Talent Kick Spring 2027 Program

About

A free, selective cross-university program supports Master's and PhD students at Swiss institutions in forming co-founder teams and validating startup ideas alongside their studies, with coaching, mentorship and up to CHF 5,000 in non-dilutive funding for the strongest teams.

Benefits

• 🎓Free program
  Selected participants receive free access to the Talent Kick program, valued at CHF 20,000 per student and funded by leading Swiss foundations.
• 🤝Co-founder matching
  Support to find an interdisciplinary co-founder team with complementary skills from another Swiss university.
• 🧭Coaching and mentorship
• 1:1 personal leadership coaching and mentoring by experienced entrepreneurs.
• 🌐Ecosystem access
  Connection to Switzerland's entrepreneurship and startup support structures.
• 💡Validation funding
  The strongest teams can receive up to CHF 5,000 in non-dilutive funding to test solutions and validate market potential.
• 📚Study synergies
  Support to leverage synergies with a Master's degree or PhD program.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: enrolled as a Master's or PhD student at a Swiss university or higher education institution at the start of the program
• Mandatory: have 2–4 semesters remaining in studies at the start of the program
• Mandatory: commitment to the entrepreneurial journey and a desire to bring innovative solutions to the world
• Preferred: demonstrated entrepreneurial drive through exploring an area of interest, trying out ideas or identifying a problem or technology space
• Preferred: deep understanding of a problem space or novel technology and openness to accept additional team members or pivot ideas if sensible
• Applicants may apply individually or as a pre-formed team

Participation Commitments

• Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort close on 22 November 2026 at 23:59 CET
• Applicants may apply individually or as a pre-formed team
• Selected participants are expected to commit to the entrepreneurial journey and remain open to accepting additional team members or pivoting ideas if sensible
• The program is held in English
• The program takes place at different locations between Zürich, Lausanne and Bern
• The program is free for selected participants and Talent Kick takes no equity
• The Spring 2027 program is stated to start in February 2027

Target Sector

Sector agnostic, Agriculture & Food, Defense & Security, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Real Estate & Construction, Retail & Consumer, Semiconductors & Electronics, Sports & Fitness, Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, Travel & Hospitality, Other

Target Location

Applicants must be enrolled at a Swiss university or higher education institution; no nationality or residence requirement is stated.