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.
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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.
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Timestamps:
5:00 – How much should you raise in a Series A?
12:39 – Should you get existing investors to invest again?
19:12 – How to approach investors for a Series A
30:00 – How to mitigate risk for your investors
35:09 – What if you just bootstrapped?
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.
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Laurent Decrue, Kai Eberhardt & Fredrik Isler:
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.
Kai Eberhardt is the co-founder and CEO at Oviva, an app which provides personalized advice and individual support for targeted dietary changes. He holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from ETH and previously worked for McKinsey and Groupon.
Fredrik Isler is the CFO of ANYbotics, a Swiss AI company dedicated to creating the future workforce of autonomous robots. He holds an MA in Accounting and Finance from HSG and worked for companies like Sonova Holding, Interbrand and Zetra International AG before joining ANYbotics in 2018.
During their chat with Silvan, Laurent, Kai and Frederik reflected on the dos and don’ts of raising a Series A round. Firstly, they defined their terms: a Series A round is a fundraising round where you give up a “Class A” of shares, which go “on top of” the common shares. At a Series A stage, founders usually raise 5-20M, and accept a 20-33% dilution range.
Our guests recommended that founders first reflect on how much cash and time their company needs to become profitable, before even raising a pre-seed round. Then, based on this calculation, founders should break the number down into as many rounds as are needed, and carefully plan which milestones will need to be achieved before each round, and set a timeline for these achievements. Frederik recommended that founders space their rounds every 12-24 months.
Coming into a Series A round, it is ideal to both bring along existing investors and also acquire new investors. Being able to bring existing investors into your new round will signal to other potential investors that your company is doing well, since the people who believed in your vision in the previous round still believe it currently. However, not all your existing investors will have the cash for this follow-up round, so you cannot rely on them exclusively. It is also good, in general, to grow your investor pool each time you raise funds. You should make use of your existing investors to get intros to new potential investors.
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Timestamps:
4:16 - When does a startup become a scaleup?
18:04 - Prioritizing which issue to tackle next
25:06 - Why properti only has Swiss investors
28:40 - Challenges in scaling up in Switzerland vs Internationally
31:34 - How Levent leverages his advisory board
39:00 - Key advice for early founders
Click here to purchase our book, “Swiss Startups”.
About Levent Künzi:
Levent Künzi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Properti, a technology-driven real estate company modernizing how people buy, sell, and rent homes. He holds a BSc in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing and Business Communication from Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences. Before founding Properti, Levent spent a decade at Betterhomes Real GmbH, where he rose to COO by age 25.
In his conversation with Silvan, Levent unpacked the shift from startup to scaleup, how founders can prioritize the right challenges during periods of growth, and why Properti made the strategic choice to raise exclusively from Swiss investors in its early stages.
Levent also opened up about key tips for early startup founders, such as building a supportive environment, staying flexible and focused, and continuing to push through the hard times.
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:
6:32 - How can lawyers help entrepreneurs?
13:55 - The cost of legal services: hourly rates vs. success fees
23:40 - Essential contracts for startups: what founders must know
40:10 - Understanding term sheets and key negotiations
50:56 - Personal liability and risk management
This episode was co-produced by EO Zürich. Check out their upcoming event, Entrepreneurs Summit 2025.
Subscribe to the Swisspreneur Newsletter to keep up to date with all the newest developments of the Swiss startup scene.
About Stefan Kirchhofer:
Stefan Kirchhofer is the Founding Partner of ADROIT Attorneys, and the owner of the Hooters restaurant chain in Switzerland. He holds a Masters of Laws from the University of Bern and has worked for Credit Suisse First Boston, the Zurich District Court and Homburger.
During his chat with us, Stefan delved into the intersection of law and entrepreneurship, exploring the unique challenges and perspectives that lawyers bring to the business world. He discussed the cautious nature of lawyers, the importance of calculated risks, and the essential role of legal professionals in business transactions. The conversation also covered the complexities of legal fees, the necessity of contracts for startups, and the strategic considerations around equity distribution among founders.
Here are some of the main takeaways:
Shares
Successful partnerships require commitment from all shareholders, so giving shares away for free is often unwise.
Founders should avoid giving away shares too early: startups should focus on revenue and growth before equity distribution.
Small shareholders may not find shares valuable.
Phantom stock options can be a fair way to engage employees.
Working with lawyers
Most lawyers are not trained to be entrepreneurs, and therefore are much more risk-averse. However, this attitude can be a useful counterbalance to entrepreneurial daring, as calculated risks are essential for business success.
When looking for the best legal team to work with, take into account that a good transactional team includes various specialists, and that smaller law firms can often provide better value.
When assessing a legal team, consider the importance of fair billing practices, and the clarity and conciseness of essential contracts like shareholder agreements and client contracts.
Founders should always be cautious about what they commit to. The most obvious aspect of this is that term sheets should be reviewed carefully before signing. It’s also worth noting that legal assessments are crucial when facing lawsuits, and that personal liability can be mitigated with careful documentation.
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:
5:11 - Hire your first 15-25 employees super carefully
10:35 - Incentives and ownership in company culture
15:28 - What can Switzerland learn from the US?
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Victoria Ransom:
Victoria Ransom is the co-founder of Wildfire, a social marketing software-as-a-service company which was acquired by Google, and of Prisma, a global virtual school (grades 4-12). She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked as a Financial Analyst at Morgan Stanley before co-founding Access Trips, the travel startup that led her to creating Wildfire.
During her chat with Silvan, Victoria reflected back on the values which sustained Wildfire and which drive Prisma nowadays. She highlighted the importance of hiring your first 15-25 employees extremely carefully, as these people will set the tone for future hires. She also emphasized the competitive advantage that a strong company culture can bring, since execution often matters more for success than merely having a great business idea.
Victoria argued that incentives like bonuses should complement but never replace a strong culture, and she encouraged Swiss entrepreneurs to learn from their American counterparts: it never pays off to be too humble.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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Timestamps:
4:26 - Should Swiss VCs raise money from pension funds?
11:38 - Why Swiss pension funds invest so little in VC
20:45 - Are there regulatory barriers to investing pension fund money?
41:00 - DeepTechNation’s role in connecting money with talent
43:33 - Should private citizens have a say in where pension funds go?
This episode was co-produced with the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Laurent Frésard:
Laurent Frésard is a professor of finance at USI and the Swiss Finance Institute, and a pension fund board member, whose research has been published in several leading academic journals. He holds a PhD in Finance from Université de Neuchâtel.
Laurent joined Merle to discuss the topic of investing pension funds in startups through Swiss VC funds. Although most Swiss pension funds are currently invested in bonds, stocks, real estate and cash, 5% of it goes into private equity or private debt. There are, however, some caveats to this type of investment: the investment must be made in entities located in Switzerland, and money cannot be borrowed to increase the size of the investment.
Laurent argues that more Swiss pension fund money should be invested in Swiss startups, in a risk-controlled environment, to help bridge the funding gap for growth-stage Swiss startups. He warns that investment choices must not be network/politically based, but instead driven by neutral market expertise. Laurent and Merle also discussed the possibility of creating a “fund of funds”, meaning a fund of startup investing experts who would invest the money trusted to them by pension fund investors.
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:
3:30 - Teaching a made-up course on London Business School
13:29 - Should we be wary of AI?
16:00 - It’s never been easier to hack software
27:38 - Gandalf came out of a hackathon
38:38 - Differences between the US and Switzerland
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 David Haber:
David Haber is the co-founder and CEO at Lakera AI, a real-time GenAI security company. He holds a MEng in Computer Science from Imperial College London and founded Cognitir, a startup providing in-person and on-demand AI education for Fortune 500 companies and world-leading universities, before co-founding Lakera AI in 2021.
Co-founded by former Google, Meta, and aerospace engineers, Lakera’s team combines cutting-edge AI research with real-world expertise in deploying AI systems that can't fail — at the scale of a billion flight hours. Lakera’s mission is to enable enterprises to focus on building the most exciting AI applications securely by protecting them in the world of AI cyber risk.
To accelerate secure adoption of AI, the company created Gandalf, an educational platform where more than one million users have learned about AI security. Lakera uses AI to continuously evolve defenses, so customers can stay ahead of emerging threats.
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:
05:58 - From tennis courts to security
11:43 - Getting the team onboard with a major pivot
19:40 - Staying focused vs staying flexible
27:57 - What are the biggest pivoting mistakes startups keep making?
This episode was co-produced with Innovaud, the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud.
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.)
About Wiktor Bourée & Charlotte Ducrot:
Wiktor Bourée is the co-founder and CEO of Technis, a software company that centralizes data on a single platform, allowing businesses to make informed decisions with accurate and up-to-date information. He holds a MSc in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from ETH and worked for companies like Saint Louis Sucre and BASF before starting Technis in 2015.
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, Wiktor and Charlotte discuss the evolution of Technis, a startup that pivoted from analyzing sports surfaces to providing smart flooring solutions for various applications. They explored the challenges and dynamics of making such a significant shift, including team trust, investor relations, and the importance of adaptability in the startup environment. The discussion also highlighted the future aspirations of Technis in the digitalization of physical spaces and the lessons learned from their journey.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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Timestamps:
02:24 – Führen wie ein Löwe
06:31 – Warum Sales Chefsache ist
07:31 – Das globale Startup-Ökosystem: USA vs. Europa
10:16 – Erfolgreiche Sales-Strategien strukturieren
21:29 – Rückschläge meistern und Resilienz aufbauen
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.)
Über Carsten Maschmeyer:
Carsten Maschmeyer ist ein erfahrener Investor, Unternehmer und TV-Persönlichkeit, bekannt aus der Sendung Die Höhle der Löwen. Als Gründer der Maschmeyer Group investiert er in wachstumsstarke Startups und begleitet Gründerinnen und Gründer auf ihrem unternehmerischen Weg.
In dieser Episode teilt Carsten erprobte Einsichten darüber, was es braucht, um ein Startup erfolgreich zu führen. Von der zentralen Rolle von Empathie in der Führung, über die unverzichtbare Bedeutung von Sales, bis hin zur richtigen Mentalität bei Rückschlägen – Carsten zeigt klar auf, woran junge Unternehmen scheitern oder wachsen.
Er vergleicht das Startup-Ökosystem in den USA mit jenem in Europa und spricht darüber, wie eine globale Denkweise frühzeitig gefördert werden kann. Seine Perspektive ist sowohl für angehende Gründer:innen als auch für erfahrene Führungskräfte inspirierend und praxisnah.
Timestamps:
2:48 - Why ETH generates so many startups
7:23 - From research to commercialization
14:00 - Does ETH invest in startups?
21:50 - Perfectionism vs move fast and break things
29:23 - It’s not hard to convince people to work for startups
This episode was co-produced with the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Roland Siegwart:
Roland Siegwart is a professor of Autonomous Systems at ETH Zurich and board member for Sevensense Robotics, NZZ, Komax and Evatec. He has been a visiting scientist at both EPFL and Stanford, and holds a PhD in Mechatronics from ETH Zurich.
During his chat with Silvan, Roland discussed the evolution of ETH Zurich, focusing on its role in fostering startups and innovation. The discussion covered the importance of talent, funding, and the unique environment at ETH that supports research and entrepreneurship.
Roland emphasized the need for a balance between academic rigor and the fast-paced startup mentality, as well as the potential for collaboration between research institutions and the business world.
Silvan and Roland discussed the challenges and opportunities within the startup landscape, emphasizing the need for collaboration between startups and corporates, the significance of purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and the potential for innovation in technology, particularly in robotics.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, 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:
13:03 - How much equity did Relai give away?
31:00 - How to delegate as a CEO
39:13 - Why product roadmaps change
47:10 - Why Julian is cautious to expand his team
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.
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.)
About Julian Liniger:
Julian Liniger is the co-founder and CEO of Relai, the world's easiest Bitcoin investing app. He holds an MA in Business Administration from the University of Bern and worked as a junior consultant before starting Relai in 2019.
In his chat with Merle, Julian discussed how Bitcoin serves as a transformative savings technology, and explained Relai’s mission to make it more accessible. He opened up about the challenges of fundraising, including equity negotiations, finding the right investors, and setting valuations based on revenue multiples.
Julian emphasized the importance of building a scalable organization: knowing when to delegate, maintaining operational efficiency, and fostering strong remote team dynamics through regular summits and selective hiring. He also touched on Relai’s global expansion strategy, starting from Switzerland, and on the hurdles of product development as the company grows.
Looking ahead, Julian highlighted Bitcoin education as key to adoption, the impact of regulations on marketing, and Relai’s plans to expand its product offerings. For founders and Bitcoin enthusiasts, this episode offers valuable lessons on startup growth, leadership, and the future of Bitcoin-powered businesses.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, 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:
9:33 - Leaving a corporate and starting your own company
18:00 - Why pet food is terrible
29:08 - Why there’s a market for Loonawell
33:32 - Pet food made by an executive chef?
36:14 - Why established pet food companies can’t compete with Loonawell
Resources Mentioned:
Silence: the Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise, by Thich Nhat Hahn
Irvin D. Yallom’s books
About Maria de Bettencourt Tavares:
Maria de Bettencourt Tavares is the founder and CEO of Loonawell, a startup creating human-grade healthy food for dogs. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Lisbon Medical School and an MBA from Escuela de Negocios de la Cámara de Comercio de Sevilla. She worked for FISEVI, DSM Nutritional Products and Givaudan before starting Loonawell in 2020.
Maria was driven to start a pet food brand by the harrowing statistics that she discovered: according to peer-reviewed research, 25% of dogs will die of cancer, and 50% of dogs past the age of 10 will die of cancer as well. This is mostly due to the extremely poor nutrition they receive. Most pet food that can be found in supermarkets consists of one main ingredient: “meat meal” or “fish meal”. Meat meal is the legal term used to name all the derivatives of meat processing, i.e., whatever is left after the human-grade cuts have been extracted. This can be bones, hooves, or hair.
80% of pet owners buy pet food based on how it smells (for them, not the pet), which is why pet food companies add all sorts of artificial aromas. The pets, unfortunately, are unable to complain, and so eat themselves to an early death. Loonawell, on the contrary, uses only organic, natural ingredients, with no added preservatives, to develop chef- and vet-approved recipes that will give pets a long and healthy life. Although their products are fit for human consumption, they are legally prevented from advertising them as such. Loonawell is the first and only pet food in the world to be certified with the Swiss Vitamin Institute Label.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, 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:
11:04 - How the Swisspreneur team grew
14:16 - Why most people at Swisspreneur are volunteers
25:00 - How the syndicate got hundreds of signups after a few weeks
30:42 - Why does Swisspreneur produce free masterclasses?
39:43 - How Swisspreneur wrote a book
This episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their Founder's Story event on June 24th to hear directly from blockchain startup founders about their journeys of innovation, disruption, and resilience, and discover how they are redefining industries with decentralized technology.
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
Resources Mentioned:
About Silvan Krähenbühl:
Silvan Krähenbühl is the host and managing director of Swisspreneur and the founder and CEO of DELOS Analytica, a B2B SaaS company transforming how businesses manage their relevant issues and navigate complex political landscapes. He previously co-founded and sold Gymhopper, and was the CEO of Rentouch, which he later also sold. He holds a BA in Business Administration from the University of St Gallen.
On our 500th episode, hosts Silvan and Merle looked back on 9 years of Swisspreneur history. They started off by recalling the founding of Swisspreneur by serial entrepreneurs Alain Chuard and Christian Hirsig in 2016: after selling his company, Wildfire, to Google, Alain felt the need to give back to the Swiss startup ecosystem and encourage Swiss people to pursue entrepreneurial careers, so together with Chris he conducted a series of video interviews with some of the major Swiss startup founders at the time — and so Swisspreneur was born!
In 2018, Christian asked Silvan to replace him as the host of Swisspreneur. Though he was initially daunted by the task, Silvan said yes, and together with Alain decided to switch the podcast to audio-only format, to make the best out of the budget available. From there the core team was formed organically: Dominique, our head of community, had already worked for Swisspreneur even before Silvan; Lars, head of marketing, was Silvan’s roommate at the time; and Cecília and Björn had previously worked with Silvan at Gymhopper.
In 2018 was also the year when Silvan organized the first founders dinner. He noticed that the ecosystem was growing, but that people rarely spoke to each other, except at events — so he decided to invite roughly 15 startup founders to host a small dinner, and the evening was so successful that the guests asked him when the next dinner would take place. Swisspreneur has since hosted countless of these dinners, and nowadays hosts 3 additional Scaleup Events per year: the Scaleup Slopes, in Laax, the Scaleup Cruise in Lausanne, and the Scaleup Cruise in Zurich. Swisspreneur also has a slack community of founders and investors with over 700 members.
In 2021, on a sunny rooftop in Lisbon, the team first discussed the idea of a Swisspreneur syndicate. The project was immediately successful, and nowadays the syndicate team has 5 members, its portfolio counts almost 40 investments, and its investor base is one of the largest in Switzerland. It relies on Leva as a trusted partner.
Last but not least: Swisspreneur published a book in 2025! "Swiss Startups" is a compact view of some of the most amazing startup journeys in Switzerland, from scrappy beginnings to world domination. It was written by Silvan and our content creator Helena.
As for the future, we have many ideas jumping around in our heads. Let’s see which ones become reality…
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Timestamps:
5:07 - Thomas’s leap from cybersecurity to founding Rivero
15:07 - Building partnerships with Visa and Mastercard
21:10 - Bootstrapping until Series A
23:00 - Founder salary realities
27:43 - Why it’s hard to sell to banks
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
This episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their Founder's Story event on June 24th to hear directly from blockchain startup founders about their journeys of innovation, disruption, and resilience, and discover how they are redefining industries with decentralized technology.
About Fatemeh Nikayin and Thomas Müller:
Fatemeh Nikayin and Thomas Müller are the co-founders of Rivero, a Swiss startup redefining how banks manage payment operations. Rivero provides the first and only SaaS solution for fraud recovery and dispute management, and has scaled to serve major banks across Europe.
Before founding Rivero, Fatemeh held consulting roles in the payment space and earned a PhD in Technology, Policy and Management from the Delft University of Technology, in the Netherlands. Thomas previously served as CISO of a major credit card issuer and has a background in cybersecurity. Together, they bootstrapped Rivero to profitability before raising their Series A in 2024.
Rivero’s products – Caio and Amico – are built to streamline compliance and fraud handling, allowing banks to operate more efficiently while maintaining high trust. Their vision? Go global and become the operating standard in payments.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, 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:
8:35 - Why enter a crowded market?
15:24 - Language learning in AI
28:02 - When Univerbal got into YC
37:30 - How to get into YC
41:00 - Getting 50K+ people to test your prototype
DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded several months ago, and since then Philipp has left his role at Univerbal. We nonetheless thought the episode was still worth sharing, as it is a great startup story about building an AI language tutor and making it to YC. We hope you enjoy the content!
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
This episode was sponsored by infinity.swiss, Switzerland’s most advanced AI accounting tool. Save 25% by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
About Philipp Hadjimina:
Philipp Hadjimina is the co-founder and former CEO of Univerbal, an AI tutor for language learning and conversation. He holds a MSc in Management, Technology, and Economics from ETH, which he completed in 2022, after which he co-founded Univerbal (then named Quazel).
Univerbal empowers language learners to practice new languages by talking with an AI Agent about anything they want in a completely unscripted way. Their product allows specific analysis of the individual learning stage, and can thereby offer tailored feedback and customized suggestions for improvement. Univerbal aims to position itself between traditional language learning apps like Duolingo and Babbel and online tutoring services like Preply and iTalki — retaining the personalized experience of tutoring, but making it as affordable and accessible as a traditional language learning app.
Univerbal has raised a total of $2M in funding over 2 rounds, and got into Y Combinator in 2022 (their launch year).
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, 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:
7:29 - How does the Swiss ecosystem compare to others?
18:09 - Which Swiss scaleups is Nicolas excited about?
23:46 - Does Swiss shyness hold us back?
30:23 - Investing in companies with long development cycles
35:08 - Creating outbound investment opportunities
This episode was co-produced with the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
About Nicolas Autret:
Nicolas Autret is a partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures, a venture capital firm helping early stage companies in the US, Europe, and Israel build the next generation of category-defining businesses in deep tech. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and was previously a partner at Sofinnova Partners, 360 Capital and Samsung Catalyst Fund before joining Walden Catalyst in 2021.
During his chat with Merle, Nicolas explained why he thinks the Swiss ecosystem should not try to replicate the Silicon Valley phenomenon. According to Nicolas, Silicon Valley is a unique ecosystem that’s been around for 60 years, which resulted from a unique recipe for collaboration between academia, investors, entrepreneurs and large corporates. It took decades to mature, first through government funding and then later largely through private funding.
The success of Silicon Valley ought to inspire us, says Nicolas, and of course best practices can be derived from it, but we should not try to replicate the exact same phenomenon in Switzerland — a very different country with its unique set of circumstances. Switzerland benefits from excellent universities and is quite strong in terms of deep tech, but it is still maturing as an ecosystem, as are other European startup hubs. Our culture of high performance and high precision differentiates us from the Americans and their “break things” mentality, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Each mindset has its own individual perks.
Nowadays, Nicolas is excited about Swiss companies like Scandit, ANYbotics, Ecorobotix and SOPHiA GENETICS. He thinks one major key to accelerating the maturation of the Swiss startup ecosystem (and other European ecosystems) is to allow for more late stage funding.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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Timestamps:
6:10 - Quantifying innovation for investment purposes
10:53 - How Evelyne met Tobias Reichmuth
20:43 - Can innovation outperform ETFs?
34:18 - How to build trust with potential investors
38:34 - Why Evelyne’s team is mostly women
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.)
About Evelyne Pflugi:
Evelyne Pflugi is the co-founder and CEO of The Singularity Group, a company quantifying applied innovation in listed equities. She holds a MSc in Food Science and Technology from ETH and worked at Capital Group and GAM Investment Management (Switzerland) Ltd before founding The Singularity Group in 2017.
At The Singularity Group, Evelyne and her team are redefining how innovation gets quantified. Instead of measuring it by R&D expenses, patents, capex in tech or M&A in tech, Evelyne prefers to focus solely on feasibility and profitability. She co-founded the group with Tobias Reichmuth, a serial founder and investor. The Singularity Group is the initiator of the Singularity Index™ (Bloomberg ticker: NQ2045), a global, all-sector benchmark and gold standard for Applied Innovation. The Singularity Strategies include The Singularity Fund (UCITS Lux), Singularity US Innovation Leaders (AMC), Singularity US Equity (LUKB AMC), Singularity Small&Mid (UBS AMC), and the partner product LUKB Smart Farming (AMC).
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, 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:
5:20 - Helping European companies set up shop in China
11:43 - SICTIC’s investment program for kids
17:57 - Building AI models to predict fundraising success
26:00 - How being a young investor changes your perspective
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.)
Resources Mentioned:
Ep 135 with Thomas Dübendorfer
Fueled by Randomness, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
About Felix M. & Jianhe Mao:
In this episode, we sit down with Mao and Felix, a dynamic father-son duo who share their incredible journey through entrepreneurship, venture investing, and the startup world. Mao, a seasoned entrepreneur with decades of experience, recounts his path from studying in Germany to building businesses across Europe and Asia. After starting his career in industrial engineering, he transitioned into consulting and later founded ventures in China, including an armored cash-transport business: one of the first of its kind. By 2010, he shifted focus to MedTech startups in Europe, turning around struggling companies like neoplas Med GmbH (pioneering plasma wound treatment) and Medmira Inc. (a rapid diagnostic testing innovator). His approach? Hands-on involvement, strategic risk-taking, and a sharp eye for undervalued potential.
Felix, Mao’s son, brings a fresh perspective as a next-gen investor immersed in Switzerland’s startup ecosystem. Initially drawn to history and behavioral economics, he found corporate life uninspiring and instead dove into startups through SICTIC. There, he learned the importance of team dynamics over just product-market fit, emphasizing traits like adaptability, vision, and resilience in founders. He advocates for a more structured approach to evaluating entrepreneurs, blending academic insights with real-world due diligence. Both highlight how SICTIC’s rigorous selection process sets Swiss startups apart, favoring steady, deep-tech innovations over the "go big or go home" mentality often seen in Asia.
As Mao eyes retirement, he plans to deepen his involvement with SICTIC, mentoring the next wave of entrepreneurs. Felix, meanwhile, is just getting started, aiming to build a methodical venture investment strategy while learning from seasoned angels. Their key takeaway? Venture investing is a humbling, long-game journey that rewards patience, passion, and a willingness to take calculated risks. Tune in for their candid stories, hard-earned lessons, and why the startup world’s energy keeps them hooked!
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Timestamps:
4:00 - What’s a data breach?
10:21 - What’s a phishing campaign?
13:50 - How expensive is it to fix a data breach?
20:35 - How are startups being targeted?
22:07 - Why strong passwords are not enough
This episode was co-produced by NordPass. Use code “swisspreneur” at checkout to get 30% off Business and Teams plans.
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.)
About Ieva Soblickaite:
Ieva Soblickaite is the CPO of NordPass, a password management solution that is part of Nord Security, the world’s leading cybersecurity company. She holds a Masters from HEC Paris and co-founded Medigo GmbH before joining NordPass in 2021.
During her chat with Merle, Ieva broke down the topic of cybersecurity into easily digestible, actionable chunks:
What’s a data breach?
A data breach occurs whenever confidential data is accessed and used in some way (disclosed, copied, altered, destroyed). Common malicious uses include trading the data on the darkweb, decrypting the data to demand a ransom payment, and identity theft.
What’s malware?
Malware is any software developed with the express intent of causing harm. Examples include viruses, trojans, spyware, ransomware, etc. It can also completely take over a computer, putting the criminal in complete control.
Common types of malware:
Ransomware: type of malware that prevents users or organizations from accessing their files. Hackers demand payment to restore access.
Adware: type of greyware (since it does not necessarily have to be malicious) that displays ads to certain users. These ads can be unwanted or malicious.
Spyware: malware that secretly monitors and collects information about a user’s activities or devices, usually as the first step before another type of attack.
Another well-known type of cyberattack are phishing campaigns, in which a hacker pretends to be someone the user knows, or an entity that they trust, in order to get them to click on a malicious link, which can download malware or take the user to a fake website where sensitive information will be requested.
On average, a cyberattack occurs every 14 seconds, and the cost of fixing it depends on how quickly the user notices it and how quickly they act. On average, users will take 204 days to notice a cyberattack and another 73 days to contain the breach.
In order to prevent an attack, several components are necessary:
Strong passwords
Multifactor authentication
Limiting access to accounts & regularly reviewing who has access
Anti-virus software
Regular vulnerability assessments
Hackers target big and small companies alike, as well as both famous and anonymous people, so it’s safest to start improving the cybersecurity of your professional and personal accounts now.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
