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Our executive education programs are ranked highly by the world's most influential business publications.
IMD Startup Competition 2022 /2023
THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER 2023 FOR THE NEXT EDITION!
IMD Startup News
*2020 EMBA Startup winner*
Comphya receives approval for first long-term implantation clinical trial
Australian regulatory authorities have approved the pilot clinical trial for CaverSTIM in patients undergoing prostatectomy. This will be the first long-term implantation clinical trial of CaverSTIM.
*2015 EMBA Startup winner*
New strategic investor for Flyability
Chevron is joining the ranks of Flyability strategic investors, along Cargill and Dow. The American oil and gas giant works since 2016 with the Swiss Startup. The new investment is an extension of the C Series Round of CHF 15M announced last year.
*2015 MBA Startup winner*
Verity raises CHF30 million to scale-up rollout of autonomous inventory drone system
Verity AG, creators of the first commercially successful inventory tracking solution powered by fully autonomous indoor drones, today announced completion of a 30M CHF Series B funding round led by A.P. Moller Holding. This funding allows Verity to quickly scale up operations to address the growing backlog of deployments with systems already installed in 30 sites across 13 countries on 3 continents.
*2022 Evonik Startup Winner*
CHF1.2 million to give robots a sense of touch and enable autonomous learning
AICA aims to make robotics accessible to companies of all sizes by using Artificial Intelligence to automate manufacturing processes that are complex and hard for people to accomplish. The CHF 1.2 million round will allow the company to bring its robotics software into production during 2023 and expand its activities internationally.
*2023 EMBA Startup winner*
Bearmind raises CHF 1.3M to thrive
Founded in 2021, Bearmind is helping high-impact sports teams control the number of concussive hits athletes receive, thus reducing the risk of long-term brain damage. The startup just closed a CHF 1.3 million seed round to consolidate its efforts on pursuing clinical validation and establishing lasting collaborations in the Swiss National League.
*2022 EMBA Startup winner*
Sonix makes its mark in large US Gaming Event
SONIX, the Swiss startup formerly known as TYXIT creates an ultra-low-latency software and app that meets the demands of pro gamers, made its U.S. debut by providing its technology to one of the largest scholastic gaming events in the USA. This first use in the U.S follows successful partnerships in France and Switzerland
*2023 EMBA Startup winner*
CHF 1.3M to develop Qaptis mobile carbon capture tech
Valais based Qaptis has successfully closed its pre-seed round with participation of best-in-class investors including commodities giant Cargill, BlackWood and YB Startup. Its CO2 capture device aims to decarbonize freight transport and supply chains. Retrofitted on heavy vehicles, it is projected to be one of the first mobile devices of its kind.
*2012 EMBA Startup winner*
Mindmaze launches a first-of-a-kind medical device for hand therapy solution
MindMaze, a global pioneer in AI-driven digital neurotherapeutics, has launched its proprietary medical device Izar in the US and Europe. Izar is a first-of-its-kind, FDA-listed and CE-marked smart peripheral for patients with impairment in hand motor function. Leading global centers in the US, UK and New Zealand are already using the device.
Seize your chance now!
Could your startup benefit from highly talented, experienced and motivated individuals who have been carefully screened to participate in two of the most selective and rigorous business programs in the world?
If so, this competition provides a unique opportunity for you to get the help and insights of participants in IMD’s MBA and Executive MBA programs.
This offer is open to all Swiss-based startups and runs in collaboration with the Swiss government's Innosuisse-Swiss Innovation Agency, VentureKick, MassChallenge Switzerland, Verve and Amazon Web Services.
We select up to 38 different startups to work with IMD MBAs and Executive MBAs.
We are looking for early-stage companies that have a solid chance of market success, have a team that is curious and willing to open themselves up to a small group of management "students", are pleased to enter into both strategic and business model discussions, and can provide a good learning opportunity for our participants with timing that aligns with the IMD programs.
2023 date tbd, 5pm CET: Registration Deadline
2023 date tbd: Formal notification to all selected startups
2023 date tbd: Deadline for the selected startups to accept or decline the IMD offer
Grow your business, test your concepts, get new insights:
work with our MBA and EMBA participants
Many ventures got lasting value from working with our MBAs and EMBAs. In the most recent Swiss Top 100 report, IMD-supported startups captured 28 of the 100 places, including 2 out of the top 10, and six of the top 25 scaleups! Do you want to be in that group next year?
As additional support for Swiss startups, and to help the Swiss entrepreneurial ecosystem, winners of the IMD Startup Competition will now receive a CHF 5,000 Startup Scholarship to be used to participate in any of IMD's online or open programs!
And this year we’re pleased to announce that Amazon Web Services is partnering with us once again and will support the winners of the IMD Startup Competition: “From Airbnb to Zocdoc, the world's top startups build on AWS. But they didn't do it alone. So whether you need help solving a technical challenge, hiring the right engineers, or finalizing a fundraising round, AWS has all the resources you need to get started. There’s a reason more startups build on AWS than any other provider: AWS is there to help you succeed, from inception to IPO. With this partnership, the Startups winning the IMD Startup Competition get access to the network of opportunities through AWS Startups.
Recent Winners of the Startup Competition
Boost your chances of funding and success
Get fresh input on your business ideas
Gather new information with the help of IMD talent
Executive MBA project opportunity
- Up to eighteen startups will be chosen to work with three Executive MBA classes
- Split into small teams each working with a dedicated startup, our EMBAs help analyze and challenge your business plans and company strategies
- Their ultimate goal is to make a pitch on your behalf to venture capitalists and angels in Silicon Valley in September or November (with the presence of your founders)
| Location |
EMBA 1st Intake (Dec 2024 graduating class) |
EMBA 2nd Intake (Apr 2025 graduating class) |
EMBA 3rd Intake (Sept 2025 graduating class) |
| At IMD Lausanne |
2024 date tbd |
2024 date tbd |
2024 date tbd |
| In Palo Alto, California | 2024 date tbd |
2024 date tbd |
2024 date tbd |
*Subject to change
MBA project opportunity
- Up to 20 startups will receive the support of our MBA class
- Split into small teams, each working with a dedicated startup, our MBAs put in an average of 6-8 hours per person on this project each week, for a total support of at least 500-600 work-hours
| Dates | Description |
| 2024 dates tbd | MBA-selected companies meet with their MBA teams at IMD in Lausanne that evening |
| 2024 dates tbd | In-company introductory visits for MBA participants at the company's site (wherever possible or desirable) |
| 2024 dates tbd | MBA-selected companies collaborate with their MBA teams |
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