Innovaud
Innovaud is the government-backed innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It provides free advisory, financing facilitation, hosting, and networking services to startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and international companies seeking to establish a European presence.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLausanne, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Innovaud does
Innovaud is the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud, in Switzerland's Lake Geneva region. Established as a government-backed non-profit association (CHE-157.711.872), the agency serves startups, scale-ups, SMEs, large technology firms, and foreign companies evaluating a European presence. Its core activity is ecosystem coordination: it provides free advisory services, facilitates access to financing, connects companies to hosting infrastructure, runs networking programs, and promotes Vaud internationally as a destination for innovation investment.
The agency operates a portfolio of named programs targeting specific company stages and needs, including Scale Up Vaud (growth-stage scaling), SyNNergy, InnoPME (SMEs), Scaling Up Sales (go-to-market), INNdustry (industrial innovation), Leadership for Founders, and La Cohorte IA (AI cohort). These programs are delivered alongside partnerships with world-class universities such as EPFL and HEIG-VD and engagement with the canton's broader base of 2,000+ technology companies and 50,000 skilled professionals across sectors including life sciences, micro/nanotechnologies, ICT, foodtech, sporttech, trusttech, healthcare, drones, space systems, cybersecurity, blockchain, and AI & Machine Learning.
Innovaud's business model is that of a publicly funded economic development agency rather than a commercial enterprise. All services are provided free of charge to recipients, with operating resources backed by the Canton of Vaud's Department of the Economy, Innovation, Employment and Patrimony (DEIEP). Marketing and outreach are conducted through the official website, newsletters, publications (e.g., "The Vaud miracle," Swiss startup ecosystem reports, TOP 100 Startup Magazine), events, and structured networking programs, with international outreach extending to markets such as India via the Vaud Economic Mission and Swiss-Indian Innovation Week.
Innovaud firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Innovaud
- Legal name
- Innovaud Association
- Website
- http://www.innovaud.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Innovaud is the government-backed innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It provides free advisory, financing facilitation, hosting, and networking services to startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and international companies seeking to establish a European presence.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Innovaud industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)
Keywords
Where Innovaud is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lausanne
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Innovaud business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Innovaud product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Innovaud is the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud, Switzerland's Lake Geneva region. It provides free advisory services, financing support, hosting connections, networking, and promotion for startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and large tech companies, and acts as the gateway for foreign companies seeking to establish a presence in Switzerland.
Product overview
Innovaud is Vaud's innovation and economic promotion agency, not a technology product company. It provides free services including financing, support, promotion, hosting, and networking for startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and innovative international companies. The organization does not offer its own technology products, software, or platforms. Its offerings consist of advisory services, connections to the innovation ecosystem, and access to Vaud's network of over 2,000 technology companies, world-class universities (EPFL, HEIG-VD), and specialized sectors including foodtech, sporttech, trusttech, healthcare, digital technology, drones, and space systems. Programs offered include Scale Up Vaud, SyNNergy, InnoPME, Scaling Up Sales, INNdustry, Leadership for Founders, and La Cohorte IA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Scale Up Vaud: A scaling program for growth-stage companies in Vaud
- SyNNergy
- InnoPME
- Scaling Up Sales
- INNdustry
- Leadership for Founders
- La Cohorte IA
Products and services
- Scale Up Vaud
Companies that use Innovaud
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Innovaud technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Innovaud partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Innovaud competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Greater Zurich Area: Cantonal/regional investment promotion agency for the Greater Zurich region. Directly comparable as a Swiss government-backed economic promotion body marketing the same FDI and innovation value proposition to foreign companies and startups.
- Basel Area Business & Innovation: Innovation and investment promotion agency for the Basel region. Offers startup support, accelerator programs, and FDI services nearly identical in structure to Innovaud's mandate within another Swiss canton.
- Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG): Geneva's business and economic promotion body supporting companies with establishment, networking, and innovation services. Closely comparable as a neighboring French-speaking Swiss economic development organization.
Broad incumbents
- Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE): Switzerland's official national trade and investment promotion agency. Broader geographic mandate than Innovaud, with overlapping FDI-promotion and export-support services at national level.
- IDA Ireland: Ireland's national inward investment promotion agency with global mandate. Comparable institutional model: government-backed FDI agency attracting foreign tech companies into a regional ecosystem.
- Business France: France's national agency supporting international development of French companies and inward investment. Comparable scope as a state-backed trade and investment promotion agency, though national rather than cantonal.
- Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB): Government agency driving Singapore's economic growth via investment promotion and industry development. Comparable as a sovereign innovation promotion body, though operating at city-state scale rather than canton scale.
Regional players
- Invest in Vaud (Canton of Vaud investment portal): Closely linked investment-promotion portal of Canton of Vaud. Operates as an extension of Innovaud's invest services, sharing stakeholders and branding.
- Catalonia Trade & Investment: Public agency of Catalonia promoting foreign investment and supporting startups/scale-ups. Comparable mandate and structure: regional economic promotion with innovation and FDI services.
Emerging players
- La French Tech: Public-private initiative supporting French tech startups and scale-ups. Comparable in mission (supporting the national/regional startup ecosystem with public backing) but operating in a different geography with a federal rather than cantonal structure.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Innovaud social profiles
Digital presenceInnovaud financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Innovaud leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Innovaud funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Innovaud M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments34 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Innovaud
What does Innovaud do?
Innovaud is the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud, Switzerland's Lake Geneva region. It provides free advisory services, financing support, hosting connections, networking, and promotion for startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and large tech companies, and acts as the gateway for foreign companies seeking to establish a presence in Switzerland.
Is Innovaud a public or private company?
Innovaud is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Innovaud founded?
Innovaud was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Innovaud based?
Innovaud is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
Who are Innovaud's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Greater Zurich Area, Basel Area Business & Innovation and Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services (CCIG). Broad incumbents are Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), IDA Ireland, Business France and Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). Regional players are Invest in Vaud (Canton of Vaud investment portal) and Catalonia Trade & Investment. La French Tech is listed as an emerging player.
Does Innovaud have an API?
No public API is recorded for Innovaud.
What industry is Innovaud in?
Innovaud's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAD, Innovation & Design Thinking Programs. Its SIC code is 8742.