Future of Health Grant Program – Switzerland

The program will help digital health startups boost their innovation by providing them with the resources and funding they need to progress. The program is designed to be flexible, so that startups can receive the funding they need as they progress through the different stages of their development. This will allow them to retain control of their companies and continue to innovate and grow without diluting their ownership.

The program is a great opportunity for digital health startups to get the funding they need to boost their innovation and growth.

Funding Information

• Level 1: The “Ignition” Grant – 10’000 CHF
  • Pitch your startup idea in front of a jury composed of CSS and EPFL Innovation Park representatives, Innovation experts, healthcare providers from Switzerland, and get CHF 10’000 without equity or interest to support and kick your venture idea! 10 projects awarded per year.
  • Duration: 3 months
• Level 2: The “POC” Grant- 30’000 CHF
  • Present your startup, business plan, in front of a jury composed of investors, head of innovation from corporates and healthcare providers and get CHF 30’000 without any equity or interest. This grant is here to help you to develop your product, prototype, creating a proof of concept. 5 startups awarded per year.
  • Duration: 6 months
• Level 3: The “Validation” Grant – 50’000 CHF
  • Last stage before accessing to the CSS Corporate Venture Fund. Get the chance to get backed and supported by the number one basic insurance company in Switzerland with a grant of CHF 50’000. This grant supports the development of a user validation or clinical trials in collaboration with users and healthcare professionals. 2 startups awarded per year.
  • Duration: 12 months

Added Value of the Grant

• Born from a joined initiative from EPFL Innovation Park and CSS insurance, this grant aims to provide to the startup the needed small boost to better define your business model, create your proof of concept, and finally validate the startup with healthcare providers.
• The grant is divided in 3 phases according to your current state of development, you can join any time for any stages.
• Digital health startups includes wearable devices, mobile health, telehealth, health information technology, telemedicine and any startups that enhance the efficiency of healthcare delivery and to make medicine more personalized and precise for a better future.
  • Grant money: up to 90’000CHF for your startup
    • Divided in 3 phases, 10K, 30K and 50K, this grant money is here to support your project, develop your prototype, MVP, and validate it with healthcare service providers like hospitals and clinics. They put you in contact with them to implement your service and product directly in the healthcare ecosystem!
  • Tailored coaching and training
    • Innovation is not your core competency? They will coach you on specific health innovation topics as you need it. The pool of startup coaches are here for you.
  • Practical professional services
    • In addition to the grant money and coaching, with the wide range of experts in the pool of EPFL Innovation Park and CSS, they can help you by providing you a C-X-O as a service. Need a CFO to manage the financial aspects of the startup? You need a Chief Product Officer to complete your MVP? They think they can borrow it to you.
  • Mentor & strategic partners
    • Professionals from the healthcare industry give feedback on the reality of the market, the application of the solutions and open their network.

Who can apply?

• The 3-level grant program will benefit all early stage digital health projects, from the individual PhD still in a lab and wannabe-entrepreneur, to seed-stage startup building its solution.
• If you have a startup project (incorporated or not) in Switzerland, and you are active in the domain of digital health, yes! It includes all the startups in the domains of mHealth, health information technology, wearable devices, telehealth/telemedicine, personalized medicine and more.

For more information, visit CSS.