What Fondazione AGIRE does

Fondazione AGIRE is a non-profit foundation established in 2011 under Swiss law by public institutions in Canton Ticino, including the Department of Finance and Economics, USI, SUPSI, AITI, and the Chamber of Commerce. It operates as the officially mandated innovation agency for Canton Ticino, coordinating the Regional Innovation System (SRI) — one of only six such systems recognized by the Swiss Confederation — across Ticino and Italian-speaking Grisons. The foundation serves early-stage startups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and young innovative companies, with services provided free of charge at the point of delivery and funded primarily by the Canton of Ticino and the New Regional Policy.

The foundation's service portfolio rests on four pillars: (1) the Boldbrain Startup Challenge, an annual three-month accelerator program that has received 915 applications and awarded over 1.5 million CHF in prizes since 2018; (2) Tecnopolo Ticino, a coworking and office facility with 30+ average tenants and 85+ million CHF in cumulative investment, offering Touch, Start, and Scale membership tiers; (3) the Digital Coach service, providing free 360-degree digital transformation consulting to SMEs in cooperation with AITI; and (4) MITICA, an Interreg Italy-Switzerland cross-border program launched in 2025 offering free training (Practical AI, Strategic Planning, Generative AI documentation) to MSMEs in the Lecco-Ticino border area. In 2024, the foundation divested the Ticino Innovation Park to SIP-TI SA, refocusing on service coordination.

The business model is non-commercial: services to startups and SMEs are free, with revenue derived from government grants and Interreg funding. Headcount is small (2-10 employees, ~11 named team members), anchored by Managing Director Lorenzo Ambrosini and President Stefano Colombo. In February 2026 the foundation secured a Council of State-ratified MoU with ETH Zurich/CSCS to disseminate the Apertus open-source LLM to Ticino SMEs, signaling a shift into AI-enablement programming alongside its traditional startup and SME support activities.

Name

Fondazione AGIRE

Legal name

Fondazione AGIRE

Website

https://agire.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fondazione AGIRE is the government-mandated innovation agency of Canton Ticino, Switzerland, coordinating the Regional Innovation System and providing free accelerator programs (Boldbrain), coworking (Tecnopolo), and digital transformation consulting (Digital Coach) to startups and SMEs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Consulting Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE)

Keywords

• Startup acceleration programs
• Innovation consulting services
• Digital transformation support
• Business incubator services
• SME support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manno

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Fondazione AGIRE is a government-sponsored foundation funded by the Canton of Ticino's Department of Finance and Economics. Services to startups and SMEs are provided free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fondazione AGIRE is a government-mandated innovation agency that provides free support services to startups and SMEs in Canton Ticino, Switzerland. Its core offerings include the Boldbrain Startup Challenge (annual accelerator selecting up to 20 startups), Digital Coach (free digital transformation consulting for SMEs), Tecnopolo Ticino (coworking and office infrastructure), and MITICA training courses. The foundation coordinates the Regional Innovation System and connects companies with investors, academic partners, and innovation resources.

Product overview

Fondazione AGIRE is the innovation agency for Canton Ticino, Switzerland, founded in 2011 to promote and spread innovation to startups and existing businesses. The organization provides a portfolio of services including: Boldbrain Startup Challenge (an accelerator selecting 20 startups annually), Digital Coach (free digital transformation support for SMEs), Tecnopolo Ticino (coworking and office infrastructure with three membership tiers), and MITICA (free training courses for MSMEs funded by Interreg). The services are offered free of charge or at flexible pricing, supporting innovation in products, processes, and business models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Boldbrain Startup Challenge: An accelerator program for early-stage startups that selects up to 20 teams each year for a three-month intensive program, providing coaching, workshops, and prizes exceeding 1.5 million CHF total.
• Tecnopolo Ticino
• Digital Coach
• SRI - Sistema Regionale dell'Innovazione
• MITICA

Products and services

• Boldbrain Startup Challenge Annual accelerator program for early-stage startups that selects up to 20 innovative ideas each year for an intensive three-month program (September to December) providing coaching, thematic workshops, and cash and in-kind prizes. Since 2018, Boldbrain has received 915 applications, selected 160 startups, and awarded over 1.5 million CHF in prizes. Free for selected startups.
• Digital Coach Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 80+ startups supported annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

AI capability7 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USI (Università della Svizzera Italiana)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic founding member and key partner in the Regional Innovation System. USI Startup Centre collaborates with Boldbrain accelerator program. USI research facilities available for innovation projects.
• SUPSI (Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic founding member and key partner providing research capabilities and student talent pipeline. SUPSI researchers available for innovation projects through the Regional Innovation System.
• USI Startup CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Boldbrain Startup Challenge accelerator, selecting and supporting early-stage startups. Joint organization of startup events and programs.
• Dipartimento delle finanze e dell'economia (DFE)coreOthersPrimary government sponsor and founding member. Provides mandate and funding to coordinate the Regional Innovation System of Ticino.
• SICTIC (Swiss ICT Investor Club)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFondazione AGIRE serves as the Ticino antenna for SICTIC, the largest business angel club in Switzerland. Jointly organizes SICTIC Investor Academy events and connects startups with investors.
• Impact Hub TicinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Boldbrain on sustainability workshop integrated into the accelerator program.
• CSCS (Swiss National Supercomputing Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorandum of Understanding signed to promote responsible and transparent AI in Ticino. CSCS provides computational, data, and AI services to Ticino institutions, companies, and research institutes. Fondazione AGIRE promotes the initiative among businesses through events and coaching.
• MITICA Consortium PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterreg Italy-Switzerland project coordinated by Politecnico di Milano (Polo di Lecco) and Fondazione AGIRE. Partners include Confartigianato Imprese Lecco, Confartigianato Lombardia, Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, AITI, and ATED. Provides free training courses for MSMEs in the cross-border area.
• Switzerland InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondazione AGIRE developed Innovation Park Ticino, now transferred to SIP-TI SA, associated with Switzerland Innovation network including the Zurich park.
• AITI (Associazione Industrie Ticinesi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member and key partner in the Regional Innovation System. Collaborates on Digital Coach service for SME digital transformation.
• ATED (Associazione Ticinese Evoluzione Digitale)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital association partner supporting SME digital transformation initiatives and MITICA project activities.
• Camera di Commercio Cantone TicinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member providing business network connections and supporting innovation ecosystem development.
• AcerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-supported AI Salon Lugano event at Acer's European headquarters in Bioggio, focused on Apertus AI model.
• LinkfloydminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-supported AI Salon Lugano event focused on Apertus AI model for Swiss SMEs.
• ETH ZurichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational academic partner, part of Swiss innovation network. ETH spin-offs can access Fondazione AGIRE services.
• EPFLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational academic partner, part of Swiss innovation network. EPFL spin-offs and research can connect through Regional Innovation System.
• InnosuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss innovation promotion agency. Fondazione AGIRE supports SMEs as an Innosuisse-accredited mentor for innovation projects.
• Swiss Startup AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational startup ecosystem organization, part of the extended innovation network.
• swissnexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational innovation network helping connect Swiss startups with global opportunities.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BaselArea.swiss: Swiss cantonal/regional innovation and location promotion agency serving Northwestern Switzerland, with comparable mission of attracting companies and supporting startups/SMEs. Operates a similar business model of free consulting, networking events, and ecosystem coordination funded by public mandate.
• Greater Zurich Area: Public-private innovation and location marketing agency for the Greater Zurich economic region. Comparable in mandate to promote regional innovation, support SMEs, and coordinate with academic institutions, but operates at a larger economic scale.
• Greater Geneva Bern area (GGBa): Investment promotion and innovation agency for Western Switzerland, combining the cantons of Geneva, Bern, Vaud, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, and Valais. Closely comparable public-mandate model focused on attracting companies and supporting innovation.
• Technopark Zürich: One of Switzerland's longest-standing technopoles, offering office/lab space, accelerator services, and innovation support. Closely comparable in physical infrastructure concept to Tecnopolo Ticino, with broader market reach.
• Impact Hub Ticino: Co-located innovation hub in Ticino and active partner of Fondazione AGIRE (collaborates on Boldbrain sustainability workshops). Operates a similar community/coworking model targeting impact-oriented startups, and competes/collaborates for the same regional entrepreneur pool.

Regional players

• PoliHub: Innovation hub and startup accelerator of Politecnico di Milano - the Italian lead partner of Fondazione AGIRE's MITICA cross-border program. Operates a comparable tech-transfer and accelerator model in Italy, providing a regional benchmark and cross-border coordination partner.
• TiVentures: Ticino-based seed investment fund closely tied to Fondazione AGIRE's network. Complementary in the regional innovation chain (foundation supports startups; TiVentures invests in them), with a shared regional focus and overlapping portfolio companies.

Broad incumbents

• Innosuisse: Swiss federal innovation promotion agency that funds innovation projects between research and industry. Fondazione AGIRE is an Innosuisse-accredited mentor; both share the SME innovation support mandate at different tiers (national vs. cantonal).
• Switzerland Innovation: The federal innovation park network that SIP-TI SA (which absorbed Fondazione AGIRE's Innovation Park) joined in 2024. Direct institutional overlap through the Ticino Innovation Park transfer, with broader Swiss-wide scope and federal backing.

Others

• Confartigianato Lombardia: Italian artisan/SME association and MITICA consortium partner. Not a direct peer, but a key institutional partner for cross-border MSME support that illustrates the type of ecosystem actor the foundation collaborates with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FondazioneAGIRE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5VCf0nTgYAWzX0qAdtZ72g
• Facebookfacebook.com/fondazione.agire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agire-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Fondazione AGIRE