Young Entrepreneurs Forum

What Young Entrepreneurs Forum does

The Young Entrepreneurs Forum (Jungunternehmenforum Graubünden) is an annual event platform that recognizes and promotes early-stage founders, startup entrepreneurs, and KMU successors in the Canton of Graubünden and the broader Southeast Switzerland region. Organized by the Chur-based marketing agency Markenkern AG since 2019 (under founder/CEO Fabio Aresu), the Forum operates a small core team (Anna Panier, Giancarlo Derungs, Patrick Ulber, Tanja Pichler) and runs a single flagship annual gathering — the Founders-Night — hosted at the Aula of ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz. The event features two award programs: the Founders-Award Graubünden (recognizing founders and KMU successors in the canton) and the Tech-Startup-Award Südostschweiz (evaluated by a specialist jury from CSEM and Integra Biosciences), each carrying CHF 3,000 in prize money, professional video clips, and media coverage.

The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its digital footprint is limited to a website (jungunternehmenforum.ch), newsletter, LinkedIn presence (including the KI-Meetup Graubünden group), and a ticketing integration via Eventfrog. Tickets for the Founders-Night are priced at CHF 15 (students) and CHF 30 (regular). The business model is sponsor-anchored: at least eight named main sponsors — Fachhochschule Graubünden, Graubündner Kantonalbank, Helvetia Versicherungen, Integra Biosciences, CSEM, GRITEC AG, Treuhand Suisse, and ibW — fund the awards and prize money, with Südostschweiz (Somedia) serving as primary media partner. As of 2025 the Forum has completed 13 editions, featured over 50 Graubünden startups, and scheduled its 14th edition for 28 October 2026.

Name

Young Entrepreneurs Forum

Legal name

Markenkern AG

Website

https://jungunternehmenforum.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Young Entrepreneurs Forum (Jungunternehmenforum Graubünden) is an annual event platform organized by Markenkern AG that recognizes startups, founders, and KMU successors in Graubünden and Southeast Switzerland through the Founders-Award and Tech-Startup-Award competitions held at the annual Founders-Night.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Events and Awards Programs

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Product & Innovation Summits (Roadmap, Launch Readiness, Innovation Days) (THAHAMAG)

Keywords

• Startup awards programs
• Entrepreneurship networking events
• Regional startup competitions
• Pitch award ceremonies
• Young entrepreneur forums

Headquarters

HQ city

Chur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The organization generates revenue through ticket sales for the Founders-Night event. Student tickets are priced at CHF 15 and regular tickets at CHF 30. Revenue also supports event operations and prize funding.
2. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors (Fachhochschule Graubünden, Graubündner Kantonalbank, Helvetia Versicherungen, Integra Biosciences, GRITEC AG, CSEM, Treuhand Suisse, and others) provide financial and in-kind support enabling the event, awards, and prize money.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Young Entrepreneurs Forum (Jungunternehmenforum Graubünden) organizes the annual Founders-Night event, an award ceremony and networking platform for startups and young entrepreneurs in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. Its two flagship award programs are the Founders-Award Graubünden (recognizing founders, startup entrepreneurs, and KMU successors under 5 years old) and the Tech-Startup-Award Südostschweiz (recognizing scalable tech startups with a prototype or MVP), each awarding CHF 3,000 in prize money alongside media exposure and professional video production.

Product overview

Young Entrepreneurs Forum (Jungunternehmenforum Graubünden) is an event-based platform organized by Markenkern AG that supports startups and young entrepreneurs in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. The organization operates a portfolio of three interconnected offerings: the Founders-Award Graubünden (an annual business competition), the Tech-Startup-Award Südostschweiz (a technology-focused startup prize), and the Founders-Night (the flagship annual event featuring award ceremonies, keynotes, and networking). These programs collectively provide visibility, prize money, media coverage, and professional development opportunities for emerging businesses in the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Founders-Award Graubünden An annual startup competition awarding CHF 3,000 prize money, a trophy, professional video clip, media coverage (Südostschweiz), and website featuring to founders, startup entrepreneurs, and SME successors based in the Canton of Graubünden who have been operational for 6 months to 5 years and have at least one full-time employee.
• Tech-Startup-Award Südostschweiz A technology-focused startup award granted by a specialist jury comprising CSEM and Integra Biosciences AG, offering CHF 3,000 prize money, professional video clip, media coverage, and website featuring for tech startups in the Southeast Switzerland region with a working prototype/MVP, at least one full-time employee, and at least 50% of social security contributions in the region.
• Founders-Night Annual Event An annual networking event held at the Aula ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz in Chur, featuring the Founders-Award and Tech-Startup-Award ceremonies, expert keynotes, panel sessions, finalist presentations, jury and audience voting, and an Apéro riche networking session. Student tickets priced at CHF 15 and regular tickets at CHF 30.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three finalists per year receive undivided attention from media, business representatives, young talents, and the online public.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Fachhochschule Graubünden (FH Graubünden)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFachhochschule Graubünden is a main sponsor (Hauptsponsor) of the Founders-Award. The university has around 1700 students and provides applied research, consulting, and services across disciplines including Digital Science, Management, Tourism, and Engineering. It hosts the Founders-Night venue and supports the regional startup ecosystem.
• Graubündner Kantonalbank (GKB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraubündner Kantonalbank is a main sponsor of the Founders-Award. As the leading bank in the canton, two-thirds of Bündner companies are GKB customers. It provides the KMU Startkredit (startup loan) and SME consulting services to support new entrepreneurs in Graubünden.
• Helvetia Versicherungen (Generalagentur Graubünden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelvetia is a main sponsor of the Founders-Award. The insurance company has 30 experts in Graubünden advising on insurance, retirement, investments, and mortgages. It supports entrepreneurs in risk management through insurance products.
• Integra Biosciences AGflagshipTechnology or IntegrationIntegra Biosciences AG is a main sponsor of the Tech-Startup-Award and co-sits on the expert jury (with CSEM). Based in Zizers, the company is a global market leader for electronic pipettes and liquid-handling products. It contributes technical expertise to evaluate tech startup candidates.
• CSEM (Schweizerisches Zentrum für Elektronik und Mikrotechnologie)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationCSEM is a main sponsor of the Tech-Startup-Award and co-sits on the expert jury (with Integra). With over 500 employees and centers including Landquart, CSEM conducts over 200 technology projects annually with industry partners in Health Science, Energy, Production, and Security. It contributes deep technical expertise to evaluate tech startup candidates.
• GRITEC AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationGRITEC AG is a main sponsor of the Tech-Startup-Award. Headquartered in Grüsch with a second site in Kriens, GRITEC employs over 100 people and opened a new technology center in Grüsch in 2023 (2850 m2, 30 new jobs). The company develops technical devices, automation solutions, and industrial processes.
• Treuhand Suisse GraubündencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTreuhand Suisse Graubünden is a main sponsor of the Founders-Award. The association represents the interests of the fiduciary/trust industry and serves as a competent contact for SMEs, individuals, banks, authorities, politics, and media in Graubünden.
• ibW Höhere Fachschule SüdostschweizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartneribW is a main sponsor of the Founders-Award and hosts the event venue (Aula ibW). It is the largest adult education institution for part-time, federally recognized further education programs in Southeast Switzerland, with over 550 lecturers and over 100 programs at sites in Sargans, Chur, Maienfeld, and Ziegelbrücke.
• Höhere Fachschule für Tourismus & Management (Academia Engiadina)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Höhere Fachschule für Tourismus & Management is a sponsor of the Founders-Award. Located in Samedan, it has been offering tourism and management education for over 30 years, with strong practice-oriented training including specializations in Marketing, PR, and Event Management.
• Amt für Wirtschaft und Tourismus Graubünden (AWT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Amt für Wirtschaft und Tourismus Graubünden supports innovative, export-oriented companies with contributions, loans, and guarantees. It also supports advisory centers like KMU Zentrum Graubünden for business model optimization, location evaluation, financing, and technology transfer. It is listed as a partner providing institutional support.
• Markenkern AGflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMarkenkern AG (founded by Fabio Aresu) has organized the Jungunternehmenforum since 2019. The Chur-based agency provides strategy, marketing, and communication consulting to startups, SMEs, and large companies. Fabio Aresu has over 20 years of experience and also organizes the KI-Meetup Graubünden and destibot.ai project.
• Südostschweiz (Somedia)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSüdostschweiz is the primary media partner for the Founders-Award and Tech-Startup-Award, providing press coverage of finalists and winners in its newspaper and online channels. In 2020, the event was produced as a TV show on Südostschweiz TV.
• kmu | netzwerk | graubündenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe SME network for Graubünden entrepreneurs is a sponsor of the Founders-Award. It organizes weekly networking meetings, provides a knowledge platform on SME-relevant topics, and is connected to regional partners including KMU Zentrum Graubünden, Fachhochschule Graubünden, and Bündner Gewerbeverband.
• PioniernestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPioniernest is listed as a partner of the Jungunternehmenforum, contributing to the startup ecosystem support.
• startup nightsminorGTM or Marketing Partnerstartup nights is listed as a partner of the Jungunternehmenforum, contributing to the regional startup ecosystem support.
• Grabs digital (gr digital)minorGTM or Marketing Partnergr digital is listed as a partner of the Jungunternehmenforum, providing digital expertise to support the organization's activities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• >>venture>>: Leading Swiss startup competition awarding CHF prize money to Swiss founders. Directly comparable as a Swiss competition targeting early-stage ventures with a juried selection process and annual award ceremony format analogous to the Founders-Award.
• IFJ Institut für Jungunternehmen: Swiss institute dedicated to young entrepreneurs, providing startup loans, coaching, and recognition. Directly comparable as a Swiss founder-support organization targeting early-stage companies, and is listed as a Jungunternehmenforum partner/sponsor.
• Venture Kick: Swiss nationwide startup funding competition run by a foundation. Directly comparable as a multi-stage Swiss startup competition awarding prize money to early-stage Swiss founders, with a similar capital-light model of cohorts, juries, and stage-based recognition.
• MassChallenge Switzerland: Global startup accelerator operating a Swiss program for early-stage ventures. Comparable as a structured Swiss startup competition/accelerator with cohort-based selection, jury evaluation, and prize/recognition outcomes similar to the Jungunternehmenforum awards.
• W.A. de Vigier Foundation: Swiss foundation awarding annual prizes to young Swiss entrepreneurs. Directly comparable as a Switzerland-wide Swiss startup award program with prize money, jury selection, and founder recognition in the same category as the Founders-Award Graubünden.
• Startup Nights: Swiss-wide startup community event platform. Directly comparable because both organize recurring startup networking events in Switzerland with sponsor-driven economics and operate in the same Swiss startup ecosystem; Startup Nights is even listed as a Jungunternehmenforum partner.

Broad incumbents

• Swiss Economic Forum: Large-scale annual Swiss business and economics conference. Comparable as a regional/national Swiss business event with sponsors, keynotes, and award elements, but operates at much larger scale and broader scope than the Graubünden-focused Jungunternehmenforum.
• EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Switzerland: Major Switzerland-wide entrepreneurship recognition program. Comparable as a Swiss entrepreneur award program with jury selection, regional ceremonies, and PR amplification, but targets more mature companies and operates at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Pioniernest: Swiss regional platform supporting founders and early-stage companies. Comparable as a peer-level Swiss startup community builder that overlaps with the Jungunternehmenforum's target audience; listed as a Jungunternehmenforum partner and shares the regional founder-development mission.

Others

• KMU Zentrum Graubünden: Regional SME advisory center in Graubünden. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player supporting founders and KMU in the same canton, providing business model optimization, financing, and technology transfer that complement the Jungunternehmenforum's recognition mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jungunter_forum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jungunternehmerforum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Young Entrepreneurs Forum