IFJ

Name

IFJ

Legal name

IFJ Institut für Jungunternehmen AG

Website

https://ifj.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Gallen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hybrid Business Model - Public-Private Partnership: Operations funded by renowned partners from industry and public sector who benefit from visibility, prospective customers, and fulfillment of orders. This enables comprehensive startup support free of charge for founders. The model has been in practice since the foundation of IFJ in 1989.
2. Incorporation Fees (Minimal/Sponsored): Base price for sole proprietorship or general partnership is CHF 200, for LLC or Ltd is CHF 500. However, due to partner funding from PostFinance and Swisscom, the service is offered free of charge to founders.
3. Personal Consultation: Paid consultation service with IFJ expert at CHF 150 per hour for personalized support beyond free offerings

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IFJ (Institut für Jungunternehmen AG) provides comprehensive startup support services to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in Switzerland. Its core offerings include an online incorporation portal that registers LLCs, sole proprietorships, Ltd and general partnerships with the Swiss Commercial Register, a business plan creation tool, personal coaching, intensive courses, and STARTIMPULS conferences. The services are offered free of charge to founders, funded through a public-private partnership model with renowned industry and public-sector partners.

Product overview

IFJ (Institut für Jungunternehmen AG) operates a multi-product platform for Swiss startup support. The core offering is the Incorporation Service, an online platform enabling founders to register companies with the Commercial Register, complemented by the Business Plan Tool for professional business plan creation. Additional services include Coaching for personalized entrepreneurial guidance, STARTIMPULS Events for networking, and Intensive Courses covering company formation topics. Supporting modules encompass Commercial Register Modification, Trademark Protection, Agreements, Personal Consultation, Fiduciary Service, Startup Space physical workspaces, Founders Program acceleration, Fact Sheets & Checklists knowledge resources, Startup Blog editorial content, Domiciliation Service for virtual offices, Contribution in Kind Service, Transformation Service for legal form changes, Foreign Founders Service, and Video Portal educational content. The platform operates primarily as a web-based service with physical touchpoints across four Swiss locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Incorporation Service Online platform enabling founders to register LLCs, sole proprietorships, Ltd, and general partnerships with the Swiss Commercial Register. Provides step-by-step data entry, expert review by lawyers and notaries, and notary accompaniment without requiring physical presence.
• Business Plan Tool Web-based tool guiding entrepreneurs through professional business plan creation with step-by-step templates and guidance. Available for free download.
• Coaching Service Personal coaching program for aspiring entrepreneurs covering business planning, legal structure, accounting, customer acquisition, and intellectual property guidance. Available for RAV/ORP program participants and individual founders.
• STARTIMPULS Events Expert conferences featuring presentations on business topics with networking aperitif, providing opportunities to connect with other entrepreneurs.
• Intensive Courses Three-hour courses covering company formation, taxes, insurance, trademark protection, SEO with AI, and business planning. Available online or in-person across Swiss regions, provided free of charge.
• Startup Space Physical workspace facilities offering offices, coworking spaces, meeting rooms, and event venues for startups across Swiss locations.
• Founders Program Acceleration programs providing workshops, financing guidance, and internationalization support for startup talents.
• Personal Consultation Hourly expert consultation with IFJ specialists for personalized guidance on company formation and business questions, priced at CHF 150 per hour.
• Trademark Protection Service Legal assistance for trademark registration and protection through partnerships with intellectual property experts.
• Agreements Service Legal document services including general terms and conditions, shareholder agreements, employment contracts, and data protection declarations.
• Fiduciary Service Financial and payroll processing by expert partners for startups requiring external fiduciary services.
• Domiciliation Service Virtual office and company location services allowing founders to establish businesses with addresses across various Swiss cantons.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000 founders supported annually across Switzerland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NeoshoreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2022Neoshore offers remote consulting services providing competent professionals for short or long-term needs in specific fields of activity.
• ApproovdminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 September 2022IFJ and Approovd partnered to provide entrepreneurs with access to legal services for creation and management of legal documents.
• Legal Marque SAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for corporate identity protection services offered to IFJ entrepreneurs.
• PostFinancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPostFinance offers startup package with two years of free account management and additional business tools for new companies founded through IFJ.
• SwisscomcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSwisscom covers subscription costs for up to 6 months plus CHF 300 credited to startup's Swisscom bill.
• HelvetiacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHelvetia supports start-ups with premium discounts up to 50% on individual insurance solutions.
• AtlantocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAtlanto provides accounting software and services for startups, with offerings including free trial periods for contact management and sales/accounting modules.
• FLYERALARMcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFLYERALARM offers startup discount on high-quality print products and advertising materials. Online printing leader in Europe B2B sector.
• Swiss PostminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss Post offers promotional space at 700+ branches for startup promotions through Pop-up Promo Light platform.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle provides startup credits and support for digital marketing initiatives for IFJ-supported startups.
• PGA Intellectual PropertycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGA IP partners with IFJ to assist entrepreneurs in protecting and securing trademarks, patents and designs through a team of 20+ technical experts and 40 total professionals.
• Venture KickcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenture Kick provides funding and support to high-potential Swiss startups. IFJ publishes media releases and analysis about Venture Kick winners and programs.
• Regional Employment Centers (RAV/ORP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional employment centers across Switzerland refer unemployed individuals to IFJ coaching programs for supported transition to self-employment. Partners include cantonal RAV offices in Appenzell, Graubünden, St. Gallen, Zurich, and others.
• Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFJ refers entrepreneurs to IPI for trademark registration services. IPI operates swissreg.ch database and e-trademark system.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stripe Atlas: Stripe's online incorporation service that helps founders register US companies (LLC, C-Corp) with banking and tax tools — directly comparable to IFJ's online incorporation portal for Swiss legal forms (LLC, Ltd, sole proprietorship, general partnership).
• Firstbase: US-focused startup incorporation and management platform that helps founders form a company, obtain an EIN, and access back-office tools. Comparable business model and customer (aspiring first-time founders) as IFJ's online incorporation service.
• doola: doola helps non-US founders incorporate US entities with bookkeeping, tax, and compliance support — analogous to IFJ's Foreign Founders Service supporting non-Swiss founders setting up Swiss LLCs/Ltd companies.
• Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator and structured startup coaching program; comparable to IFJ's Founders Program, intensive courses, and coaching service that guide aspiring entrepreneurs step-by-step through validation and formation.
• Venturelab: Swiss national startup accelerator and education program that complements IFJ by serving post-formation high-growth startups in Switzerland; overlaps on Swiss founder audience and educational/acceleration offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Innosuisse: Swiss federal innovation agency supporting science-based startups with funding, coaching, and acceleration — operates in the same Swiss innovation ecosystem as IFJ but focuses on later-stage, innovation-driven ventures rather than initial incorporation.
• Switzerland Global Enterprise: Official Swiss organization promoting Switzerland as a business location and supporting Swiss companies internationally. Overlaps with IFJ in national-level support for Swiss founders and SMEs, but covers a much wider mandate including exports and inward investment.

Regional players

• Enterprise Ireland: Irish government agency supporting the development and scaling of Irish-owned businesses, particularly startups and SMEs. Comparable government-backed entrepreneurship support model serving a single-country market like IFJ's Swiss focus.
• Bpifrance: French public investment bank supporting French entrepreneurs through funding, guarantees, and coaching. Operates in a comparable role to IFJ as a publicly-aligned, partner-funded national platform for business creation, but in France.

Others

• Lexoffice: Cloud-based accounting and invoicing software for SMEs and startups in the DACH region. Compares to IFJ's recommended accounting partner Atlanto and the Fiduciary Service offering — a back-office SaaS that IFJ helps distribute to its startups.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ifj_ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifj-ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/IFJ.CH

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IFJ