Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation

What Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation does

Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation is a Zurich-based non-profit foundation, founded in 2024, that acts as a central catalyst for the Swiss deep tech innovation ecosystem. Its mission is to transform Switzerland's world-class research base (anchored by ETH Zurich and EPFL) into globally competitive deep tech companies by addressing three structural gaps: the lack of domestic institutional capital allocated to VC, the scaling expertise gap facing Swiss scale-ups, and the limited international visibility of Swiss deep tech outside Europe.

Its core product is ecosystem intelligence — most visibly the annual Swiss Deep Tech Report, published in partnership with Dealroom.co, Startupticker.ch, Founderful, and Kickfund, and supported by an interactive Swiss Deep Tech Dashboard, a Facts and Figures benchmarking suite, and the comprehensive Who's Who ecosystem directory. Beyond publishing, the foundation operates three programmatic pillars: Venture Hub Switzerland (institutional capital education, anchored by the VC Return Study co-published with the University of Basel and SECA), Scale-up Booster (the Project Switzerland national scale-up program and the AWI Deep Tech Fund for direct investment), and International Promotion (positioning Switzerland as the global Deep Tech Nation through events such as the VivaTech report launch and the ESA-co-hosted Deep-Tech × Space Summit at Park Innovaare).

The business model is foundation-funded and partnership-driven rather than commercial. The foundation is supported by a network of corporate partners (Swisscom, UBS, Rolex, Julius Bär, Swiss Re, BCG, Microsoft, SIX, Axpo, Ypsomed, Vaudoise, die Mobiliar, Wenger Vieli) and philanthropic supporters (Gebert Rüf Stiftung, which contributes CHF 15M annually to the broader tech-transfer ecosystem). Reports, dashboards, and programmatic access are distributed freely through the deeptechnation.ch platform — pricing is not applicable as the foundation operates as an ecosystem-building organization rather than a commercial product vendor. CEO Joanne Sieber leads a lean 1-10 employee team based at Konradstrasse 12, Zurich, with governance provided by a Board of Trustees and Advisory Board.

Name

Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation

Legal name

Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation

Website

https://deeptechnation.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation is a Zurich-based non-profit, founded in 2024, that serves as the central catalyst for Switzerland's deep tech ecosystem by publishing the flagship Swiss Deep Tech Report, running the Project Switzerland scale-up program, and operating the AWI Deep Tech Fund to channel institutional and international capital into Swiss deep tech ventures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Deep tech ecosystem
• Innovation foundation services
• Venture capital research
• Scale-up accelerator programs
• Innovation ecosystem intelligence

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Funding and Partnerships: Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation is funded by a network of corporate partners, institutional supporters, and strategic sponsors who contribute expertise, networks, visibility, and resources to strengthen the foundation's programs. Key partners include Swisscom, UBS, Rolex, Julius Bär, Swiss Re, BCG, Microsoft, SIX, Axpo, Ypsomed, Vaudoise, die Mobiliar, Wenger Vieli, and Gebert Rüf Stiftung, among others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation operates a non-profit ecosystem catalyst platform that publishes the annual Swiss Deep Tech Report and related research, maintains the Swiss Deep Tech Dashboard and Who's Who directory of investors/accelerators/hubs, runs the Project Switzerland scale-up accelerator program, operates the AWI Deep Tech Fund, and delivers the VC in Residence investor engagement series for Swiss deep tech startups and the global investor ecosystem.

Product overview

Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation operates as an ecosystem organization offering a suite of interconnected programs and resources rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the annual Swiss Deep Tech Report (published with Dealroom.co, Startupticker, Founderful, and Kickfund), the Project Switzerland scale-up accelerator program, the AWI Deep Tech Fund for direct investment, and the VC in Residence investor engagement series. Supporting these are data platforms including the Swiss Deep Tech Dashboard, Facts and Figures comparison metrics, and the Who's Who ecosystem directory. The foundation delivers its mission through three strategic programs: Venture Hub Switzerland (catalysing institutional capital), Scale-up Booster (supporting company growth), and International Promotion (positioning Switzerland globally). The organization also publishes the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Book and provides VC education resources for pension funds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project Switzerland: National scale-up program to bridge Switzerland's scaling expertise gap
• Swiss Deep Tech Report
• Venture Hub Switzerland
• Scale-up Booster
• International Promotion
• VC in Residence
• AWI Deep Tech Fund

Products and services

• Swiss Deep Tech Report Annual comprehensive report on Switzerland's deep tech ecosystem, covering venture capital allocation, startup density, funding trends, university spinouts, and sectoral performance. Published in partnership with Dealroom.co, Startupticker.ch, Founderful, and Kickfund.
• Swiss Deep Tech Report 2026 2026 edition of the annual Swiss Deep Tech Report documenting Switzerland's position as global leader in deep tech VC allocation.
• Project Switzerland National scale-up program by Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation pairing founders with seasoned Swiss entrepreneurs to navigate global expansion and build internationally leveraged businesses. First batch selected 10 high-growth scale-ups in March 2026.
• AWI Deep Tech Fund Deep tech investment fund operated by the foundation to channel capital into Swiss deep tech ventures, supporting the ecosystem's growth and compounding success into future founders and capital.
• Swiss Deep Tech Dashboard Interactive data dashboard providing real-time metrics and visualizations on Switzerland's deep tech ecosystem, including funding trends, sector breakdowns, and investor activity.
• VC Return Study 2025 First comprehensive study on Swiss Venture Capital returns, published by the University of Basel in partnership with SECA and Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation, covering 18 Swiss VC firms managing over CHF 3.5 billion in committed capital.
• The Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Book Comprehensive book published as a free resource covering Switzerland's deep tech ecosystem, key sectors, and Switzerland's deep tech leadership position.

Quantifiable outcome

• Switzerland leads globally with 63% of VC allocated to deep tech, ahead of China (56%) and the US (54%).
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• University of BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2025The University of Basel, in partnership with SECA (Swiss Private Equity and Venture Capital Association) and Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation, published Switzerland's first comprehensive study on venture capital returns. The study collected data from 18 Swiss VC firms managing over CHF 3.5 billion in committed capital and found Swiss VC returns on par with or better than European benchmarks.
• European Space Agency (ESA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2025ESA and Deep Tech Nation Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the inauguration of ESA's first Swiss presence — the European Space Deep Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI) at Park Innovaare, Villigen. The partnership formally connects the European space community to Switzerland's deep tech ecosystem. ESA Director of Commercialisation Géraldine Naja publicly endorsed Switzerland's deep tech strengths as a catalyst for European technological sovereignty.
• Dealroom.coflagshipTechnology or IntegrationDealroom.co is the primary data and analytics partner for the Swiss Deep Tech Report, providing the investment intelligence platform that underpins the foundation's flagship annual publication. The partnership has produced the Swiss Deep Tech Report 2025 and 2026, establishing Switzerland's position as the global leader in deep tech VC allocation.
• Startupticker.chflagshipTechnology or IntegrationStartupticker.ch is a core co-publishing partner for the Swiss Deep Tech Report and contributes Swiss startup ecosystem data and intelligence. It also serves as the editorial platform for ecosystem news on deeptechnation.ch and publishes the Swiss Venture Capital Report.
• FounderfulflagshipTechnology or IntegrationFounderful (formerly Wingman Ventures) is Switzerland's leading pre-seed fund and a co-publishing partner for the Swiss Deep Tech Report. Founderful contributes investment perspective and co-authors the annual deep tech ecosystem analysis.
• KickfundflagshipTechnology or IntegrationKickfund is a co-publishing partner for the Swiss Deep Tech Report, contributing its climate tech and deep tech investment expertise to the annual ecosystem analysis.
• ETH ZurichflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerETH Zurich is the primary academic anchor of the Swiss deep tech ecosystem and Europe's leading university for deep tech spin-offs. ETH's Robotic Systems Lab, AI Center, and ESA Business Incubator Center at ETH Zurich produce a continuous pipeline of deep tech companies. The foundation's ecosystem intelligence consistently references ETH as the foundational institution powering Switzerland's deep tech leadership.
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPFL is the second pillar of the Swiss deep tech ecosystem, consistently ranked among Europe's top universities for deep tech spin-offs alongside ETH Zurich. EPFL produces 60–70 spin-offs per year across all sectors, with biotech being the largest category. The foundation's ecosystem analysis relies on EPFL as a key data source and institutional partner.
• RochecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoche, headquartered in Basel, is the anchor of Switzerland's life sciences ecosystem and a key supporter of the deep tech ecosystem. Roche's global pharma presence creates talent spillovers and acquisition pathways that benefit Swiss biotech and TechBio startups. Roche Chairman Severin Schwan publicly endorsed Switzerland as a 'global hotspot for biotech innovation.'
• NovartiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovartis, headquartered in Basel alongside Roche, forms the second pillar of Switzerland's global pharma dominance. The proximity of two of the world's top 10 pharma companies creates an exceptional concentration of expertise that fuels biotech and TechBio startups through talent, partnerships, and M&A activity.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft is a corporate partner and supporter of the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation. Microsoft has established significant operations in Switzerland and is a listed partner on the foundation's supporters page, contributing to ecosystem-building programs.
• BCG (Boston Consulting Group)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBCG is a corporate partner and supporter of the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation, contributing strategic consulting expertise and visibility to strengthen the foundation's programs.
• Swiss Innovation Park (Park Innovaare / Switzerland Innovation Park)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwitzerland Innovation Park hosts ESA's European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI) — ESA's first physical presence in Switzerland — in Villigen. The park provides physical infrastructure for deep tech and space technology translation, serving as a hub connecting Swiss research to European space initiatives.
• Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSI is part of the ETH domain and hosts Araris Biotech (the first PSI spin-off to reach unicorn status, acquired by Taiho for up to $1.14 billion in 2025) and collaborates in the ESA ESDI center at Park Innovaare. PSI is a key research institution in Switzerland's deep tech ecosystem.
• Swiss National AI Institute (SNAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNAI was launched in autumn 2024 by ETH Zurich and EPFL to provide a national perspective on AI-based research, education, and innovation. It is backed by the Alps supercomputer (10,000+ AI GPUs) and integrates with the ETH AI Center and EPFL AI Center, benefiting from 70+ AI-focused professors. SNAI accelerates the Swiss AI ecosystem's global competitiveness.
• Swiss Biotech AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Biotech Association publishes the annual Swiss Biotech Report in partnership with EY, providing critical intelligence on Switzerland's biotech sector that complements the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation's ecosystem analysis. The association connects biotech startups with the broader Swiss innovation ecosystem.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Enterprise Singapore: Singapore's government agency driving enterprise growth and innovation, including technology commercialization and venture ecosystem programs. Functions as a national ecosystem catalyst serving a small but globally connected Asian deep tech market—structurally analogous to the foundation's Swiss mandate.
• Innovation Norway: Norwegian state-owned innovation catalyst providing funding, advisory, and ecosystem programs for Norwegian startups, including deep tech. Operates in a similarly small population economy with national deep tech focus, making it a structural peer for the foundation's mandate.
• Vinnova (Swedish Innovation Agency): Swedish government innovation agency funding research-driven innovation and operating ecosystem programs across life sciences, ICT, and advanced materials. Direct structural peer to Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation in mandate and the small-country, deep-tech-specialized funding model.

Emerging players

• Swiss Biotech Association: Swiss biotech industry association co-publishing the Swiss Biotech Report with EY. It performs a similar federation/publishing role for one of the foundation's key verticals, operating ecosystem intelligence, events, and partnerships in a defined sub-vertical.
• SGInnovate: Singapore-based deep tech investor and ecosystem builder with a mission to drive startup investment in AI, quantum, biotech, and other deep tech verticals. It is a direct functional peer combining investment, content publishing, and founder support—though operating in a different geography.

Others

• Dealroom.co: Global startup and VC intelligence platform that serves as the data backbone of the Swiss Deep Tech Report. Comparable as an information and data product serving the deep tech ecosystem globally, though positioned as a vendor/data partner rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Startupticker.ch: Swiss startup news and data platform co-publishing partner of Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation. Both organizations curate Swiss startup and VC intelligence, run ecosystem events, and publish flagship reports, making Startupticker the closest direct functional peer in the Swiss market.
• SECA (Swiss Private Equity and Venture Capital Association): Swiss industry association for the private equity and venture capital industry. SECA co-authored the VC Return Study with Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation and serves a closely overlapping institutional audience of Swiss VC investors, LPs, and policymakers, making it a direct ecosystem peer.

Broad incumbents

• Israel Innovation Authority: Israeli national innovation agency functioning as a government-backed catalyst for deep tech investment, including direct fund-of-funds and grant programs. Comparable in mandate to Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation but with significantly larger government funding and broader sectoral reach.
• BPI France: France's national bank for SMEs and innovation, operating direct investment, VC fund-of-funds, and ecosystem programs at a scale an order of magnitude beyond Deep Tech Nation Switzerland. It is the canonical European national deep tech/innovation catalyst model and sets the ambition ceiling for the foundation's playbook.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deeptech-nation-switzerland

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation