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.
November 8, 2021: Registration Deadline
December 3, 2021: Formal notification to all selected startups
December 10, 2021: Deadline for the selected startups to accept or decline the IMD offer
Many ventures got lasting value from working with our MBAs and EMBAs. In the most recent Swiss Top 100 report, IMD-supported startups captured 39 of the 100 places, including 3 out of the top 10, and five 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
| Location | EMBA 1st Intake | EMBA 2nd Intake | EMBA 3rd Intake |
| At IMD Lausanne | June 21, 2022 (pm) June 24, 2022 (am) (optional) | May 3, 2022 (pm) May 6, 2022 (am) (optional) | October 4, 2022 (pm) October 7, 2022 (am) (optional) |
| In Palo Alto, California | Sept 11-16, 2022 | Sept 18-23, 2022 | Nov 13-18, 2022 |
| Dates | Description |
| January 21, 2022 | MBA-selected companies meet with their MBA teams at IMD in Lausanne that evening |
| January 22, 2022 | In-company introductory visits for MBA participants at the company's site (wherever possible or desirable) |
| January 21 - April 11, 2022 | MBA-selected companies collaborate with their MBA teams |
IMD business school rankings
At the top of the charts
Our executive education programs are ranked highly by the world's most influential business publications.
Foodetective announces major business partner
Foodetective, the resto tech Swiss start-up announces major partnership with Coca‑Cola HBC Switzerland, the biggest company in the non-alcoholic beverage industry in the country and a franchised bottler of The Coca‑Cola Company. Through technological innovation, both partners are committed to making restaurant operations across both networks, lives and work more manageable for those operating in this industry.
Loop Medical raises USD 6.4M to support US market entry
Swiss healthcare startup Loop Medical reinventing blood collection, has completed a $6.4 million Series A financing round led by German medtech group SARSTEDT and life sciences investor Casdin Capital. Proceeds of the round will go towards U.S. FDA clearance and ramped-up manufacturing of its painless and easy-to-use blood collection device.
Tinamu Labs banks additional funds to accelerate market entry
The Zurich based ETH Spin-off offers a fully digital and remote in- and outdoor inspection system. After deploying the first systems to customers, the startup has concluded its seed funding round with CHF 2.5 million to speed up the time to market.
MindMaze Group Secures USD 125 Million Financing
MindMaze, a global pioneer in the digital neurotherapeutics market, currently collaborates with approximately ninety healthcare providers and has a product portfolio that has received three FDA clearances and four CE marks across eight clinical indications. The proceeds will be used to accelerate commercialization of, and enhance market access for, its neuro-rehabilitation platform in North America and Europe, and expand its neuro-restorative portfolio.
Flowbone osteoporosis local treatment supported by FIT
Founded in 2020, flowbone has developed a bioactive gel for the local treatment of osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones. Directly injected into the areas to be treated, the gel restores bone strength within few weeks and prevents fractures. Thanks to the CHF 100’000 Tech Seed loan from FIT, flowbone will be able to acquire production equipment to pursue the company’s development.
Nomoko takes first step to conquer the EU market
Swiss startup Nomoko has taken an important step forward in its mission to take its Digital Twin solutions for real estate beyond the borders of Switzerland. With the approval of its first SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) application by the Direction de l’Aviation Civile (DAC), Nomoko is conducting its inaugural EU-compliant drone capture service in Luxembourg.
New funding to accelerate Alzheimer’s disease diagnostic platform
Altoida, the pioneer in precision neurology, has obtained funding from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Diagnostics Accelerator, co-founded by celebrated entrepreneurs including Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott, the Dolby family among others.
Blandine Malhet