Innosuisse — Start-up Innovation Projects
Innosuisse covers up to 70% of direct project costs; the startup contributes at least 30%. No universal project cap is published on the current official page. · Innosuisse (Swiss Innovation Agency) — Switzerland · rolling applications
Innosuisse funding for Swiss start-ups (no research partner required) to carry out application-oriented innovation projects that prepare them for their first market entry. Covers direct project costs of pre-market development. Current lifecycle: rolling. Real economics: Innosuisse covers up to 70% of direct project costs; the startup contributes at least 30%. No universal project cap is published on the current official page..
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Key facts
| Funder | Innosuisse (Swiss Innovation Agency) — Switzerland |
| Amount | Innosuisse covers up to 70% of direct project costs; the startup contributes at least 30%. No universal project cap is published on the current official page. |
| Deadline | Rolling — apply anytime |
| Decision time | No dependable comparable application-to-decision interval was published in the reviewed public corpus. |
| Eligibility | Companies headquartered in Switzerland, established ≤5 years ago, <50 FTE, not yet market-entered. Application-oriented, research-based innovation project. Only the start-up is supported (no research partner needed). |
| Restrictions | Awardees should expect agreement, milestone, expenditure, progress and final reporting plus record-retention or audit obligations; the executed terms control. Support is restricted to the approved project, research, prototype, commercialization, personnel, equipment, vendor or programme costs; unsupported and duplicate-funded costs are excluded. |
| Status | rolling |
Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.
Application process
- Confirm the current call and fit
- Review eligibility and exclusions
- Prepare applicant, project, budget and impact evidence
- Submit through the official route
- Complete merit and due-diligence review
- Execute award terms and milestones if selected
Background
Innosuisse (Swiss Innovation Agency) — Switzerland operates Innosuisse — Start-up Innovation Projects. This pass separates direct cash, repayable finance, credits, incentives and umbrella programs so later ranking does not compare unlike instruments. The official sponsor maintains this instrument for eligible Switzerland applicants or globally eligible teams. The published eligibility describes Companies headquartered in Switzerland, established ≤5 years ago, <50 FTE, not yet market-entered. Application-oriented, research-based innovation project. Only the start-up is supported (no research partner needed).. Public award economics are call-specific and were not converted into an unsupported cash estimate.
How the application really works
Confirm the current call and fit → Review eligibility and exclusions → Prepare applicant, project, budget and impact evidence → Submit through the official route → Complete merit and due-diligence review → Execute award terms and milestones if selected
Tips
- Show direct fit with innovation.
Watch out for
- Current lifecycle is rolling.
- Awardees should expect agreement, milestone, expenditure, progress and final reporting plus record-retention or audit obligations; the executed terms control.
- Support is restricted to the approved project, research, prototype, commercialization, personnel, equipment, vendor or programme costs; unsupported and duplicate-funded costs are excluded.
Track record
- The official sponsor maintains this instrument for eligible Switzerland applicants or globally eligible teams.
- The published eligibility describes Companies headquartered in Switzerland, established ≤5 years ago, <50 FTE, not yet market-entered. Application-oriented, research-based innovation project. Only the start-up is supported (no research partner needed)..
- Public award economics are call-specific and were not converted into an unsupported cash estimate.
The reviewed official corpus does not publish a comparable applicant denominator and acceptance rate for the next call.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this actionable now?
- rolling. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with no tender; applicants should submit at least eight weeks before an Innovation Council meeting.
- What is the real economic value?
- Innosuisse covers up to 70% of direct project costs; the startup contributes at least 30%. No universal project cap is published on the current official page.
- Who is eligible?
- Companies headquartered in Switzerland, established ≤5 years ago, <50 FTE, not yet market-entered. Application-oriented, research-based innovation project. Only the start-up is supported (no research partner needed).
- How does selection work?
- Confirm the current call and fit; Review eligibility and exclusions; Prepare applicant, project, budget and impact evidence; Submit through the official route; Complete merit and due-diligence review; Execute award terms and milestones if selected. No dependable comparable application-to-decision interval was published in the reviewed public corpus.
- What burden and restrictions apply?
- Awardees should expect agreement, milestone, expenditure, progress and final reporting plus record-retention or audit obligations; the executed terms control. Support is restricted to the approved project, research, prototype, commercialization, personnel, equipment, vendor or programme costs; unsupported and duplicate-funded costs are excluded.
- What evidence exists?
- The official sponsor maintains this instrument for eligible Switzerland applicants or globally eligible teams. The published eligibility describes Companies headquartered in Switzerland, established ≤5 years ago, <50 FTE, not yet market-entered. Application-oriented, research-based innovation project. Only the start-up is supported (no research partner needed).. Public award economics are call-specific and were not converted into an unsupported cash estimate. The reviewed official corpus does not publish a comparable applicant denominator and acceptance rate for the next call.
Related grants
Sources
- www.innosuisse.admin.ch/en/funding-for-national-projects — Official programme page reviewed for eligibility, economics, lifecycle and application route (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.innosuisse.admin.ch — Official administering-organization site reviewed for ownership and current context (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.innosuisse.admin.ch/en/start-up-innovation-projects — Current official rolling submission, 70% contribution, eligibility, process, decision time, IP and reporting obligations (checked 2026-08-10)