Talent Kick

🎓 What does it look like when students become founders? Here’s a glimpse into our Talent Kick 2025 Graduation Ceremony at Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich - a celebration of the journey, growth, and determination of our participants as they took the stage not as students, but as founders ready to lead their startups into the next phase. This milestone marks 1-2 years of building while studying: finding the right problem, connecting with co-founders, validating ideas with real customers, and learning to pitch, fail, adapt, and grow as leaders. Meet the 2025 graduating startups: 🚀 fortyfour - Electric Direct Air Capture technology for sustainable CO₂ | Pedro Reina & Henry Willem Müller 🚀 Frojigo - AI-driven platform simplifying ESG reporting | Ioannis Koureas & Antreas Koureas 🚀 Hephaistos - Engineering novel enzymes for greener chemistry | Lucas Merlicek, Lukas Radtke, Jannik Neumann, Moritz Ullhofen, Arthur Theuer, Ilya Schneider 🚀 Safespace Research - Mental health platform designed for students | Matteo Pinna, & Oliver Aschwanden 🚀 Sensora - Breakthrough biosensor technology for breast cancer screening | Dr. Rita Sarkis,, Alessandro Fulciniti, Pier Albino Colombo, Fabio Depetris 🚀 Xelerit - AI-powered solutions for industrial automation | Camilla Mazzoleni, Federico Martelli & Riccardo M. Thank you to the Innovation Park Zurich, our partner and host, for welcoming us to their inspiring space for this special occasion. This could be you in a few years. Applications for TK-S26 are open. We're looking for students and researchers across Switzerland ready to explore entrepreneurship hands-on. What you'll gain: ✅ Find your co-founder  ✅ CHF 5'000 non-dilutive funding ✅ Leadership Coaching & Mentoring ✅ Network ecosystem access - all whilst studying 📬 Deadline: November 23rd, 23:59 CET 🌐 Apply: https://lnkd.in/eV6RJb8k Alessandra C. Marazzi Roland Siegwart Alexander Kübler Kick Foundation

Already 130+ applications 🤯 Today is the last day to apply for our upcoming Co-founder Matchmaking, powered by Innosuisse! This highlights the strong demand for skilled co-builders, which makes sense, given that team-related issues rank among the top three reasons why startups fail. Link to apply: https://lnkd.in/etrXrqUg Let's go create your dream team 🙏 #SwisseEntrepreneurshipTraining

🚀 Looking for the right co-founder to launch your startup? We've got you covered! Join our upcoming Co-Founder Matching Events and connect with entrepreneurial minds from across Switzerland: 📍 Co-Founder Matching Event at START Campus in St Gallen with START Global – October 22nd ⏰ Time: 6:15 - 9:00 PM 📌 Location: START Campus, Unterstrasse 6, 9000 St. Gallen 👉 Sign up here: https://luma.com/evvmtlwg 📍 Co-Founder Matching Event at unlimitrust Campus in Lausanne with Venturelab – October 30th ⏰ Time: 5:00 - 8:00 PM 📌 Location: Unlimitrust Campus, Rte des Flumeaux 42, 1008 Prilly 👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/daMmbmmV 📍 Co-Founder Matching Event in Basel with Basel Area Business & Innovation – November 20th ⏰ Time: 9:00AM - 1:00PM 📌 Location: MC3 Main Campus Convention Center, Hegenheimermattweg 167D, 4123 Allschwil 👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eQpgJqdy 💡 You can also apply to Talent Kick until November 23 to find a co-founder and get supported in exploring the entrepreneurial career path during your studies. 👉 Apply now: https://lnkd.in/dbCrQPR5

Ready to get serious about building your startup? 🚀 Talent Kick is Switzerland's program for students and researchers ready to explore the entrepreneurial career path during their studies. What can you expect from the Talent Kick program? ✅ Passionate & like-minded people: Meet your co-founder from another Swiss university and build a strong interdisciplinary team ✅ Hands-on validation: Learning and validation through financial support of 5,000 CHF (non-dilutive funding) for the most convincing projects to get into hands-on mode ✅ Self-development & Personal Leadership Coaching: Mentoring offered by experienced entrepreneurs & personal coaching by a dedicated team of leadership coaches ✅ Network & introductions: Connection to Switzerland's best support structures for entrepreneurs and startups ✅ Synergies with studies: Support to leverage synergies with your master degree or PhD program ✅ Free support: As a selected member of the Talent Kick batch, you are granted free access to our program with a value of 20,000 CHF per student, made possible by leading Swiss foundations Are you ready to kick off your entrepreneurial journey with us? At Talent Kick, we bring together the best talents from across Swiss universities to form strong, interdisciplinary co-founder teams and support you in gaining hands-on entrepreneurial experience during your studies to develop your own startup. 👉 Apply now for TK-S26 and join one of Switzerland's most dynamic student entrepreneurship program. 📍 Learn more & apply: www.talentkick.ch/links #TalentKick #TKS26 #SwissStartups #StudentEntrepreneurs #Entrepreneurship #CoFounder #Innovation #StartupSwitzerland ETH Entrepreneur Club ETH AI Center ETH Entrepreneurship ETH Zürich EPFL University of St.Gallen Entrepreneurship and Technology Club (ETC) at HSG University of Zurich Université de Lausanne HEC Lausanne - The Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne University of Basel Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts Kick Foundation Gebert Rüf Stiftung

🎓 Talent Kick Graduation 2025: Celebrating Switzerland's Next Generation of Founders On September 23rd, we gathered at the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich for the Talent Kick 2025 Graduation Ceremony - a celebration of our graduating startups, their achievements, and the community that has supported them along the way. Over the past 1-2 years, we've seen these founders grow into teams that discovered problems, shaped first solutions, tested, pivoted, celebrated wins, and built momentum. And now? They're graduating from both their studies and our program, leading their own startup. ✨ As Cecilia Molina, our Deputy & Manager Switzerland, shared in her opening, the support we provide to founders is powered by the community around us - partners, foundations, mentors, coaches, universities, and entrepreneurs working together to empower the next generation of founders. We want to thank everyone who made the Graduation Ceremony a success: 🏢 Innovation Park Zurich, our partner and host, for welcoming us to their inspiring space and for the opportunities they create for early-stage startups. 🎓 Professor Roland Siegwart, who shared the vision behind the Kick Foundation funnel - from Idea Kick to Talent Kick to Venture Kick - strengthening Switzerland as a hub for business and innovation. 🚀 Alexander Kübler, Talent Kick alumnus (Co-founder of RoBoa, TK-S21), who reflected on his journey from ETH Zürich to building one of Switzerland’s top startups, sharing valuable insights. 🌱 Matteo Pinna, Talent Kick 2025 Graduate (Co-Founder of Safespace Research, TK-A24), who offered an inspiring inside view of being part of the Talent Kick program, growing as a leader & being supported by mentors and coaches. 🧡A big thank-you also to the Talent Kick team for organizing this special milestone - and to Andrea Lidberg, our Program Manager, whose tireless dedication ensures founders receive the guidance and support they need at every step, from the first bootcamp to graduation. 🚀 The 2025 Graduating Teams from TK-S24 & TK-A24 🚀 fortyfour - Sustainable CO₂ supply with electric Direct Air Capture | Pedro Reina & Henry Willem Müller 🚀 Frojigo - AI-powered ESG platform for sustainability data | Ioannis Koureas & Antreas Koureas 🚀 Hephaistos - Novel enzymes for sustainable chemical manufacturing | Lucas Merlicek, Lukas Radtke, Jannik Neumann, Moritz Ullhofen, Arthur Theuer, Ilya Schneider 🚀 Safespace Research - AI-powered mental health support for students | Matteo Pinna, & Oliver Aschwanden 🚀 Sensora (Voctecx) - Non-invasive breast cancer detection using olfactive AI | Dr. Rita Sarkis, Alessandro Fulciniti, Pier Albino Colombo, Fabio Depetris 🚀 Xelerit - AI agents for industrial automation | Camilla Mazzoleni, Federico Martelli & Riccardo M. We can't wait to see where these teams take their startups next 🧡 Applications for TK-S26 (Spring 2026) are open! 📬 Apply now: https://lnkd.in/eV6RJb8k

Looking for the right co-founder? Or ready to join a startup that inspires you? Our new co-founder matchmaking event 2025 is built to connect you.  On November 20 at the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, we’ll mix sharp minds, real talk and fast matches. You bring curiosity. We’ll bring the spark. ✨ What is in for you? 🎤 Hear how Laurent Decrue finds winning co-founders 🧭 Try a TalentKick mini-lab on values, goals and styles ⚡ Speed-date with 15+ startups you pre-select in advance 🥪 Keep the chats going over a relaxed networking lunch 📅 Thu, Nov 20, 2025 • 9:00–13:00 📍 Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, MC3, Allschwil 🗣️ Language: English This event is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Basel. “As the saying goes: ‘Want to go fast? Go alone. Want to go far? Go together.’” Spots are limited, apply now to secure your place: https://lnkd.in/ehNGFrut Thérèse Susan Schmutz | Laurent Decrue | Cecilia Molina | Innosuisse Entrepreneurship Training | senn.com | University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW | Innovation Office University of Basel

Ready to find your co-founder? 🚀 Join Talent Kick and START Global at START Campus for an evening of inspiration and connections - featuring a keynote and co-founder speed-dating session! ⏰ October 22nd, 18:15 📍START Campus, Unterstrasse 6, 9000 St. Gallen ✨ Register now: https://luma.com/evvmtlwg