Innosuisse Innovation Mentoring

Securing innovation funding can be overwhelming. I provide hands-on guidance to help Swiss businesses cut through the noise and create winning proposals that secure the innovation funding needed to turn their ideas into reality.

What you will get working with me:

Reality Check for Your Innovation Project: A deep-dive assessment of your project, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and gaps relative to Innosuisse criteria. A strategic sounding board to refine your project and ensure alignment with your vision.

Optimal Funding & Partners: Guidance to identify the most suitable funding instruments and connect with leading project partners.

Strong Project Proposal: Crafting a compelling, well-structured application that maximises your chances of securing funding. Strategic advice and hands-on refinements to bulletproof your narrative and ensure alignment with Innosuisse criteria for all Innosuisse funding instruments:
– Innosuisse Startup Innovation Project (SIP)
– Innosuisse Innovation Project
– Innosuisse Innovation Cheque

Why Work with Me?

With a background in engineering and entrepreneurship, I blend technical expertise with hands-on business experience. As Innosuisse-accredited innovation mentor, I’ve helped 100+ businesses secure innovation funding and turn bold ideas into reality. I also serve on the board of Startup Weekend Switzerland, supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.
🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are we eligible for Innosuisse support?

To qualify for Innosuisse funding, your business or innovation project must demonstrate the following:
✅ Value Creation – Your project should deliver substantial and scalable commercial or societal benefits, whether through scalability, new revenue streams, or measurable impact on societal and environmental challenges. Your organisation must already have, or have a credible plan to build, the technical and business capabilities required to bring the innovation successfully to market.
✅ Innovation – Your solution must stand out clearly from the status quo and existing competing alternatives. Innovation projects must be grounded in research and demonstrate genuine innovation rather than incremental improvements. Pure software engineering or “LLM wrappers” do not qualify.
✅ Project Quality – Proposals are evaluated on the clarity of project objectives, a realistic timeline, a robust budget, effective risk management, and a coherent intellectual property (IP) strategy.

What types of companies do you work with?

I work with technology-driven SMEs and startups that challenge the status quo through cutting-edge innovation and tackle important real-world issues. My focus is on businesses with strong potential for positive impact.
While I support projects across sectors, my core interests lie in CleanTech, Preventive Healthcare, and EdTech.
Language should not be a barrier. I’m fluent in English, German, French, and Spanish, with a solid understanding of Italian.

Which funding instruments and grants can you help with?

I have supported more than 80 successful innovation funding applications, including Innosuisse Innovation Projects, Innosuisse Start-up Innovation Projects (SIP), Innosuisse Innovation Checks, Eurostars Calls, Bilateral Calls, and various sector-specific grants.
I help you identify the most suitable funding instrument for your project and craft a compelling proposal to maximize your chances of success.

When is the right time to start with Innovation Mentoring?

You don’t need to have project partners, funding instruments, or even a draft proposal in place yet. We can shape all of that during the mentoring process.
What matters most is your readiness to commit, engage actively in the process, and invest the effort needed to take your innovation to the next level.

Count with at least 1–2 months before submission to build a solid foundation and craft a strong proposal.

To ensure depth and quality, I don’t take on last-minute requests close to the submission deadline.

What is the cost of Innovation Mentoring?

If your Swiss business has fewer than 250 full-time equivalents (FTEs) and meets the eligibility criteria, you may qualify for Innosuisse-funded Innovation Mentoring at no cost to you.
To apply, visit Innolink and select “Create Initial Assessment application.” When applying, it helps if you briefly share your expectations for the mentoring or simply send me a short email with this context. Since I can only take on a limited number of businesses, I carefully select the projects I work with to ensure we are a strong fit.

For larger businesses exceeding the 250 FTEs threshold, I offer my services on a paid basis. Get in touch to explore how I can support your goals.

Is my startup eligible for the Start-up Innovation Project (SIP)?

The Start-up Innovation Project (SIP) is one of Innosuisse’s most attractive and competitive funding instruments.

Your startup may be eligible if:
✅ It has strong potential for scalable value creation.
✅ You understand the market and your customers need, and have a credible go-to-market plan.
✅ You are not yet commercially active with a fully developed product – SIP is designed as the “final push” to first market entry. Sales of early prototypes may still be acceptable.
✅ You can cover at least 30% of project costs with own funds (cash or binding investor commitments).

If this sounds like your startup, reach out to me. I’ll help you craft a compelling SIP proposal and make sure your pitch is bullet proof to maximize your chances of approval.

References

Ready to take the next step?

I’d be glad to learn more about your business and the drive behind your pursuit of innovation funding and mentoring. Reach me at hc.ot1776594067ta@em1776594067oclew1776594067 and let’s explore how to turn your vision into a success story.