Swiss ‘Market entry camps’

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Market Entry Camps are specialized programs designed to help Swiss startups accelerate their international expansion and market entry into new countries.
What are the main aims and objectives?

The primary objectives of the camps include helping participants implement their go-to-market strategies, strengthen local networks, and establish connections with potential clients, partners, distributors, and investors in the target market. The ultimate goal is to enable Swiss startups to validate their business models, optimize their product-market fit, and build a strong foundation for international growth in some of the world's most dynamic innovation hubs.

How does the program work?

These camps, typically lasting up to three months, are offered by Innosuisse in partnership with Swissnex and are available in various innovation hubs worldwide, including Boston, New York, San Francisco, Brazil, China, India, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

The camps are open to Swiss startups enrolled in the Innosuisse startup coaching program or those that have been awarded the Innosuisse certificate within the past three years. Acceptance into the program is based on the startup's quality, maturity, and fit for the respective market. Once accepted, startups work with Swissnex to develop a tailored market entry program, which includes virtual meetings and travel to the chosen location.

During the camp, participants receive individualized support to implement their go-to-market strategies, strengthen local networks, and establish connections with potential clients, partners, distributors, and investors in the target market. The program provides startups with desk space, strategic guidance, and access to local expertise, helping them navigate the challenges of entering new markets and understanding local business cultures.

Startups also receive a stipend to cover travel and accommodation expenses, allowing them to visit the selected location during the chosen time frame. This on-site experience is crucial for validating business models, optimizing product-market fit, and building a strong foundation for international growth.

The Market Entry Camps are designed as a follow-up to the Market Validation Camps, which offer a shorter, one-month program for testing business ideas and developing initial market entry strategies. It is recommended that startups complete the Market Validation Camp before applying for the Market Entry Camp, ensuring they have a solid understanding of the target market before committing to a longer-term expansion effort.

What is the overall cost?

There is no information available on the running cost of the camps. 

How was it implemented?

The Swiss Market Entry Camps program was created as part of a broader initiative by Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency, to support the internationalization of Swiss startups. Recognizing the limited size of the Swiss market and the importance for startups to think globally from the outset, Innosuisse launched internationalization camps to offer early-stage Swiss startups a first step into important foreign markets.

In partnership with Swissnex, Switzerland's global network connecting the country to the world in education, research, and innovation, Innosuisse developed two types of startup camps: the Market Validation Camp and the Market Entry Camp. These camps were designed to help Swiss startups connect with thriving ecosystems in the world's leading innovation hubs and establish a foothold in new markets abroad.

The camps were integrated into Innosuisse's broader startup support ecosystem, which includes the Innosuisse startup coaching program.

What impact has been measured?

More than 600 startups enrolled in the Innosuisse coaching program have benefited from these internationalization opportunities

Additionally, analysis found that: 

  • Approximately half of the participating startups (49%) expanded their business network in the target country
  • In the field of academic research relations, nearly two-thirds (62%) of participants expanded their academic network
  • 24% of participating startups and scale-ups developed new products, services, and commercial activities as a result of using Swissnex services.
  • 17% of participants successfully sold services or products in the target country, directly benefiting their economic growth
Notes + Additional Context

About Overseas Expansion Policy Tools:

To make overseas expansion less daunting and help startups find their feet in a new country, several governments provide overseas ‘springboards’ – bases from which they can connect with the local ecosystem and explore the market, often in the company of compatriots facing the same challenges. Although these are usually funded by national bodies, they could potentially be replicated without national support, via bilateral agreements between cities. 

Read more about this type of policy instrument in Nesta's Idea Bank for Policymakers.

CURATED BY

Siddharth Bannerjee

Researcher, Digital Startups
Nesta
United Kingdom