EPFL Investor Day

The EPFL Investor Day, on Tuesday 10 December 2024 on EPFL campus, is a one-of-a-kind event event in Western Switzerland created to connect investors with high-potential and innovative technology startups.

While the first part of the day is dedicated exclusively to investors and high-tech startups, the second half of this year’s program opens to a wider audience.

On the day

  • Startups pitches
  • Conferences, plenary with keynotes and roundtable 
  • Startup and accelerator village
  • Networking
  • Highlights cutting-edge initiatives
  • One-to-one meetings (for investors / startups only)
  • EPFL discovery lab tours (for investors only)

The first part of the day is dedicated exclusively to investors and high-tech startups, accessible by invitation only.

If you are an investor or a tech startup based in Western Switzerland and would like to join this unique oppotunity, we invite you to claim your entry by reaching out to us. Please contact us at [email protected] to request an invitation.

The second part of this year’s program is open to a wider audience.
Participation is free, registration is mandatory

14:45
Doors open & registration

15:05 – 15:35
SICTIC Class “How to successfully invest in Swiss startups

SICTIC‘s most experienced board members and investors will share insights on investing in Switzerland’s thriving startup ecosystem. Discover strategies, success stories, and essential factors for effective startup investment (key points covered: Innovation landscape in Switzerland, case studies on Swiss startups, the added value of Business Angels, understanding company valuation and funding needs, building a strong startup portfolio through angel investing) followed by Q&A.

15:40 – 15:55
Launch of the AI Startup Launchpad

Discover EPFL’s AI Startup Launchpad, a new initiative designed to be a premier incubator for startups at the forefront of artificial intelligence. 

16:00 – 17:15
Keynotes and Roundtable: “Staying Ahead: Harnessing the Power of the High-Tech Ecosystem for Competitive Advantage” 

Dynamic keynotes and a roundtable session will explore how Switzerland and Europe can strengthen their high-tech ecosystems to maintain global competitiveness. Topics will include building collaborations, securing growth funding for startups, and the role of government in shaping industrial policy.

Speakers includes: 
Welcome 

  • Martin Vetterli, President of EPFL
  • Alain Conte, Member of the Executive Committee UBS Switzerland AG

Keynotes

  • Lets Farm, Raise and Feed Unicorns” Daniel Gutenberg, Unicorn Hunter and Soonicorn Farmer 
  • Staying Ahead” Patrick Aebischer, Senior Partner ND+ Capital, Former EPFL President

Roundtable
Daniel Gutenberg and Patrick Aebischer will be joined by

  • Pascal Zumbühl, Economist at UBS,
  • Emile de Rijk, Co-founder and CEO of Swissto12,
  • Madiha Derouazi, CSO at AC Immune

Moderation: Jordi Montserrat, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Venturelab.

Closing

  • Raphaël Conz, Head of the Department for Economic Promotion and Innovation, Canton of Vaud

17:30 – 18:00
Pitch Session: Startups in Creation 

Experience a showcase of groundbreaking ideas as emerging entrepreneurs pitch their startups, offering a glimpse into the next generation of innovation.

18:00 – 19:30
Networking & Closing Aperitif

Conclude the day with networking opportunities during the closing aperitif, providing a chance to connect with investors, startups, and innovation enthusiasts.
  1. Nurture your network and build valuable relationships – connect with fellow investors and engage with entrepreneurs
  2. Explore investment opportunities in tech startups – attend pitch sessions
  3. Discover the future disruptive technological trends – gain insights into emerging technologies and market trends

EPFL Investor Day will take place at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The SwissTech Convention Center is one of the largest conference centers in the Lake Geneva region hosting events of international fame. This majestic building is distinguished by its modernity, its innovative technologies and a warm and experienced team.

Address:
SwissTech Convention Center
Quartier Nord EPFL
Route Louis-Favre 2
1024 Ecublens – Switzerland

📄 Download access plan

Main partner

Innovation is crucial to Switzerland’s prosperity, with a zest for science and entrepreneurship playing a key role. It’s only when research results or good ideas find their way into the market that new jobs are created, or solutions are developed for social and technological progress.

UBS has a long tradition of cooperation with research, targeted promotion of training and further education, and support for entrepreneurship in Switzerland.

That’s why we are proud to partner with EPFL to organize Investor Day.


Partners

The canton of Vaud is the main center for research and innovation in Switzerland and is one of the wealthiest regions in the world. Science and industry work hand in hand thanks to the presence of globally renowned universities, research centers and companies, providing entrepreneurs with endless possibilities for innovation. Discover more here.
Swisscom Ventures is a multi-vertical B2B SaaS and DeepTech investor, founded in 2007 to drive superior returns and foster industry-leading innovation. They have supported the growth of over 80 technology companies, leveraging their extensive expertise and global presence. With offices in Switzerland (Zurich, Bern, Lausanne) and the USA (Silicon Valley), they manage and advise assets exceeding $650 million, investing across the entire life cycle of high-potential startups.

A thriving start

In its inaugural year, Investor Day attracted over 700 participants, including venture capitalists, corporate innovators, family offices, startup founders, and accelerators.

The exclusive event took place at SwissTech Convention Center on the EPFL campus in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Wednesday 8 November 2023. It brought together the broader investment community to connect with their peers and engage with the most innovative tech startups from Western Switzerland.

Over the course of the day, investors and entrepreneurs had the opportunity to connect, explore investment opportunities, and discover future disruptive technological trends.

Get the full impression of 2023!

They pitched in 2023

Healthtech
Resistell Revolutionary alternative for antibiotic susceptibility test.
Neurosoft Bioelectronics Soft implantable electrodes for the nervous system.
Volumina Medical Dynamic biomaterials for reconstructive and plastic surgery.
EarlySight Better diagnosis and monitoring of eye diseases.
Xsensio Develops next-generation wearable devices that track biochemical information at the surface of the skin.
Artiria Medical  Neurovascular healthcare with cutting-edge minimally invasive medical technologies.
BEYOND GENOMiX Diagnosis of idiopathic (unknown cause) infertility.
Regenosca  Implants to avoid a second surgical site in tissue repair.
Parithera A medical device to detect cancer treatment resistance.
Industrials  
CompPair Technologies Healable and sustainable composites to improve circularity.  
Twiice Powered exoskeletons for walking assistance.  
Oryl Photonics Solving the insoluble for better and effective medicine.
DeepLight  Photonic integrated circuits with ultra-low loss.
MATIS  The MATIS camera and software are designed for forgery detection. We focus on the art authentication market.
Elythor Drones for inspecting and monitoring linear infrastructure.
3D2Cut  Become a Master pruner – without training.
Swistor Fast charging, long lasting, sustainable power sources  
Corintis Enabling the computing of tomorrow with in-chip cooling
Cleantech  
Voltiris  Green Energy-as-a-Service for greenhouse growers.
Urbio Accelerating the decarbonization of buildings with AI.
Bloom Biorenewables  Making biomass a true alternative to petroleum.
Qaptis Builds a retrofit device to decarbonize the trucks.
Agrosustain  A one-stop-shop solution for biological plant.
Daphne Technology Climate tech comp reducing toxic pollutants & GHG emissions
Emissium Tracking the environmental impact of electricity
Insolight Solar modules designed for agrivoltaics
AeroSpec Chemical composition & source analysis of aerosol pollution
SoHHytec Solar fuel the smarter way.
ICT  
Largo.ai Next generation storytelling
Sonix Ultra-low latency SaaS platform for musicians and gamers
Altkimya  Modern security & observability-managed services
Precisia Care  Artificial Intelligence predictive platform
Strong Network  Secure Workspaces for Global Development Teams
Csky.ai Personalized A.I. assistant
Xelidoni  a blockchain protocol that aims to revolutionize the rental guarantee system in Europe.
Ondefy Cryptocurrencies
Embley Embley is a Marketplace Automation Platform
Imverse 3D Holograms: live volumetric video for remote collaboration

Gallery EPFL Investor Day 2023

The event is organized by the Vice Presidency for Innovation at EPFL, in partnership with UBS.

Don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions about the event.

📧 [email protected]

📞 +41 21 693 14 07

Startup Ecosystem

EPFL emerged as a pioneering institution by establishing the first Innovation Park in Switzerland with a track record of over 500 tech startups – a unique place for investors willing to unleash technology and science by investing in innovative startups.

Main partner