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🤖🇨🇭 What is Apertus — and why should startups care?

In this interview, Oleg, Community Manager of the Apertus project, introduces Switzerland’s flagship AI initiative: a large language model trained at the Swiss Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) as part of the Swiss National AI Initiative.

Built to reflect Swiss values and technical excellence, Apertus has been available globally since September and is already actively used and further developed in Switzerland and beyond. 🌍

And here’s the opportunity 👇

We’re awarding a Spotlight Award of CHF 50,000 to the startup that best leverages Apertus in its solution. ✨

If you’re building with AI and using Apertus in a bold, innovative way, this is your chance to stand out and gain visibility.

Apply, show us what you’re building, and let’s put your startup in the spotlight. 🚀

Hey startups! We're kicking off a new Q&A series about the >>venture>> startup competition here in Switzerland, answering the most common questions we get.

First up: How early is too early to apply, and what do you mean by early-stage startups?

Short answer? It's never too early to apply.

If you've registered your startup within the past 2 years, you officially qualify as "early-stage". But even if you're earlier than that, meaning that you are still in the idea phase, you can (and should) apply. You can apply more than once, so give it a shot ― every application receives written feedback from experts.

So really, you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Do you have questions you would like us to answer? Drop them below 👇

And if you're building something innovative, this is your sign to apply! Applications close on February 25, 2026 ⏱️

🎤What an inspiring evening yesterday in Bern!

💡In partnership with the Innovation Office of the University of Bern and Berner Fachhochschule, we organized an Open Mic Night and welcomed 13 brave startups to the stage. Each startup delivered a sharp 90-second elevator pitch and received direct, honest feedback from our expert jury.

It takes courage to step up, share your idea, and open yourself to critique. A huge thank you to all the founders who did exactly that 👏 Your energy, ambition, and openness made the evening truly special.

We’re equally grateful to our jurors: Janene Liston, Christoph Frechen, Marc Anken, and Veronique Stephan, for sharing their time, insights, and thoughtful feedback with the teams.

The atmosphere was warm, dynamic, and full of genuine entrepreneurial spirit. We hope the startups left feeling even more empowered and confident✨🚀

If you were in the room and felt that spark, now’s the moment. Applications are still open until February 25!✨

⏳ Only 2 weeks left until our final submission deadline! Which also means: only two weeks left to register for the Spotlight Award!

Haven't heard about our Spotlight Award yet? It's a CHF 50,000 prize spotlighting a startup showing outstanding innovation around a yearly theme — plus major visibility in Switzerland’s startup ecosystem. This year, the Spotlight Award will go to the startup that best leverages Apertus, the open LLM developed by ETH & EPFL. If Apertus is core to your product, this one’s for you.

🎤 Want to learn more about Apertus and what “sovereign AI” actually means? Today, from 14:00–15:30, Martin Jaggi (Swiss AI Initiative) — who joined our Apertus fireside chat during GEW — will speak on a panel about open AI models at the EPFL AMLD Intelligence Summit 2026.
📍 Swiss Tech Convention Center, Lausanne — Garden 3ABC

Don't miss the chance to maybe take home CHF 50K! 💰 Apply now at www.venture.ch 🚀

🚨 Only 3 weeks left to submit your application for the 2026 edition of Switzerland's leading startup competition! 🚨

What is the >>venture>> startup competition?
>>venture>> is an annual competition that supports innovative early-stage startups. We are on the lookout for groundbreaking ideas with the potential to disrupt industries and create lasting impact. Whether you're in tech, healthcare, sustainability, or any other field, we want to hear from you!

Why shoud you participate?
💰 Up to CHF 150'000 in non-dilutive prizes
🕸️ Access to our vast network of experts
🧑‍🏫 Mentoring opportunity
👔 Possibility of winning a business consulting package from McKinsey & Company
🔗 Connect with potential investors
👁️ Visibility and recognition for your startup
🆓 Application is free

📆 Submission deadline: February 25, 2026

📝 How to apply – visit our website at www.venture.ch/participate and click on ‘Apply now’. Don't hesitate to go through our Playbook before filling in your application.

Spread the word and tag your entrepreneurial friends who are ready to venture forward. 🏃‍♂️

🎉 The winner of our Early Bird Offer has been selected! And it is...

1delta 🎉

Congratulations to this Zug-based startup that's making advanced crypto features easier to use by bringing multiple complex systems together into one simple interface.

As our Early Bird winner, 1delta takes home CHF 1,000 in non-dilutive funding―and this may just be the beginning. They could also make it as semi-finalists in the Business & Finance vertical 👀

But the competition is far from over! Every participant still has a chance to become a semi-finalist in their vertical. If you haven't submitted your application yet, you still have until February 25, 2026 to do so! And if you've already applied, you can still fine-tune your submission right up until the final deadline!

👉 Learn more about our first winner of the 2026 edition: https://1delta.io/

Thank you to all the startups who submitted their applications early ― we can't wait to receive the next ones!

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NEWS

Startup entrepreneurs need to think boldly

Characteristics of a winning startup business case

Startup entrepreneurs who succeed are fast, focused and passionate

Business cases that solve real problems are key

Beyond technology: investors are interested in financial models and strong teams

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NEWS

Startup entrepreneurs need to think boldly

Characteristics of a winning startup business case

Startup entrepreneurs who succeed are fast, focused and passionate

Business cases that solve real problems are key

Beyond technology: investors are interested in financial models and strong teams

​

Instagram

About us

Resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Join our mailing list to learn about the competition, upcoming events, resources, and more.

Contact us