The bosses of 10 fintech startups from all over Switzerland will travel to New York this September for a roadshow organised by Venture Leaders.
Last year, Swiss fintech startups raised a total of CHF 76 million in venture capital, mostly in the low single-digit millions. That sounds like a lot of money, but it is not enough for international expansion. For this, startups depend on partnerships and financing on a global scale. Thus, Venture Leaders – a Venture lab initiative supported by companies and universities – has once again organised a roadshow at the centre of the global financial world.
A jury of investors and experts selected 10 startups from all the applications received. “Fintech projects always have global ambitions,” says Jens Schulte, head of corporate venture capital at PostFinance. At the same time, the financial industry depends like no other on mutual trust. That’s why it’s clear to jury member Schulte: “The road to powerful partnerships is through personal contacts.”
The programme that awaits the startups in New York is accordingly challenging. In just one week, they will meet a number of well-known representatives of the world’s largest financial center: bankers, investors and lawyers. “They have a unique opportunity to lay the foundations of an international network,” says Schulte.