What stage does Venture invest at?

Venture invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B stages.

Where is Venture located?

Venture is headquartered in Zurich, CH.

Venture

Accelerator

Zurich · Pre-Seed–Series B · 10 people tracked

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1,360 people in our graph share verified history with the Venture team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Tobi Cokerunlockedknows Philippe Bernet · together at Stealth (overlapped)

×3knows the team · via Stealth Startup

knows the team · via Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)

×3knows the team · via Founder Institute

knows the team · via Esade

×2knows the team · via Stealth

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Investment thesis

venture is Switzerland's long-running startup competition, active since 1997, that invites founders to apply with a short online form (no business plan required) and compete for cash awards totaling around CHF 600k yearly, including a grand prize of up to CHF 150,000. It takes no equity and is free to enter. Applicants progress through selection rounds to a Top 200, live semi-finals, and finals held at ETH Zurich, receiving feedback from juries and mentors along the way. The program is sector-agnostic and aimed at early-stage Swiss startups, having supported over 1,500 alumni companies and contributed to 15,000+ jobs created.

Invests inBiotech Energy Enterprise Software Medical Devices New Materials SaaSSector AgnosticMadison Switzerland United States Zurich

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage

Pre-Seed–Series B

Zurich, CH

Instruments

Grants

Founded

1997

Team · 10 people

from the firm's website & curated

André Hoffmann· Vice-Chairman of F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. & Vice-Chairman of venture foundation

Thomas Knecht· Chairman of Knecht Holding; Honorary Chairman and Founder of venture

Founder of the venture startup competition, launched in 1997-98 while he was managing director of McKinsey's Swiss office. He is currently chairman of Knecht Holding, a diversified service company.

Ulrich Jakob Looser· Chairman of venture foundation / Partner of BLR & Partners AG

André Kudelski· President of Innosuisse

Anna Fontcuberta i Morral· President of EPFL

Joël Mesot· President of ETH Zurich

Michael Steinmann· Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company

Dalith Steiger· Member of the Jury· Zurich, Zurich, Switzerlandin

Dalith Steiger is co-founder and managing partner of SwissCognitive, an independent AI network founded in 2016, and serves as an independent board member focused on AI, digital strategy, and innovation. Since 2014, he has advised boards and executive teams on AI leadership, governance, and organizational transformation, drawing on experience observing how organizations across sectors navigate AI adoption. He also invests in AI ventures, contributes to the AI-Stream at Creative Destruction Lab Paris, and delivers keynote presentations to executive audiences.

Daniel Dillinger· Jury Member· Zurich, Switzerlandin 𝕏

Daniel Dillinger is a Principal at redalpine, a pan-European early-stage venture capital firm. He holds an MD and EMBA from Esade, and focuses on digital health and healthtech investments at the intersection of software and science. His portfolio includes Hypervision Surgical, Biolux Technology, voize, aktiia, Kenbi, Lunaphore, Versantis, Redbiotec, and Medmira.

d•••@redalpine.comreveal

Philippe Bernet· Jury Member· Zurich, Switzerlandin

Swiss partner based mostly in Zurich who is passionate about business models with environmental or social impact, with a particular interest in the future of food.

p•••@backbone.vcreveal

Frequently asked questions

What stage does Venture invest at?: Venture invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B stages.
What sectors does Venture focus on?: Venture focuses on Biotech, Energy, Enterprise Software, Medical Devices, New Materials, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
Where is Venture located?: Venture is headquartered in Zurich, CH.

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