エピソード
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Timestamps:
02:24 – Führen wie ein Löwe
06:31 – Warum Sales Chefsache ist
07:31 – Das globale Startup-Ökosystem: USA vs. Europa
10:16 – Erfolgreiche Sales-Strategien strukturieren
21:29 – Rückschläge meistern und Resilienz aufbauen
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
Über Carsten Maschmeyer:
Carsten Maschmeyer ist ein erfahrener Investor, Unternehmer und TV-Persönlichkeit, bekannt aus der Sendung Die Höhle der Löwen. Als Gründer der Maschmeyer Group investiert er in wachstumsstarke Startups und begleitet Gründerinnen und Gründer auf ihrem unternehmerischen Weg.
In dieser Episode teilt Carsten erprobte Einsichten darüber, was es braucht, um ein Startup erfolgreich zu führen. Von der zentralen Rolle von Empathie in der Führung, über die unverzichtbare Bedeutung von Sales, bis hin zur richtigen Mentalität bei Rückschlägen – Carsten zeigt klar auf, woran junge Unternehmen scheitern oder wachsen.
Er vergleicht das Startup-Ökosystem in den USA mit jenem in Europa und spricht darüber, wie eine globale Denkweise frühzeitig gefördert werden kann. Seine Perspektive ist sowohl für angehende Gründer:innen als auch für erfahrene Führungskräfte inspirierend und praxisnah.
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Timestamps:
2:48 - Why ETH generates so many startups
7:23 - From research to commercialization
14:00 - Does ETH invest in startups?
21:50 - Perfectionism vs move fast and break things
29:23 - It’s not hard to convince people to work for startups
This episode was co-produced with the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.
Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.
About Roland Siegwart:
Roland Siegwart is a professor of Autonomous Systems at ETH Zurich and board member for Sevensense Robotics, NZZ, Komax and Evatec. He has been a visiting scientist at both EPFL and Stanford, and holds a PhD in Mechatronics from ETH Zurich.
During his chat with Silvan, Roland discussed the evolution of ETH Zurich, focusing on its role in fostering startups and innovation. The discussion covered the importance of talent, funding, and the unique environment at ETH that supports research and entrepreneurship.
Roland emphasized the need for a balance between academic rigor and the fast-paced startup mentality, as well as the potential for collaboration between research institutions and the business world.
Silvan and Roland discussed the challenges and opportunities within the startup landscape, emphasizing the need for collaboration between startups and corporates, the significance of purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and the potential for innovation in technology, particularly in robotics.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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エピソードを見逃しましたか？
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Timestamps:
13:03 - How much equity did Relai give away?
31:00 - How to delegate as a CEO
39:13 - Why product roadmaps change
47:10 - Why Julian is cautious to expand his team
This episode was co-produced with SEF.Growth, the Swiss Economic Forum's Growth initiative to support Swiss startups and SMEs with growth plans free of charge.
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
About Julian Liniger:
Julian Liniger is the co-founder and CEO of Relai, the world's easiest Bitcoin investing app. He holds an MA in Business Administration from the University of Bern and worked as a junior consultant before starting Relai in 2019.
In his chat with Merle, Julian discussed how Bitcoin serves as a transformative savings technology, and explained Relai’s mission to make it more accessible. He opened up about the challenges of fundraising, including equity negotiations, finding the right investors, and setting valuations based on revenue multiples.
Julian emphasized the importance of building a scalable organization: knowing when to delegate, maintaining operational efficiency, and fostering strong remote team dynamics through regular summits and selective hiring. He also touched on Relai’s global expansion strategy, starting from Switzerland, and on the hurdles of product development as the company grows.
Looking ahead, Julian highlighted Bitcoin education as key to adoption, the impact of regulations on marketing, and Relai’s plans to expand its product offerings. For founders and Bitcoin enthusiasts, this episode offers valuable lessons on startup growth, leadership, and the future of Bitcoin-powered businesses.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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Timestamps:
9:33 - Leaving a corporate and starting your own company
18:00 - Why pet food is terrible
29:08 - Why there’s a market for Loonawell
33:32 - Pet food made by an executive chef?
36:14 - Why established pet food companies can’t compete with Loonawell
Resources Mentioned:
Silence: the Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise, by Thich Nhat Hahn
About Maria de Bettencourt Tavares:
Maria de Bettencourt Tavares is the founder and CEO of Loonawell, a startup creating human-grade healthy food for dogs. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Lisbon Medical School and an MBA from Escuela de Negocios de la Cámara de Comercio de Sevilla. She worked for FISEVI, DSM Nutritional Products and Givaudan before starting Loonawell in 2020.
Maria was driven to start a pet food brand by the harrowing statistics that she discovered: according to peer-reviewed research, 25% of dogs will die of cancer, and 50% of dogs past the age of 10 will die of cancer as well. This is mostly due to the extremely poor nutrition they receive. Most pet food that can be found in supermarkets consists of one main ingredient: “meat meal” or “fish meal”. Meat meal is the legal term used to name all the derivatives of meat processing, i.e., whatever is left after the human-grade cuts have been extracted. This can be bones, hooves, or hair.
80% of pet owners buy pet food based on how it smells (for them, not the pet), which is why pet food companies add all sorts of artificial aromas. The pets, unfortunately, are unable to complain, and so eat themselves to an early death. Loonawell, on the contrary, uses only organic, natural ingredients, with no added preservatives, to develop chef- and vet-approved recipes that will give pets a long and healthy life. Although their products are fit for human consumption, they are legally prevented from advertising them as such. Loonawell is the first and only pet food in the world to be certified with the Swiss Vitamin Institute Label.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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Timestamps:
11:04 - How the Swisspreneur team grew
14:16 - Why most people at Swisspreneur are volunteers
25:00 - How the syndicate got hundreds of signups after a few weeks
30:42 - Why does Swisspreneur produce free masterclasses?
39:43 - How Swisspreneur wrote a book
This episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their Founder's Story event on June 24th to hear directly from blockchain startup founders about their journeys of innovation, disruption, and resilience, and discover how they are redefining industries with decentralized technology.
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
Resources Mentioned:
Notion Calendar
Superhuman Email
About Silvan Krähenbühl:
Silvan Krähenbühl is the host and managing director of Swisspreneur and the founder and CEO of DELOS Analytica, a B2B SaaS company transforming how businesses manage their relevant issues and navigate complex political landscapes. He previously co-founded and sold Gymhopper, and was the CEO of Rentouch, which he later also sold. He holds a BA in Business Administration from the University of St Gallen.
On our 500th episode, hosts Silvan and Merle looked back on 9 years of Swisspreneur history. They started off by recalling the founding of Swisspreneur by serial entrepreneurs Alain Chuard and Christian Hirsig in 2016: after selling his company, Wildfire, to Google, Alain felt the need to give back to the Swiss startup ecosystem and encourage Swiss people to pursue entrepreneurial careers, so together with Chris he conducted a series of video interviews with some of the major Swiss startup founders at the time — and so Swisspreneur was born!
In 2018, Christian asked Silvan to replace him as the host of Swisspreneur. Though he was initially daunted by the task, Silvan said yes, and together with Alain decided to switch the podcast to audio-only format, to make the best out of the budget available. From there the core team was formed organically: Dominique, our head of community, had already worked for Swisspreneur even before Silvan; Lars, head of marketing, was Silvan’s roommate at the time; and Cecília and Björn had previously worked with Silvan at Gymhopper.
In 2018 was also the year when Silvan organized the first founders dinner. He noticed that the ecosystem was growing, but that people rarely spoke to each other, except at events — so he decided to invite roughly 15 startup founders to host a small dinner, and the evening was so successful that the guests asked him when the next dinner would take place. Swisspreneur has since hosted countless of these dinners, and nowadays hosts 3 additional Scaleup Events per year: the Scaleup Slopes, in Laax, the Scaleup Cruise in Lausanne, and the Scaleup Cruise in Zurich. Swisspreneur also has a slack community of founders and investors with over 700 members.
In 2021, on a sunny rooftop in Lisbon, the team first discussed the idea of a Swisspreneur syndicate. The project was immediately successful, and nowadays the syndicate team has 5 members, its portfolio counts almost 40 investments, and its investor base is one of the largest in Switzerland. It relies on Leva as a trusted partner.
Last but not least: Swisspreneur published a book in 2025! "Swiss Startups" is a compact view of some of the most amazing startup journeys in Switzerland, from scrappy beginnings to world domination. It was written by Silvan and our content creator Helena.
As for the future, we have many ideas jumping around in our heads. Let’s see which ones become reality…
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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Timestamps:
5:07 - Thomas’s leap from cybersecurity to founding Rivero
15:07 - Building partnerships with Visa and Mastercard
21:10 - Bootstrapping until Series A
23:00 - Founder salary realities
27:43 - Why it’s hard to sell to banks
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
This episode was sponsored by Google Cloud. Join their Founder's Story event on June 24th to hear directly from blockchain startup founders about their journeys of innovation, disruption, and resilience, and discover how they are redefining industries with decentralized technology.
About Fatemeh Nikayin and Thomas Müller:
Fatemeh Nikayin and Thomas Müller are the co-founders of Rivero, a Swiss startup redefining how banks manage payment operations. Rivero provides the first and only SaaS solution for fraud recovery and dispute management, and has scaled to serve major banks across Europe.
Before founding Rivero, Fatemeh held consulting roles in the payment space and earned a PhD in Technology, Policy and Management from the Delft University of Technology, in the Netherlands. Thomas previously served as CISO of a major credit card issuer and has a background in cybersecurity. Together, they bootstrapped Rivero to profitability before raising their Series A in 2024.
Rivero’s products – Caio and Amico – are built to streamline compliance and fraud handling, allowing banks to operate more efficiently while maintaining high trust. Their vision? Go global and become the operating standard in payments.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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Timestamps:
8:35 - Why enter a crowded market?
15:24 - Language learning in AI
28:02 - When Univerbal got into YC
37:30 - How to get into YC
41:00 - Getting 50K+ people to test your prototype
DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded several months ago, and since then Philipp has left his role at Univerbal. We nonetheless thought the episode was still worth sharing, as it is a great startup story about building an AI language tutor and making it to YC. We hope you enjoy the content!
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
This episode was sponsored by infinity.swiss, Switzerland’s most advanced AI accounting tool. Save 25% by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
About Philipp Hadjimina:
Philipp Hadjimina is the co-founder and former CEO of Univerbal, an AI tutor for language learning and conversation. He holds a MSc in Management, Technology, and Economics from ETH, which he completed in 2022, after which he co-founded Univerbal (then named Quazel).
Univerbal empowers language learners to practice new languages by talking with an AI Agent about anything they want in a completely unscripted way. Their product allows specific analysis of the individual learning stage, and can thereby offer tailored feedback and customized suggestions for improvement. Univerbal aims to position itself between traditional language learning apps like Duolingo and Babbel and online tutoring services like Preply and iTalki — retaining the personalized experience of tutoring, but making it as affordable and accessible as a traditional language learning app.
Univerbal has raised a total of $2M in funding over 2 rounds, and got into Y Combinator in 2022 (their launch year).
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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Timestamps:
7:29 - How does the Swiss ecosystem compare to others?
18:09 - Which Swiss scaleups is Nicolas excited about?
23:46 - Does Swiss shyness hold us back?
30:23 - Investing in companies with long development cycles
35:08 - Creating outbound investment opportunities
This episode was co-produced with the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
About Nicolas Autret:
Nicolas Autret is a partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures, a venture capital firm helping early stage companies in the US, Europe, and Israel build the next generation of category-defining businesses in deep tech. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and was previously a partner at Sofinnova Partners, 360 Capital and Samsung Catalyst Fund before joining Walden Catalyst in 2021.
During his chat with Merle, Nicolas explained why he thinks the Swiss ecosystem should not try to replicate the Silicon Valley phenomenon. According to Nicolas, Silicon Valley is a unique ecosystem that’s been around for 60 years, which resulted from a unique recipe for collaboration between academia, investors, entrepreneurs and large corporates. It took decades to mature, first through government funding and then later largely through private funding.
The success of Silicon Valley ought to inspire us, says Nicolas, and of course best practices can be derived from it, but we should not try to replicate the exact same phenomenon in Switzerland — a very different country with its unique set of circumstances. Switzerland benefits from excellent universities and is quite strong in terms of deep tech, but it is still maturing as an ecosystem, as are other European startup hubs. Our culture of high performance and high precision differentiates us from the Americans and their “break things” mentality, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Each mindset has its own individual perks.
Nowadays, Nicolas is excited about Swiss companies like Scandit, ANYbotics, Ecorobotix and SOPHiA GENETICS. He thinks one major key to accelerating the maturation of the Swiss startup ecosystem (and other European ecosystems) is to allow for more late stage funding.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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Timestamps:
6:10 - Quantifying innovation for investment purposes
10:53 - How Evelyne met Tobias Reichmuth
20:43 - Can innovation outperform ETFs?
34:18 - How to build trust with potential investors
38:34 - Why Evelyne’s team is mostly women
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
About Evelyne Pflugi:
Evelyne Pflugi is the co-founder and CEO of The Singularity Group, a company quantifying applied innovation in listed equities. She holds a MSc in Food Science and Technology from ETH and worked at Capital Group and GAM Investment Management (Switzerland) Ltd before founding The Singularity Group in 2017.
At The Singularity Group, Evelyne and her team are redefining how innovation gets quantified. Instead of measuring it by R&D expenses, patents, capex in tech or M&A in tech, Evelyne prefers to focus solely on feasibility and profitability. She co-founded the group with Tobias Reichmuth, a serial founder and investor. The Singularity Group is the initiator of the Singularity Index™ (Bloomberg ticker: NQ2045), a global, all-sector benchmark and gold standard for Applied Innovation. The Singularity Strategies include The Singularity Fund (UCITS Lux), Singularity US Innovation Leaders (AMC), Singularity US Equity (LUKB AMC), Singularity Small&Mid (UBS AMC), and the partner product LUKB Smart Farming (AMC).
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners. -
Timestamps:
5:20 - Helping European companies set up shop in China
11:43 - SICTIC’s investment program for kids
17:57 - Building AI models to predict fundraising success
26:00 - How being a young investor changes your perspective
This episode was co-produced by SICTIC, the leading angel investor network in Switzerland.
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
Resources Mentioned:
Ep 135 with Thomas Dübendorfer
Fueled by Randomness, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
About Felix M. & Jianhe M.:
In this episode, we sit down with Jianhe and Felix M., a dynamic father-son duo who share their incredible journey through entrepreneurship, venture investing, and the startup world. Jianhe, a seasoned entrepreneur with decades of experience, recounts his path from studying in Germany to building businesses across Europe and Asia. After starting his career in industrial engineering, he transitioned into consulting and later founded ventures in China, including an armored cash-transport business: one of the first of its kind. By 2010, he shifted focus to MedTech startups in Europe, turning around struggling companies like neoplas Med GmbH (pioneering plasma wound treatment) and Medmira Inc. (a rapid diagnostic testing innovator). His approach? Hands-on involvement, strategic risk-taking, and a sharp eye for undervalued potential.
Felix, Jianhe’s son, brings a fresh perspective as a next-gen investor immersed in Switzerland’s startup ecosystem. Initially drawn to history and behavioral economics, he found corporate life uninspiring and instead dove into startups through SICTIC. There, he learned the importance of team dynamics over just product-market fit, emphasizing traits like adaptability, vision, and resilience in founders. He advocates for a more structured approach to evaluating entrepreneurs, blending academic insights with real-world due diligence. Both highlight how SICTIC’s rigorous selection process sets Swiss startups apart, favoring steady, deep-tech innovations over the "go big or go home" mentality often seen in Asia.
As Jianhe eyes retirement, he plans to deepen his involvement with SICTIC, mentoring the next wave of entrepreneurs. Felix, meanwhile, is just getting started, aiming to build a methodical venture investment strategy while learning from seasoned angels. Their key takeaway? Venture investing is a humbling, long-game journey that rewards patience, passion, and a willingness to take calculated risks. Tune in for their candid stories, hard-earned lessons, and why the startup world’s energy keeps them hooked!
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io. -
Timestamps:
4:00 - What’s a data breach?
10:21 - What’s a phishing campaign?
13:50 - How expensive is it to fix a data breach?
20:35 - How are startups being targeted?
22:07 - Why strong passwords are not enough
This episode was co-produced by NordPass. Use code “swisspreneur” at checkout to get 30% off Business and Teams plans.
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
About Ieva Soblickaite:
Ieva Soblickaite is the CPO of NordPass, a password management solution that is part of Nord Security, the world’s leading cybersecurity company. She holds a Masters from HEC Paris and co-founded Medigo GmbH before joining NordPass in 2021.
During her chat with Merle, Ieva broke down the topic of cybersecurity into easily digestible, actionable chunks:
What’s a data breach?
A data breach occurs whenever confidential data is accessed and used in some way (disclosed, copied, altered, destroyed). Common malicious uses include trading the data on the darkweb, decrypting the data to demand a ransom payment, and identity theft.
What’s malware?
Malware is any software developed with the express intent of causing harm. Examples include viruses, trojans, spyware, ransomware, etc. It can also completely take over a computer, putting the criminal in complete control.
Common types of malware:
Ransomware: type of malware that prevents users or organizations from accessing their files. Hackers demand payment to restore access.
Adware: type of greyware (since it does not necessarily have to be malicious) that displays ads to certain users. These ads can be unwanted or malicious.
Spyware: malware that secretly monitors and collects information about a user’s activities or devices, usually as the first step before another type of attack.
Another well-known type of cyberattack are phishing campaigns, in which a hacker pretends to be someone the user knows, or an entity that they trust, in order to get them to click on a malicious link, which can download malware or take the user to a fake website where sensitive information will be requested.
On average, a cyberattack occurs every 14 seconds, and the cost of fixing it depends on how quickly the user notices it and how quickly they act. On average, users will take 204 days to notice a cyberattack and another 73 days to contain the breach.
In order to prevent an attack, several components are necessary:
Strong passwords
Multifactor authentication
Limiting access to accounts & regularly reviewing who has access
Anti-virus software
Regular vulnerability assessments
Hackers target big and small companies alike, as well as both famous and anonymous people, so it’s safest to start improving the cybersecurity of your professional and personal accounts now.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io. -
Timestamps:
4:30 - Wie konnte Alex Frei immer die höchste Leistung abrufen
9:20 - Liegt der Fokus auf Input oder Output?
19:30 - Was bedeutet Fairplay im Business?
33:50 - Mentale Gesundheit im Sport
39:22 - Kurze Abschlussfragen
Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
Über Stefan Lichtsteiner, Alex Frei, Diego Benaglio, Sergio Ermotti:
Sergio P. Ermotti, Group CEO der UBS, ist eine der prägendsten Persönlichkeiten der globalen Finanzwelt. Geboren und aufgewachsen im Tessin, träumte er zunächst von einer Karriere als Fussballprofi, bevor er im Banking seine wahre Leidenschaft fand. Seine beeindruckende Laufbahn führte ihn von der lokalen Corner Bank über Stationen in London und New York bis an die Spitze der UBS. Besonders bekannt ist Ermotti für seine Führungsrolle bei der Integration der Credit Suisse, ein Meilenstein, der ihn sowohl beruflich als auch persönlich herausgefordert hat. Mit klarer Vision und unermüdlichem Einsatz steht er für Leadership, Nachhaltigkeit und soziale Verantwortung – Werte, die er in der globalen Finanzbranche eindrucksvoll vorlebt.
Diego Benaglio, langjähriger Torhüter und Integrationsfigur der Schweizer Nationalmannschaft, ist ein Symbol für Beständigkeit und Professionalität im internationalen Fussball. Aufgewachsen in Zürich, führte ihn seine Karriere von Grasshopper Zürich über Portugal und Deutschland bis zum AS Monaco – mit seiner erfolgreichsten Zeit beim VfL Wolfsburg, wo er Deutscher Pokalsieger und Meister wurde. Als ruhiger Rückhalt auf dem Feld und authentische Persönlichkeit abseits davon steht Benaglio für Disziplin, Loyalität und Teamgeist. Auch nach seinem Karriereende bleibt er dem Fussball verbunden – mit einem besonderen Augenmerk auf die mentale Stärke und nachhaltige Entwicklung von jungen Spielern.
Stephan Lichtsteiner, ehemaliger Captain der Schweizer Nationalmannschaft, zählt zu den prägendsten Figuren des Schweizer Fussballs. Geboren in Adligenswil im Kanton Luzern, entwickelte er früh eine Leidenschaft für den Sport, die ihn von den Jugendmannschaften des FC Adligenswil bis zu internationalen Top-Clubs wie Juventus Turin und Arsenal führte. Lichtsteiner ist bekannt für seine unermüdliche Einsatzbereitschaft, seine Führungsstärke und seine Mentalität als «Mentalitätsmonster» auf dem Platz. Nach seinem Rücktritt engagiert er sich für soziale und sportliche Projekte und bringt seine Erfahrungen zunehmend auch abseits des Rasens ein.
Alex Frei, der Rekordtorschütze der Schweizer Nationalmannschaft, ist eine der markantesten Persönlichkeiten im Schweizer Fussball. Geboren in Basel, prägte er mit seinem Torriecher und seiner Leidenschaft das Spielgeschehen auf nationaler wie internationaler Ebene – unter anderem bei Stade Rennes, Borussia Dortmund und dem FC Basel. Frei war nicht nur als Spieler ein Führungstyp, sondern auch nach seiner aktiven Karriere als Trainer und Fussballexperte aktiv. Mit analytischem Blick, klarer Kommunikation und einem tiefen Verständnis für den Sport setzt er sich für die Entwicklung junger Talente und die Förderung des Schweizer Fussballs ein.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
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Timestamps:
6:21 - How much equity to give up in a Series A
13:32 - How investors assess valuation at Series A/B
17:55 - What makes a good vs. bad investor
26:29 - Why some investors lead founders on
36:50 - Don’t spray and pray: smarter ways to reach investors
This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.
(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)
About Laurent Decrue and Arijana Walcott:
Laurent Decrue is the Co-CEO and CFO at Holycode, a product and engineering powerhouse serving fast-scaling startups. After building and exiting companies like DeinDeal, Bexio, and MOVU, Laurent Decrue now supports founders as an investor, board member, and operator. Laurent Decrue brings real-world startup empathy to every cap table conversation—and a no-BS attitude about what actually moves the needle.
Arijana Walcott is the Founder and General Partner at DART Ventures, where she backs early-stage European startups tackling climate and health challenges. With roots in San Francisco’s tech scene and a sharp eye for scalable impact, Arijana Walcott is on a mission to change how—and why—we invest. Arijana Walcott is also a board member, educator, and startup ecosystem builder focused on helping founders go big instead of going home.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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Timestamps:
3:51 - How T3 Pharma launched a clinical trial
15:44 - When a partner wants to acquire you
30:55 - Selling for more than you expected
44:56 - Why they publicly disclosed the acquisition cost
52:52 - How the company changed post-exit
Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.
About Simon Ittig:
Simon Ittig is the co-founder and CEO of T3 Pharmaceuticals, a company developing bacteria-based cancer therapies. With a background in molecular biology and a PhD from the University of Basel, Simon transitioned from academic research into the high-stakes world of biotech startups.
In this episode, Simon shares how he approached some of the most complex and sensitive aspects of his entrepreneurial journey: how to sell a startup without losing its soul, how to build trust in an industry where confidentiality is currency, and why he chose to stay after his company was acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2023 for CHF 450M.
He also opens up about the emotional calculus founders make — the pressure to execute, the doubts that come with big decisions, and how staying grounded is what really lets you go far.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners. -
Timestamps:
2:49 - How Sherpany got acquired
18:05 - Discounting vs additional free features
23:20 - Should you hire salespeople or marketing people first?
32:03 - Where to hire salespeople
45:47 - The fixed/variable salary split
About Tobias Häckermann, Lars Mangelsdorf & Laurent Decrue:
Tobias Häckermann is the co-founder and CEO of Sherpany, a provider of meeting management software for leadership meetings that was acquired by Datasite in 2024. He holds a Master of Laws from UZH.
Lars Mangelsdorf is the co-founder and CCO at Yokoy, a spending management software company which enables companies to automate their expense and credit card processes using artificial intelligence. Yokoy was acquired by TravelPerk in 2025. Lars previously worked as Senior Account Executive at Beekeeper.
Laurent Decrue is the co-founder of the moving company MOVU and the software company Holycode, and the former CEO at Bexio. Currently he is active as CFO and co-CEO at Holycode. He holds an MBA from the University of Basel and previously worked at DeinDeal.
During their chat with Silvan, Tobias, Lars and Laurent shared their insights on how to scale your sales team from founder-led scales to a fully operational sales army. When asked about KPIs to track early on, they stressed the importance of AE efficiency (2 AEs bringing in 90% of your revenue is bad) and also talked about sales cycles: if your average deal size goes up by 200% but your sales cycle goes up by 400%, you’re clearly doing something wrong.
Laurent recalled a lesson he once learned from a fellow entrepreneur about how discounts, despite their attractively lower pricemark, ultimately signal that you’re giving your customers the same product for less money, which insinuates that you were overcharging them before. Laurent’s friend encouraged him to add additional free features for the same price, instead of lowering the price with discounts.
Still on pricing, Lars shared that since some markets have a competitive price pressure, it may sometimes pay off to go into them with a lower pricing number and increase your price by 15% every year. It’s easier to get people to pay more once you’ve already started to earn their trust. This will allow founders not only to branch out into different markets but also to ultimately increase their deal sizes.
Another topic discussed during this episode was the old chicken and egg problem of whom to hire first: sales or marketing people? Here the guests held different opinions. Laurent said that because you need lead magnets first, you should hire marketing people before sales people. He added that your sales should go from founder-led, to hiring a couple of people to build a really great pipeline, to then hiring a larger number of salespeople. Lars, however, argued that doing sales first allows you to test whether there is a strong demand for your product in the market you’re targeting, and whether your messaging is properly crafted. Finally, Tobias added that marketing is much less relevant for B2B businesses than it is for B2C, since you only need to reach a couple thousand people, as opposed to millions.
When it comes to actually hiring salespeople, Tobias encouraged listeners to start hiring way earlier than necessary “in their head”, meaning that they should build relationships proactively (including with competitors) with the goal of later on acquiring great talent. This is especially important considering that the likelihood of making the wrong hires early on is very strong. He finished by sharing that founders should hire their sales team themselves, instead of outsourcing the job.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io
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Timestamps:
7:51 - Why is entrepreneurship a lonely journey?
13:55 - Comradeship in entrepreneurship
15:04 - Is post-exit depression a thing?
23:56 - Thinking about the meaning of life
26:23 - The social responsibility of founders
This episode was co-produced with EO Zürich. Check out their upcoming event, Entrepreneurs Summit 2025.
Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.
About Ronnie Zemp:
Ronnie Zemp is a serial entrepreneur, startup investor and the current president of EO Zurich. He holds an MBA from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Throughout his career, he has (co-)founded the following companies: RZ Capital AG, bitConsult, notime AG (exited to Swiss Post), OSUISSE AG, RZ Real Estate GmbH, and Tears of Bacchus AG.
During his chat with Silvan, Ronnie talked about the most difficult aspects of being a startup founder. He stressed the loneliness of being an entrepreneur: when you’re your own boss, you’re the ultimate decision marker, responsible for hundreds of employees, and this can really cause quite a bit of anxiety, and even insomnia. When Ronnie sold notime to Swiss Post, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He credits EO for relieving this sense of loneliness by introducing him to many people who have walked the same path.
Ronnie also warned founders not to see exits as the end-all, be-all of entrepreneurship. They happen, sometimes, yes, but not always, and building a cash-generating company that pays dividends is also a great (or perhaps an even better) goal for which to strive.
Ronnie feels it’s natural for founders to require a long time after an exit to be ready to build a startup again, not only because at that point they can financially afford to be picky, but also because having achieved a successful exit makes them wary of damaging their reputation. There’s also a point to be made about how age makes people more risk-averse.
Ronnie’s life was made more complicated by the fact that he lost 4 very close people within the span of 3 months, which really made him reflect about who he is and what he thinks is the meaning of life. Due to all his success, Ronnie feels a social responsibility to give back: he has financed the university studies of several students from abroad, and has spent a great deal of time supporting those closest to him, namely the daughter of his best friend, who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 16 years old.
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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Timestamps:
8:01 - What drew Brynne to entrepreneurship
15:10 - Brynne’s political debut
24:12 - What’s a smart society?
27:05 - Measuring growth as a VC
43:25 - How can you find the right co-founders?
This episode was produced in collaboration with startup days, taking place this year on May 14th 2025. Click here to purchase your ticket.
Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.
About Brynne Kennedy:
Brynne Kennedy is the co-founder and managing partner of Smart Society Ventures, a decarbonization and energy tech investment firm striving to accelerate net zero. She holds an MBA from London Business School, and founded and successfully exited Topia, a company providing technology solutions to manage all forms of employee movement and work location flexibility.
After stepping down from her CEO role at Topia in 2019, Brynne had a brief stint in American politics, running for US Congress in California's 4th Congressional District. She was not elected, and nowadays she’s able to look back with gratitude at that turn of events, considering the current political climate in the US. In 2023 she co-founded Smart Society Ventures, and began her career as a VC in the climate tech space.
Smart Society Ventures strives to build a “smart society” (as the name would indicate), which they define as a society enabled by tech and data to achieve better outcomes and do more with less. Brynne is extremely committed to creating the societal impetus necessary to successfully manage the energy transition. She also co-hosts The Smart Society Show with Former MP and UK Energy Minister Chris Skidmore, where they discuss climate news and scaleups.
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Timestamps:
12:48 - Anyone can have a mental health crisis
26:30 - Creating trust in a mental health tool
29:12 - How to measure mental health
35:48 - Realizing you don’t want to work with a client
40:43 - Earning the SEF.Growth High Potential Label
This episode was co-produced with SEF.Growth, the Swiss Economic Forum's Growth initiative to support Swiss startups and SMEs with growth plans free of charge.
Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.
About Vlad Gheorghiu:
Vlad Gheorghiu is the co-founder and CEO of Kyan Health, an AI-powered enterprise solution that connects employee well-being with measurable business impact. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and worked for Stryker and McKinsey before starting Kyan Health in 2021.
Vlad’s interest in the topic of mental health and wellness came about as the result of a crisis he himself had during his time at McKinsey. After experiencing a panic attack, he sought medical care and took 4 weeks off work. When he returned, he decided to film a short video explaining what had happened to him, which he shared with coworkers who inquired about his absence. The video went viral within the organization and Vlad was then asked to create an employee wellbeing program, which would later become the blueprint for Kyan Health.
Using predictive analytics, Kyan helps companies monitor and reduce risks like absenteeism, turnover, and presenteeism. Notable clients like Hitachi Energy, Hilti, STADA, Deutsche Börse Group, and On have already seen tangible results. Vlad and his team have worked hard to make their tool a trustworthy source of help for employees around the globe, not only by making the app GDPR-compliant but also by making every profile completely anonymous. This ensures employee cooperation and also allows Kyan Health to still derive insights at an organizational level.
Kyan Health was recently awarded the High Potential Label by SEF.Growth.
Resources Mentioned:
Inside Timer
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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Timestamps:
2:29 - How Sami became interested in cinema
11:15 - How to define visions and impact
22:55 - What can Largo.AI actually do?
27:55 - Does AI kill creativity?
53:23 - Largo.AI’s plans for the near future
This episode was co-produced by SICTIC, the leading angel investor network in Switzerland.
Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.
About Sami Arpa & Yunus Erduran:
Sami Arpa is the CEO and founder of Largo.AI, a startup providing next-generation storytelling tools for the audiovisual industry using artificial intelligence. He holds a PhD in Computational Aesthetics from EPFL and was also the co-founder of Sofy.tv, a short film streaming service later acquired by Cosmoblue.
Yunus Erduran is a founder and documentary filmmaker, and one of the first investors of Largo.AI. He holds a BA in Economics from Boğaziçi University (Turkey) and is currently active as Executive Partner at Eğlenceli Bilim, a company offering curriculum-compliant science programs to all educational institutions in Turkey. He’s also the podcast producer and host of arastirmaca, together with his co-host Müge Bakioğlu.
Largo has developed data-assisted intelligence which can be introduced early in the life of a film project, right from script choice and development, through filming, post-production and theatrical release. Largo empowers production companies with data-enhanced ROI uplift and reduction of risk.
Their AI models were trained with 400K+ movies/TV shows, 250K+ commercials, 950K+ talents. Largo’s clients are usually producers and studios (on the film side) and agencies and brands (on the advertising side).
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Timestamps:
6:54 - An investor generating returns for their LP
8:22 - The Swiss startup ecosystem is 18 years old
12:09 - Does big data drive innovation?
19:20 - What if you don’t perform as promised?
21:25 - Dealing with FINMA regulations as a VC
Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.
About Andrea Silberschmidt-Buhofer, Teddy Amberg, David Hug & Tanvi Singh:
Andrea Silberschmidt-Buhofer is the general partner at EquityPitcher Ventures, an early-growth VC firm that focuses on B2B tech startups, and the vice-president of FEM'UP SWITZERLAND. She holds a MSc in Entrepreneurship from the UCL School of Management and is also a startup coach at Venturelab.
Teddy Amberg is the founding partner at Spicehaus Partners, a VC fund that focuses on seed and early stage Swiss tech companies. He holds an MA in Banking and Finance from HSG and worked at Partners Group and CreditGate24 before founding Spicehaus Partners in 2018.
David Hug is the co-founder of Marcau Partners, an investment manager managing Ringier Digital Ventures and Lightbird Ventures AG. He holds a MSc in Entrepreneurial Management from the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Chur and worked at btov Partners and Zürcher Kantonalbank before becoming a VC in 2015.
Tanvi Singh is the founding partner at Nirmata-ai Ventures, a VC fund focusing on AI-driven investments for a sustainable future. She holds a Master’s degree from UZH and worked for banks like Credit Suisse and UBS before founding Nirmata in 2024.
During their chat with our co-host Merle, these 4 VCs shared their best practices for managing a fund. Their tips included:
Being proactive in including your LPs in your fund’s journey by giving them co-investment opportunities and full access to your data room;
Not shortcutting when it comes to compliance and regulatory demands (or you will regret it!);
Underpromising and overdelivering when it comes to the goals you communicate to your LPs, and being transparent with them when something goes wrong, so as to ensure that trust is never broken;
Sticking to your portfolio companies both in good times and in bad — the startup journey is rocky, and your investments need your help!
The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io
Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.
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