Switzerland’s leading pre-seed startup program
Fast-track your business in our jam-packed 10-week acceleration program that covers the most important topics,
from team setup to fundraising strategies, in the pre-seed phase.
Take your startup to the next level!
We are not just another startup school, but address the specific challenges of a pre-seed tech startup. Together with our network of industry experts & experienced entrepreneurs, we guide you through the startup jungle and support you in the relevant areas to become investment-ready.
Traction
Together, we define ambitious goals for your time at our accelerator. With the help of our program coaches and mentors, you are going to hunt for leads, LOI’s and contracts in order to prove your value proposition to the world.
Exposure
Tap into Bluelion’s network of investors, corporate partners, and experts in order to connect with key stakeholders and get the attention your startup deserves.
Community
It can be lonely to build up a company from scratch all by yourself. Connect with like-minded founders and meet serial entrepreneurs to exchange with and learn from each other during our well-rounded acceleration program.
Individual Support
No matter if you are looking for a place to work, a deep dive with an industry expert, an intro to a corporate client, or a discount for your favorite SaaS solution: We are listening to your specific needs and are doing our best to help you speed up your game.
Meet the Spring 2023 Batch
Top Tier Investors
Did you know, that more than 90% of investment deals happen through personal networks & intros? That`s why we partnered up with a selection of Switzerland’s finest pre-seed & seed VCs. As a participant in our program, you will be featured on the short list of our investment partners and therefore your startup is guaranteed to be carefully looked at.
BTOV Partners
Lightbird
Lightbird is a trusted, nimble and reliable partner that accompanies European founders on the roller-coaster ride of what it is to be an entrepreneur. We invest in the most intense period of a company’s life – the early stage.
Fields:
Redalpine
Founded in 2006, Redalpine is a leading European Venture Capital investor based in Switzerland with offices in Zurich and Berlin. The fund has more than CHF 1bn in Assets under Management and invests in ICT and Life Sciences, with a highly disciplined and sector-agnostic approach.
Fields: ICT, Health
Session.vc
Founded in late 2019 by Martin Altorfer and Philippe Bubb, session.vc is a Swiss based early stage investor that backs bold entrepreneurs in the B2B Software and Consumer space in the DACH region.
Fields: B2BSaaS, deeptech, consumertech
Wingman Ventures
Wingman Ventures is Switzerland’s leading pre-seed fund backing founder teams building tech companies with the potential to become global market leaders.
Fields: Tech (B2B software, industrial technology, consumer tech)
What to expect
Community
Become part of the Bluelion community and meet like-minded peers, former program participants and many more.
Tangible Input
Benefit from our hands-on training and individual support for the duration of the program.
Workspace
While on the program, you will receive a free workspace in our newly opened Startup Hub near Zurich Hardbrücke.
Demo Day
The program ends with a public demo day where you can pitch your idea exclusively to leading business angels and pre-seed investors.
What our founders say
“Bluelion has a great network and team supporting start-ups in an early stage. The 10-week program shaped our ideas, goals, and direction with direct feedback from experienced entrepreneurs.”
“The Bluelion Acceleration Program was very valuable for Haplomind for the outstanding content, network and even in getting us a new team member!”
“It’s not just another startup acceleration program, it’s the one that got us found, that got our team up and running for market entry and growth. If you are the next unicorn, you should take part.”
What to bring along
Scalable Idea
You work on a scalable tech idea in a future-oriented industry.
Skillset
Your co-founding team has the skills and industry knowledge to drive the idea forward.
Prototype
You have built an initial prototype that you can test with potential users.
Fundraising
You want to close an external financing round within the next 12 months.
Applications for the Spring 2023 batch are open now
Want to be part of the Bluelion community and take the next step in your entrepreneurial career? Great, we are currently looking for motivated entrepreneurs for the fall edition of our acceleration program, which starts in April.
Applications for the Spring 2023 batch are closed now
Thank you for your interest in the Bluelion Acceleration Program. The registration phase is currently closed and we are carefully reviewing all submissions.
Timeline
Start Application
Close Application
SELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT
KICKOFF PROGRAM
DEMO DAY
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bluelion Acceleration Program is not just another startup school but is geared toward highly skilled professionals who want to launch their own businesses. Accordingly, we have designed the program specifically to meet the needs of working professionals in terms of content, style, and structure.
The program is free of charge for the participants and is financed by our partners. There is also no need to relinquish a stake in the company. In return, we require full commitment from the participants for the entire duration of the program.
All events take place on-site in Zurich. If you are unable to attend on a particular day, we will make sure you can join us online.
The acceleration program is conducted twice a year, in spring and fall. The spring batch is expected to take place between calendar weeks 15 – 24 and the fall batch between calendar weeks 40 – 49. For detailed times, see the timeline above. Applications are only open for the next batch.
If accepted into the program, we expect you to be present at 80% of all acceleration days, with the kickoff (13.04.2023) and the demo day (08.06.2023) being mandatory for all participants. Furthermore, we expect you to meet the specified deadlines and demonstrate full commitment to the program. We reserve the right to exclude participants who fail to meet our expectations from the program.
While it is possible to complete the program alongside a regular job, we do not recommend it. The program includes a training day that takes place every Thursday for 10 weeks (kickoff and demo day inclusive). Although it is technically possible to be present only one day per week, you will benefit most from the program if you can work on your startup every day.
After the submission deadline, we will review all applications and conduct a pre-selection based on the above requirements. We will then contact the shortlisted candidates directly to arrange a 30-minute interview to get to know you better and learn more about your business idea (calendar weeks 11 & 12). The final decision will be announced in calendar week 14.
Track Record
Startups
So far, we have accompanied 30 tech startups on their entrepreneurial journey.
Funding rate
More than 2/3 of LikeMinded alumni have received external funding within the first 6 months of completing the program.
Recommendation rate
All of our alumni rated the program with a score of at least 9 out of 10 on the NPS scale.
Our Alumni
