Innosuisse: Startup Innovation Projects

With the Start-up innovation projects programme Innosuisse supports science-based projects of start-ups with significant innovation potential. These innovation projects must be based on application-oriented research and prepare start-ups for entering the market for the first time.

What is Innosuisse’s Start-up Innovation Projects?

Innosuisse’s Start-up Innovation Projects are direct grants that help Swiss start-ups turn science-based ideas into first market entries. Unlike classic projects with research partners, the start-up itself is funded to develop, prototype, validate, and de-risk a novel product or service so it can launch soon after the project ends. The instrument is open to all fields and is specifically aimed at teams before or at the very first steps of market launch. Innosuisse typically covers up to 70% of eligible direct project costs, with the start-up co-funding at least 30%.

What costs does Innosuisse’s funding cover?

Innosuisse finances direct, project-specific costs that are necessary to execute the innovation work. Eligible items include:

• Personnel costs for team members working on the project’s R&D and validation;
• Material costs such as prototyping components, test equipment, and lab consumables;
• External services directly tied to development (e.g., testing, certification);
• Other direct project expenses needed to reach your milestones.

Overheads, routine operations, general marketing/sales, and unrelated business expenses are not eligible. Approved budgets are binding, and material-cost changes typically require prior approval.

Who can apply to Start-up Innovation Projects?

To qualify, you must be a Swiss start-up (registered and headquartered in Switzerland) with a scalable, science-based product or service and be pre-market. Prototypes and pilots are fine, no fully commercialized product. As a rule of thumb, you should have no more than 50 FTE at submission. If your start-up has a controlling company, the consolidated group must usually stay below 250 FTE. The age of your company should generally be no more than 5 years, but exceptions up to 10 years may be possible. And you must be able to finance your ≥30% own contribution. Non-commercial associations/foundations and public-sector units are not eligible as start-ups.

2026 deadlines for Startup Innovation Projects

The following dates are the decision meetings of the Innovation Council, of which there are four per year. There is no absolute deadline but the applications must be submitted 8 weeks prior to the date of the Innovation Council meeting. Innosuisse always performs a formal check on all documentation within approximately 1 week after submission. As such, we consider the deadline date 9 weeks before the Innovation Council meeting.

There are four evaluation rounds planned in 2026: a Spring Session, Summer Session, Autumn Session, and Winter Session.

The 6 stages of SIP projects

The full process of Innosuisse’s Start-up Innovation Projects can be broken down into 6 stages.

1. Apply: Submit your application approximately 8-9 weeks before Innosuisse Innovation Council meeting.
2. Evaluation: Your application will be assessed by three independent experts based on pre-defined criteria, after which the Innovation Council decides on invitation to stage 3.
3. Pitch and decision: introduce both your project and your team to a jury of experts.
4. Sign contract and start project: if successful in stage 3, you will receive a subsidy contract before the start of the project.
5. Project reporting: During your innovation project, you will need to submit reports to Innosuisse providing updates on progress.
6. Project completion: No later than a month after project completion, you must send Innosuisse a final scientific report and the financial reports.

Download our Start-up Innovation Projects 2026 guide

Our programme guide contains a comprehensive overview of the entire Start-up Innovation projects programme, including the full application & evaluation process, key success criteria, success cases, and all deadlines and cut-offs in 2026. In addition, our SIP expert consultants have shared their latest insights to help you apply successfully to the programme.

Download our free guide

Overview: Innosuisse Start-up Innovation Projects

Scope of the programme

Direct grants for science-based innovation projects that prepare Swiss start-ups for their first market launch. The funding programme is open to all fields. It directly funds the start-up itself (no research partner required) to develop, prototype, validate, and de-risk toward launch.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants are Swiss start-ups registered and headquartered in Switzerland. They must be pre-market, scalable, science-based innovations. Teams are typically under 50 FTE and usually under five years old. Non-commercial associations, foundations, and public-sector units are not eligible.

Funding

Innosuisse funds up to 70% of eligible direct project costs, with the start-up covering the other 30%. Eligible costs include project personnel, materials and prototyping, external services (e.g., testing, certification), and other direct project expenses. Not covered are overhead/operations (rent, utilities), general marketing/sales, routine or incremental development, commercial launch costs, and unrelated business expenses.

Submission deadlines in 2026

Meeting/pitch windows by session:

• Spring: meetings/pitches in March–early April
• Summer: late May meetings, early June pitches
• Autumn: early–mid September meetings, mid-to-late September pitches
• Winter: late November meetings, early–mid December pitches

Further reading on this funding programme

• Read more about Start-up innovation projects on the Innosuisse website 
• Find more Swiss grants and funding opportunities

About Catalyze

At Catalyze we commit ourselves to accelerating innovations that have a positive impact on the world. We are the driving force for your innovations through our offering of strategic consulting services, funding consultancy, project management and more, which deliver impactful expertise for all development stages. With the highest quality in the industry, we aim to be the consulting partner of choice to drive the success of meaningful innovation projects.