When it comes to Switzerland’s innovation landscape, there is one flagship gathering that brings it all together: the Swiss startup days. With over 1,500 participants and around 175 speakers, the event has long outgrown the label of a mere industry meetup. Today, it serves as a seismograph, an idea laboratory, and a bridge between startups, investors and industry.
On 14 May 2025, the Kursaal in Bern became the beating heart of the Swiss startup ecosystem. Across the Mainstage, AI Stage, Deep Dive sessions, 1:1 meetings, and candid founder insights on the Unplugged Stage, the true strength of the format emerged: it brings together those focused on real-world impact.
Keynote by General Sir Richard Barrons: A Future of Innovation and Competition
General Sir Richard Barrons, Leader of the UK Prime Minister’s Strategic Defence Review, opened the event with a powerful message about innovation in a time of uncertainty: «Investors and startups will develop the tech that will protect our values in this age. You live in a new era of conflict. Warfare is about innovation and competition. » Startups, he stressed, play a central role in this landscape. They are faster than traditional systems, think unconventionally, and develop solutions while others are still analysing problems. Particularly in fields such as cybersecurity, AI, data infrastructure, and early warning systems, their ideas are in demand. What’s needed now is a broader awareness of the security relevance of innovation – and targeted collaboration between the tech sector, industry, and public institutions. Watch the keynote here.
From Idea to Market Readiness
But good ideas alone won’t suffice. Startups need strategic clarity – especially when 42% fail because they build products the market doesn’t need. With resources tight and funding highly selective, investors are taking a hard look at what deserves their backing.
At the Swiss startup days, founders had the chance to pitch their ideas in person to investors, network across sectors, and gain valuable insights through sessions on three stages. Tools and tangible frameworks were particularly in demand – such as the Product-Market-Fit Canvas, a strategic tool for mapping the journey from vision to measurable goals and concrete next steps.
Success depends on deep customer understanding, a viable business model, a committed team, and lean resource management. How this works in practice was illustrated by Mosen, founder of DAAV, whose autonomous wheelchairs aim to redefine mobility. His takeaway: product-market fit is not a milestone, it’s a continuous process. Those who test early and iterate consistently stand the best chance of meeting real market needs.
Newcomers – First Seen at SUD
To bring a product to market, you need more than a strategy – you need a solution people truly want. In the «Newcomers» pitching format, 18 early-stage startups presented their innovations to investors and industry experts. Three were selected as the «Catches of the Jury» and featured on the main stage.
BTRY impressed with its ultra-thin solid-state battery – fast-charging, heat-resistant, and ideal for wearables, MedTech, and IoT. PAVE Space SA showcased an orbital transfer vehicle that accelerates satellite deployment while freeing up payload capacity. And Scanvio Medical presented AI-powered software that turns standard ultrasound machines into expert diagnostic tools – helping detect endometriosis far earlier than is currently possible.
#unlock Switzerland
What remains is a sense of momentum and a clear view ahead. The next Swiss startup days will take place on Thursday, 21 May 2026. For those looking to stay at the forefront of innovation, forge new partnerships, or take their startup to the next level, it’s a date not to miss. Sign up here.
