International
Innovation
challenge
2024-2025
Are you a swiss startup and working with sustainable technologies?
Ready to bring your business to the US market?
This is your chance to go international — and it’s completely free!
We’ll be your bridge to the American market and take your business ideas to San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
What's the plan?
We’ll kick things off with two evening workshops to develop a strategic action plan for your market entry in the US:
First meeting: November 25th, 2024
Second meeting: January 13rd, 2025
Apply by November 17th using the form below!
Why Participate?
Unlock your startup’s potential with us!
This is a unique opportunity to have an interdisciplinary team of 4 top students from Engineering and Business Administration at HEIG-VD work on your market entry strategy and support your expansion into the United States. Here’s what you’ll get:
Expert Support: Improve your product through a deep interdisciplinary collaboration. Our team will provide fresh perspectives, analysis, and innovative solutions to help you stand out in the US market.
Strategic Insights: Receive a complete analysis of your current situation, distribution strategies, and marketing recommendations tailored to a foreign market.
Experienced Guidance: The project is supervised by Prof. Vincenzo Pallotta, who has extensive experience in innovation and entrepreneurship in both the Swiss and US ecosystems. (Feel free to check out his LinkedIn profile).
We will select three startups, and in February, we will spend to San Francisco for a week of field research and a special presentation of your project at Swissnex ecosystem in San Francisco’s Bay Area and Silicon Valley.
Meet the Team
You’ll have a dynamic mix of students on board, each bringing unique strengths to the table:
Business Administration Students: Equipped with a strong understanding of management and finance to craft solid strategies for your expansion.
Engineering & ICT Students: With their technical mindset, they’ll ensure your project is analyzed with a global perspective and innovative solutions.
Communication & Management Students: Bridging business and technology, they offer a blend of marketing, management, and technical skills to create a seamless connection between your strategy and execution.
Requirements
Here’s what we’re looking for:
Startup Spirit: You should embody the entrepreneurial energy of a startup—ready to explore fresh ideas and new markets.
Startup Scope: linked to sustainable technologies
Swiss Based: Your company should be based in Switzerland.
US Expansion: You’re aiming to expand into the US market.
Team Commitment: At least one team member must be 18 or older and residing in Switzerland, and able to attend both meetings in November and January.
Any questions?
Feel free to contact us at iim@heig-vd.ch
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