Kickstart Innovation
Kickstart Innovation is a Zurich-based open innovation programme, started in 2015, that matches international startups and scaleups with Swiss corporates and public partners such as AXA, Swisscom, Coop, PostFinance, la Mobilière and the City of Zurich. Each autumn, selected startups take part in planning and collaboration sprints in Switzerland to set up proofs of concept, pilots and commercial deals, with investor events and executive access. It takes no equity and focuses on finance and insurance, cybersecurity, food and retail, health, new work and learning, and smart cities.
At a glance
Kickstart Innovation key facts
- Investment
- None
- Equity
- No equity
- Deal terms
- Zero equity taken and no direct investment; past editions were also free of fees. Value comes through corporate proofs of concept, pilots, commercial contracts and investor introductions, plus access to a partnership fund.
- Duration
- About 9 weeks (September to November)
- Format
- Hybrid
- Headquarters
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Cohort locations
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Stage
- seed, series a, series b, growth
- Sectors
- fintech, cybersecurity, health, agrifood, enterprise, mobility
- Application cycle
- Annual, with two selection rounds
Verified November 4, 2026 against the sources below. Terms change; confirm on the official site before applying.
Timing
The 2026 programme had application rounds closing May 31 and July 25, 2026, with selection in July, sprints in September and a closing ceremony in November 2026. A Startupticker listing gives July 31 as the deadline. No 2027 dates are published yet.
See all upcoming accelerator deadlines
Notable alumni
- Planted
- Decentriq
- neustark
- Thryve
- XM Cyber
FAQ
Applying to Kickstart Innovation
- How much does Kickstart Innovation invest?
- Kickstart Innovation's standard deal: Zero equity taken and no direct investment; past editions were also free of fees. Value comes through corporate proofs of concept, pilots, commercial contracts and investor introductions, plus access to a partnership fund.
- How much equity does Kickstart Innovation take?
- Kickstart Innovation takes no equity.
- When is the Kickstart Innovation application deadline?
- Application cycle: Annual, with two selection rounds. The 2026 programme had application rounds closing May 31 and July 25, 2026, with selection in July, sprints in September and a closing ceremony in November 2026. A Startupticker listing gives July 31 as the deadline. No 2027 dates are published yet.
- Where is Kickstart Innovation based?
- Kickstart Innovation is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. The program runs hybrid.
Preparing answers? Our accelerator application tips cover what reviewers look for.
Similar programs
All accelerators| Program | Investment | Equity | Location | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plug and Play Tech Center | None | No equity | Sunnyvale, United States | hybrid |
| 8200 EISP | None | No equity | Ramat Gan, Israel | in-person |
| Berkeley SkyDeck | $210K | 7.25% | Berkeley, United States | in-person |
| Creative Destruction Lab | None | No equity | Toronto, Canada | hybrid |
| DNB NXT Accelerator | — | — | Oslo, Norway | in-person |
| Dreamit Ventures | — | — | Philadelphia, United States | hybrid |
Applying to Kickstart Innovation?
XRaze scores your fit against each program, drafts answers from your company profile and tracks every deadline. Start free with 50 credits, no card needed.