaurants to financial services, and the importance of trust in a world of AI-generated content. Adrian outlines what metrics matter to investors and how defensibility in SaaS comes from execution, not IP. Pascal reflects on scaling beyond Switzerland, securing international investors, and staying true to their “go big or go home” culture. Together, they unpack how startups can balance growth ambition with focus and why building trust, not just traction, is what ultimately scales.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
3:31 - What’s the best tech team setup?
16:05 - Using OKRs for your tech team
32:53 - The more you automate, the higher the tech debt?
37:21 - Marketing the product before you even build it
This episode was originally a live webinar co-hosted with Holycode, a software development partner that's helped more than 140 startups scale by providing customized products and teams for every stage.
This episode was sponsored by infinity.swiss, Switzerland’s most advanced AI accounting tool. Save 25% by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
Episode Summary:
Nenad Nikolic is the co-founder, Co-CEO and CTO of Holycode, and also the co-founder of MOVU and the former CIO of Bexio. He holds a MSc in Computer Science from the Faculty of Computer Science (Belgrade, Serbia) and worked for DeinDeal before joining Laurent Decrue on their 10+ year entrepreneurial journey in 2014.
Herbert Bay is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor and board member. He co-founded the image-recognition platform Kooaba, the AR company Shortcut and the mental health tracker Earkick, where he is currently still active. He holds a PhD in Computer Vision from ETH Zurich and is the original author of the SURF algorithm, used for various Computer Vision and AR applications such as object recognition, image registration, classification and 3D reconstruction.
In this episode, Nenad Nikolic and Herbert Bay share how founders can build strong, lean product teams in the age of AI. They discuss how hiring senior talent early can save founders months of time, why team structures should evolve with a startup’s stage, and how AI is changing the way products are built — not by replacing people, but by multiplying what small, focused teams can achieve.
They also explore the limits of AI, the challenges of building defensible products, and the growing risk of tech debt when speed outpaces structure. From the pitfalls of the no-code trend to the need for proprietary data and workflow integration, both guests stress that success comes from pairing technological ambition with clarity of focus — and from validating your market before writing a single line of code.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps
12:16 — Bootstrapping mindset, MVP building, and milestone-based rounds.
17:50 — The trade-offs of bringing VCs on board versus angels.
27:58 — Honest discussion of founder stress, cash flow, and mental health.
41:46 — Final takeaways and practical advice for first-time founders.
This episode was produced by Founders Hive — a community of founders, experts, and investors driving entrepreneurship in Switzerland. We support early-stage startups in becoming investment-ready and guide them through the fundraising journey.
As a partner of the Entrepreneurship Training programme, empowered by Innosuisse — Switzerland’s innovation agency — we contribute to strengthening startups, SMEs, and research institutions in their innovation and growth.
Visit https://innosuisse.founders-hive.ch/ to learn more about Founders Hive, empowered by Innosuisse.
Episode Summary
Christian Greis is a dermatologist, surgeon, and founder of Derma2Go, a tech health startup providing high-quality online care for dermatology services and skin diseases. Nicolas Abelé is a serial entrepreneur and Co-Founder/CEO of SONIX, a communication and entertainment platform for gamers. Both founders bring very different perspectives on building startups: one through a bootstrapped, lean growth approach rooted in healthcare, and the other through venture-backed scaling in the gaming industry.
Together, they dive into the trade-offs between fundraising versus bootstrapping, exploring what it really takes to finance and scale a company in Switzerland. Christian explains why he pursued smaller rounds and revenue-driven growth, highlighting the mental health benefits of staying lean. Nicolas shares how SONIX leveraged investor support while remaining capital-efficient, even turning competitors’ billion-dollar fundraising into free market education they could piggyback on.
The discussion covers the realities of working with VCs versus business angels, the pressure founders face around cash flow, and how different industries (regulated healthcare vs. consumer gaming) shape financing strategies. Both emphasize the importance of smart money, efficient spending, and milestone-driven fundraising, while offering advice to first-time founders deciding which financing path fits their company and personality best.
The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
13:04 - Spotting untapped markets through first-hand pain
18:49 - Turning CO2 roadmaps into revenue models
26:06 - Building recurring revenues in a capex-heavy industry
32:16 - Why sustainability is already profitable
This episode was co-produced with SEF-Growth, the Swiss Economic Forum's Growth initiative to support Swiss startups and SMEs with growth plans free of charge. Check out the link in the bio to learn more! The cover portrait was edited by Smartportrait.
Episode Description
Pierre Bi is the founder and CEO of enshift, a Swiss startup helping real estate portfolios transition to green energy by executing decarbonization projects. He founded and sold his first startup Aeries Health to iRobot and holds a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from MIT.
In this episode, Pierre shares how enshift taps into the tipping point of renewable energy being cheaper than fossil fuels, and how they help building owners capture that opportunity without upfront capital. He explains the startup’s financing model, why owning the risk became their differentiator, and how real estate investors can transform their portfolios while boosting returns.
The conversation also dives into founder lessons: the importance of credibility from past exits, why being willing to shoulder risk can unlock trust and clients faster, and how monetization opportunities emerge when capital, sustainability, and timing align.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps
00:00 – Tour of Andreas’ self-built "culinary village" (bakery, guesthouse, fermentation lab).
08:05 – The startup struggle: Bootstrapping with 4 people and sleeping in the restaurant.
13:22 – Losing his co-founder/girlfriend: Why he almost quit (but didn’t).
19:06 – Monetization secrets: Licensing deals, Hublot/Audi partnerships, and why "brands need stories."
22:35 – Future projects: Saunas, talent foundations, and why "the hardest part isn’t starting—it’s staying relevant."
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout. Click the link in the bio to learn more!
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
About Andreas Caminada
Andreas Caminada, one of the world’s most decorated chefs (3 Michelin stars, 19 Gault Millau points), reveals how he built a culinary empire in the Swiss Alps without investors—starting with just 4 employees and a relentless focus on passion over profit. In this intimate interview at his castle-turned-restaurant, he shares:
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The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Timestamps:
9:00 – What Is Venture Kick and Kickfund?
12:55 – Why Wanja Joined Kickfund
18:45 – Why Founders & Investors Love Kickfund
27:05 – The Long-Term Vision
This episode was co-produced with KickFund, a VC fund investing in the most promising Swiss deeptech startups. Check out the link in the bio/comments to learn more about them!Episode summary:
Wanja Humanes is the CEO of Kickfund, a Swiss investment fund that invests in leading deep tech startups recognized by the Venture Kick competition, providing strategic support and resources to help them scale and succeed globally. Wanja holds a BA in Business Innovation from the University of St. Gallen.
In his chat with Merle, Wanja shares how Switzerland’s flagship accelerator Venture Kick and its follow-on investment fund create a seamless path from lab to market. He reflects on his years at Swisscom Ventures, lessons from 90+ investments, and why a flexible co-investment strategy beats rigid thesis-driven VC.
Wanja also details Kickfund’s unique model: startups that graduate from Venture Kick can receive up to CHF 1 million in combined non-dilutive grants and follow-on capital—fast, founder-friendly, and backed by a growing community of investors and alumni. For Swiss founders and early-stage investors, it’s a masterclass in building and financing high-impact companies.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
02:02 — Why Eric quit finance to create instead of comply.
04:20 — Investor Brain as a Founder: 70+ angel deals, stakeholder management, and Switzerland’s funding “missing middle.”
12:50 — Flow > Busywork: How Eric engineers flow states to work efficiently
16:25 — Why Holistic exists: Root-cause care for chronic conditions vs. longevity/prevention hype.
27:40 — A business model that scales, willingness to pay, and going global via telehealth + group programs.
This episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their Founder's Story event on September 24th to hear directly from visionary founders in the transportation industry discussing the seismic shift in mobility, from ownership to on-demand access, and the pivotal role of AI and cloud technologies in driving this transformation.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Episode summary:
Eric Laudet is the CEO and Founder of Holistiq, a medtech startup aiming to establish the gold standard for scalable root-cause medicine and build the world's leading AI-powered holistic health platform, community, and brand. He holds a Masters in Management from ESCP Business School.
In his conversation with Merle, Eric opens up about leaving corporate finance to build, not comply. He shares how his perspective as an investor reshaped his approach to fundraising, why Swiss founders must navigate a “missing middle” between angels and VC, and his system to create real leverage and flow states in his work.
He then goes deep on Holistiq, the online clinic for root-cause care of chronic conditions (gut, metabolic, hormonal, and ADHD). Eric explains why willingness-to-pay concentrates where pain is real (not in shiny longevity products), how Holistiq blends labs, telemedicine, and group programs into their offering, and why focusing narrowly (gut health, menopause, ADHD) beats spraying features across the whole wellness map. It’s a playbook on building scalable healthcare while staying radically customer-centric.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
6:00 – Deciding between chasing investor money vs. revenues from day one
29:42 – How founder pressure differs across funding strategies (runway vs. cash-flow anxiety)
37:22 – Can a bootstrapped startup realistically become a market leader?
35:10 – In what scenario would they switch financing strategies?
This episode was produced by Founders Hive — a community of founders, experts, and investors driving entrepreneurship in Switzerland. We support early-stage startups in becoming investment-ready and guide them through the fundraising journey.
As a partner of the Entrepreneurship Training programme, empowered by Innosuisse — Switzerland’s innovation agency — we contribute to strengthening startups, SMEs, and research institutions in their innovation and growth.
Checkout https://innosuisse.founders-hive.ch/ to learn more about Founders Hive, empowered by Innosuisse.
Episode Summary:
Denys Sutter is the Co-Founder and CEO of condenZero, a startup focused on building ultra-low temperature sample holders for electron microscopes, enabling researchers to observe materials and molecules at extreme cryogenic conditions with unmatched speed and stability. They hold a PHD in Physics from University of Zurich.
Girisha Fernando is the Co-Founder and CEO of Lyfegen, a startup provides software that helps healthcare payers and pharma companies manage complex drug pricing agreements, reduce admin work, and optimize rebates for better value. They hold a Bachelor of Applied Science in International Management and Economics from PHW Bern.
In their chat, Girisha and Denys compared bootstrapping, non-dilutive funding, and VC money through the lens of speed, focus, and risk. They dug into how early traction de-risks a raise, why deep-tech R&D often can’t be accelerated with more capital, and how European VC norms can clash with early-stage reality. They also shared pragmatic alternatives—grants, debt against orders, and strategic investors—plus the importance of aligning your fundraising path with market size and sales cycles.
They also talked about founder psychology and operating pressure: the difference between managing cash-flow anxieties vs. runway clocks, how board quality can add structure (or distraction), and when outside capital becomes “fuel” to reach dominance. The group debated whether a bootstrapped company can lead a market, concluding that natural growth is often too slow once scale is in sight, and closed with concrete trigger points for switching paths—hitting product scalability, expanding to bigger markets, or needing faster go-to-market to seize timing.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
03:14 - What even is “operations”?
7:57 - Should OKRs be set top-down or bottom-up?
17:05 - Top 3 key KPIs for early stage startups
26:00 - How to focus on fundraising without losing traction
43:26 - What happens when you don’t have your finances in order?
This episode was originally a live webinar co-hosted with Holycode, a software development partner that's helped more than 140 startups scale by providing customized products and teams for every stage.
This episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their Founder's Story event on September 24th to hear directly from visionary founders in the transportation industry discussing the seismic shift in mobility, from ownership to on-demand access, and the pivotal role of AI and cloud technologies in driving this transformation.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
About Laurent Decrue & Jeremias Meier:
Laurent Decrue is the co-founder of the moving company MOVU and the software company Holycode, and the former CEO at Bexio. Currently he is active as CFO and co-CEO at Holycode. He holds an MBA from the University of Basel and previously worked at DeinDeal.
Jeremias Meier is the co-founder and CEO of Paymira, an AI-first payroll service, and he’s also a partner at session.vc. Jeremias holds a BA in Business Administration from St.Gallen, and co-founded the cloud based-accounting software Bexio in 2014.
During their chat with Silvan, Laurent and Jeremias discussed the importance of operations, fundraising strategies, and the role of finance in startups. They emphasized the significance of OKRs, meeting cadence, and the impact of AI on business growth.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
6:00 - Tackling the early detection of sepsis
17:17 - Why obsess over hard challenges?
27:41 - Marketing a new biomarker
34:20 - Expanding and delegating to distributors
This episode was co-produced with Innovaud, the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud.
About Patrick Pestalozzi & François Capel:
Patrick Pestalozzi is a former management consultant and Silicon Valley executive with 3 decades of global experience, most recently as the Vice-President of Global Strategic Accounts for Mindmaze and as the CEO at GaitUp, a Mindmaze subsidiary. In 2024 he became the CEO at Abionic, a medtech EPFL spin-off founded back in 2010.
François Capel is an Innovation Director with 10+ years of experience driving innovation within fast-paced environments and innovation-driven industries. He is currently a full-time advisor at Innovaud, the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud.
During his chat with Merle and François, Patrick shared his experience as Abionic CEO. Abionic is on a mission to transform sepsis diagnoses through the use of nanofluids, and their flagship product, abioSCOPE®, a near-patient rapid diagnostic platform, delivers lab-quality results from a drop of blood within minutes, providing valuable clinical insights and actionable information at the point-of-care.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
2:30 - What makes a startup attractive to VCs?
7:44 - Why VC money isn’t for everyone
16:40 - What if the VC tells you no?
21:00 - What is “vibe coding”?
24:25 - When VCs decide to invest
This episode was originally a live conversation which took place at startup days 2025, in Bern. Check out startup days to learn about next year's event!
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Antonia Albert:
Antonia Albert is the principal of Founderful, a pre-seed fund backing Switzerland's best tech entrepreneurs to become global market leaders. She holds a MSc in Strategic Management from the Rotterdam School of Management, and co-founded Careship, a startup providing in-home senior care, back in 2015. She joined Founderful in 2022.
During her chat with Yokoy co-founder and startup investor Melanie Gabriel, Antonia shared some insights into the daily activities of a VC. She highlighted that VC money is not suitable for all cases, and that not all newly-founded businesses qualify as startups. Antonia encouraged founders to make sure at least 1 person in their team is fully dedicated to fundraising, and stressed the importance of talking to investors proactively and making the best use out of international travel.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
8:30 - The problem in VA that CREAL is tackling
15:10 - VA as the future
34:45 - What’s next for CREAL after closing another funding round
46:45 - Why don't we see more Swiss startups becoming global category leaders?
This episode was co-produced by SICTIC, the leading angel investor network in Switzerland.
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
Episode Summary:
Bolko Hohaus is the Founder & CEO of HCP Asset Management, a Geneva-based investment boutique delivering performance-driven and innovative financial solutions. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from LMU München.
Tomas Sluka is the CEO & Co-Founder of CREAL, a Swiss deep-tech startup pioneering light-field displays for more natural and immersive Augmented Reality experiences. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechatronics Science and Engineering from the Technical University of Liberec.
In their conversation with Silvan, Bolko and Tomas discuss the current challenges in AR, the disruptive potential of CREAL’s technology, and why investing in startups can actually deliver stronger returns than traditional options.
They also share their views on the Swiss startup ecosystem, why more Swiss companies don’t grow into category leaders, and what’s next for CREAL after closing their recent funding round.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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Timestamps
3:52 - Past failures that paved the way for success
9:12 - Shifting from finance, to vocation training, to retrofitting luminaries
13:57 How Lumvin found a swiss-based cheaper, faster, and sustainable way to upgrade luminaries
32:28 Tips for driving sales in Switzerland
37:14 - Winning the Swiss Economic Award
This episode was co-produced with SEF.Growth, the Swiss Economic Forum's Growth initiative to support Swiss startups and SMEs with growth plans free of charge.
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Besfort Biljali:
Besfort Biljali is the Co-Founder of Lumvin, a Swiss clean tech company specialising in energy-efficient lighting solutions, and Deputy CEO at Libs Industrielle Berufslehren Schweiz, a leading vocational training organisation in the mechanical engineering sector. He holds an MSc in Finance from the University of Zurich and previously worked in finance and sales — all while competing as a professional handball player.
In his conversation with Silvan, Besfort shared how his background in sports and sales helped him transition into entrepreneurship, and how a chance conversation with a former colleague led to the founding of Lumvin. He also broke down what actually works in Swiss sales — from cold calling to long-term trust-building — and why his “Made in Switzerland” approach reinforces quality and credibility.
Besfort also spoke about the importance of vocational training in Switzerland’s innovation ecosystem, how he balances multiple high-stakes roles using time-blocking and prioritisation, and what it meant for Lumvin to win the 2025 Swiss Economic Award.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
Timestamps:
2:50 - Building a cloud-native API-first product
5:28 - How will AI change banking?
12:14 - The big regulatory beast
25:24 - Amnis’ growth challenges
This episode was sponsored by infinity.swiss, Switzerland’s most advanced AI accounting tool. Save 25% by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Michael Wüst:
Michael Wüst is the founder and CEO of amnis, a company reinventing international payments and collections for SMEs. He holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Applied Sciences of St. Gallen and worked for Würth Finance International B.V. from 2006 to 2012, before founding amnis in 2014.
In his chat with Silvan, Michael discussed the challenges and innovations in the payment solutions sector, particularly for SMEs. He highlighted the gap in services for mid-sized companies, the importance of overcoming legacy banking systems, and the role of AI in enhancing banking processes.
Michael also shared insights on expanding amnis beyond Switzerland, navigating regulatory landscapes, and the significance of strategic partnerships. He elaborated on the company's business model, differentiating factors from competitors, and the challenges of market localization. The conversation concluded with Michael's vision for the future of amnis and the fintech industry.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Instagram, Linkedin, TikTok, and Youtube so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.