Dear Reader, After Dave Brown’s much appreciated ‘Hitchhikers guide to the Swiss French Tech Startup Community’ last updated in Jan 2015, it was time for another update. Inno-Fuel’s team tried to pull most of the latest relevant info together which we hope you will appreciate. A special thanks to Eric Maire, Colin Turner and Jérôme Vasamillet for their great contribution ! We hope you appreciate the update and please inform us of any comments or relevant continuous updates you might have regarding the ecosystem !

1. SWITZERLAND BASED
GLOBALLY MINDED
ACCELERATING INNOVATION
FOR STARTUPS & CORPORATES
Overview ofWestern Switzerland’s
Startup Ecosystem
2017

2. Closing the innovation gap: agenda
▪ Global Perspective
▪ Education
▪ TransferringTechnology
▪ Start-Up Scene
▪ National Support
▪ Western Switzerland
▪ Geneva/Vaud …
▪ Take-aways
2017 2

3. Global Perspective
Switzerland’s specificities
STABLE
• Democratic
• Stable political
system
• No unions
• Low government
debt
• Favorable corporate
tax system
QUALITY
• Leading research
institutions
• Highly qualified
workforce
• Effective technology
transfer
• Many expatriates
from many countries
• “Swiss Made”
commands a
significant premium
NEUTRAL
• Member of the EFTA
but not the EU
• Member of
Partnership for
Peace (PfP) but not
NATO
• Strong personal data
protection: Swiss
Federal Data Protection
Act (DPA) and the
related Data Protection
Ordinance (DPO)
CONNECTED
• 100+ double tax
treaties
• 77 commerce based
treaties
(Intellectual Property,
InternationalTrade…)
• Strong relations with
European Union
• Multi-lingual
environment
• Located at the heart
of Europe
2017 3

4. Education
Switzerland excels in education – the bedrock of its leadership in innovation:
2 national research universities:
Lausanne (EPFL) and Zurich (ETH)
1 World renowned Art/Design
College
6 technology colleges
A National Apprenticeship Model
(~100,000 apprentices)
4 universities with a full range of
degrees
IMD
World Leading
Business School
EHL
Global Leader in
Hospitality Management
2017 4

5. Transferring technology
▪ Each technology education institution (TEI) seeks to commercialize its research
▪ TEIs use technology transfer offices (TTO) that are independent from theTEI
▪ TheTEI is motivated to work with companies by the government’s CTI/KTI scheme
▪ This funds public (TEI) / private (company) partnerships to solve ‘problems’
▪ TheTEI receives the funds and hires the employees to work with the company
▪ The Intellectual Property (IP) belongs to the initiator (TEI or company)
▪ TheTEI then licenses its IP through theTTO to the company
▪ The company secures funding for applied research and access to IP and leading
academics
▪ TheTEI receives financing for the IP it develops
SampleTTOs:
▪ CETT : HES-SO Engineering School : http://www.heig-vd.ch/rad/cett
▪ Pactt : Lausanne University : http://www.pactt.ch/
▪ Switt : SwissAssociation : http://www.switt.ch/about_switt/
Switzerland commercializes itsWorld Class science, taking its innovations to market:
2017 5

6. Startup scene - 1
Switzerland is decentralized and the Startup ecosystem is a little fragmented …
Federal initiatives
Multi-Cantonal initiatives
(Western Switzerland)
Cantonal initiatives
Communal / District
initiatives
2017 6

7. Startup scene - 2
A wide range of available support through early stages
Incubators
Office space and key
support services
Seed financing
Grants, from CHF 10K to
CHF 1M, for research and
prototype construction.
Cantonal financing
Market research, IP filing
… usually capped at CHF
200K
Legal
There are many IP
attorneys and lawyers for
Startups
Subsidized
services
Subsidized coaches,
trainers and courses
Infrastructure
investment loans
Available up to CHF 5M
Bank debt security
With revenues, CHF 500K
loans are available
Growth phase
Startups have to rely on
private finance to cross
the ‘Valley of Death’
Prizes
Local prizes for
entrepreneurs around
CHF 1K to 100K
Other support
Recruitment grants, free
office space…
GROWTH
2017 7

8. National support
For fundamental research in research centers
http://www.snf.ch
National bank credit
http://www.cautionnements-pme.ch/
Western Switzerland financial support
http://www.cautionnementromand.ch/
Various support mechanisms:
CTI – Entrepreneurship :
http://www.cti-entrepreneurship.ch/en/
Venture Lab : http://www.venturelab.ch/
CTI- Invest : http://www.cti-invest.ch/Home.aspx
VentureKick :http://www.venturekick.ch
Access to international markets
http://www.s-ge.com
Local centers for start-ups and
researchers in key locations
http://www.swissnex.org
European research programs, such as:
Horizon 2020 https://www.euresearch2020
Eureka : http://www.eurekanetwork.org/
Bank credits for green technologies
http://www.fonds-de-technologie.ch/
Bank credit for female entrepreneurs
http://www.saffa.ch/fr/
Bank credit for tourism
http://www.sgh.ch/fr/
2017 8

9. Western Switzerland - 1
Attracts Foreign Direct Investment
http://ggba-switzerland.ch/fr/
CDEP-SO
Platforms
Support sectors through events,
assist start-ups to reach larger
players and develop players along
the value chain (research,
education, companies, …)
Life Sciences:
http://www.bioalps.org/
Micro/Nano-
technologies:
http://www.micronarc.ch/
Information
Technologies &
Telecommunication:
http://www.alpict.com/en/
Green
Technologies:
http://www.cleantech-alps.com/en/
Coordinates economic dev.
inWestern Switzerland : funds
these institutions ....
http://www.cdep-so.ch/en
Offers Coaching and
Mentoring Support
http://www.platinn.ch/
An industrial liaison program :
develops synergies and R&D projects
http://www.alliance-tt.ch/en/accueil
Matches Innovation Finance with M&A
https://matchinvest.ch/
2017 9

10. Western Switzerland - 2
Promotes Innovation in Life
Sciences
http://inartis.ch/
Supporting Life Sciences inValais
http://espacec.ch/
PrototypingWorkshops
https://univercite.ch/
US Accelerator Program
http://masschallenge.org/programs/
switzerland
Advancing Biotechnology in Geneva
http://www.campusbiotech.ch/en/
Presentation SkillsWorkshops
http://www.startinnov.ch
Incubator and Science Park http://epfl-
innovationpark.ch/
2017 10

11. Vaud GenevaTech chamber
of commerce
http://www.opi.ch/
Coaches and mentors
http://www.genilem.ch/
Advice: does not fund
http://www.innovaud.ch/en/
Provides information and
Tax advice
http://www.codev.ch/
Techno park with incubator
and tax benefits
https://www.y-parc.ch/en/
Lends to chosen start-ups
http://www.fondation-fit.ch/
Separately, EPFL Innogrant :
http://vpiv.epfl.ch/innogrant
InnoTeck (UNIL / CHUV)
http:/innotrek/
Techno Park targeting
Aerospace/Aviation
http://www.aeropole.ch/en/
Support for Life Science
Industry
http://www.biopole.ch/
Funds mature companies
http://www.fae-ge.ch/site/fr/
Lends to startups
http://www.fae-ge.ch/site/fr/
Life Science Incubator
http://www.eclosion.com/
Tech Incubator
http://www.fongit.ch/
Seed Finance
http://wpfsi.fongitseedinvest.com/
Develops the economy
https://ge.ch/ecoguichetpmepmi/
Fintech accelerator
Possible finance via
PolytechVentures
https://fintechfusion.ch/
2017 11

12. Take-aways
▪ Local banks take fewer risks and there are not many venture investors so later stage funding is
harder to find
However … early stage seed financing is readily available
▪ There is a small market
However … a huge network of multinational companies that undertake pilot projects
▪ Proto-typing companies are not so common
However ... CTI grants can open doors to Application Research Labs
▪ Share options are currently taxed, private finances must be separate from company financials and
you need to tread carefully re treatment of ‘sweat equity’ and the valuation of equity
However ... tax treatment can be favorable with no tax on capital gains from shares and generous
treatment of expenses
Do not mix actions taken as a Shareholder, as a Board Director and as a Manager and beware Swiss
rules on over-indebtedness (Code of Obligations’ article 725)
Build a strong main board and advisory board :
there are many very good candidates available locally
2017 12

13. Inno-Fuel : the spark
We're a small and growing network of experts:
Are you an entrepreneur, investor or interested in open innovation and technology?
Do you have a strong market or technology expertise?
What are you waiting for, let's meet !
Alexandre is a hands-on, result-oriented person with a strong sense of entrepreneurialism and calculated risk taking and
a background in designing and executing innovation strategies.
He has a strong track record of value creation using co-creation and open innovation to build innovation processes,
people networks and value models.
Driving external innovation with start-up companies requires a specific skill set, a highly specialized network of experts
and a hybrid business model: Alexandre founded Inno-Fuel to achieve this.
a.grutman@inno-fuel.com
AlexandreGrutman
Co-Founder and CEO
2017 13

14. Inno-Fuel : advisory board
An entrepreneurial team fluent in English, French, Dutch, Spanish and Italian
JérômeVasamillet
Fintech –Wealth
Management focus
j.vasamillet@inno-fuel.com
Raymond Palmen
B2B – business leader in
blue-chip corporations
r.palmen@inno-fuel.com
Dominique Tombeur
B2B – business leader in
blue-chip corporations
and distribution business
d.tombeur@inno-fuel.com
KevinTholke
Fintech – Payments focus
k.tholke@inno-fuel.com
dave@inno-fuel.com
Dave Brown
Early Stage Investing
Eric Maire
Tech and
International Expansion
e.maire@inno-fuel.com
c.turner@inno-fuel.com
ColinTurner
CorporateVenture
Capital and
Angel Funding
2017 14

15. Early stage sourcing, investing and coaching leadership
• External innovation focus
• Start-up/early stage investing DNA and ecosystem (30+)
• Value creation & initiative taking
• Hybrid entrepreneurial business model
• Extensive expertise in various industry value chains
‘We fuel the innovation ecosystem’
Closing the innovation gap
Rue des Marchandises 13 - 1260 Nyon - Switzerland
T: +41 (0) 22 361 23 44
W: www.inno-fuel.com
@Inno_fuel
https://www.linkedin.com/company/inno-fuel
2017 15