14/10/2026
🚀 What if you could get your >>venture>> application started in just one evening?
That’s exactly what we set out to do at our first Starting Line event at EPFL in Lausanne.
We kicked off the evening by introducing the new >>venture>> competition format. No more lengthy business plans to submit upfront: applicants can now apply by filling in one short form, which they can complete in a single evening. The application window is shorter, too: two months instead of five, with applications closing on November 30. Less paperwork, more time to focus on building your startup!
But we didn't want founders to leave with just a better understanding of the new process. We wanted them to leave with their applications underway.
Participants got a front-row seat to real startups being evaluated by real >>venture>> jurors. By hearing the jury's questions, feedback, and reasoning firsthand, founders could better understand what makes a strong application and what the six evaluation criteria really mean in practice.
Then, it was their turn to put those insights to work. Throughout the evening, founders rolled up their sleeves and started working on their answers. When they came up against a tricky question or weren't sure how to approach one of the six evaluation criteria — Innovation, Team, Technology & Product, Market, Sustainability & Impact, and Business — they had the opportunity to turn directly to the people who know the process best: our jurors and experts.
In the Writing Room, they could challenge their thinking, test their answers from a juror's perspective, and work towards a stronger first draft. At the expert booths, they could dig deeper into their questions, get tailored feedback, and learn what makes an application stand out.
The ambition was simple: leave ready to apply. And for those who needed more time, leave with a clearer idea of what to work on and how to prepare a strong application.
And now, we're doing it all over again in Zurich. 🇨🇭
On October 20, we're bringing The Starting Line to ETH Zurich to help the next group of founders take their first steps towards the >>venture>> 2027 competition — and potentially up to CHF 150,000 in non-dilutive funding.
📍 ETH Zurich, CHN Building – Grüner Boden
📅 Tuesday, 20 October 2026 | 6:30–9:30 PM
🎟️ Free to attend, registration required.
Whether you're already building a startup or still turning an idea into reality, bring your questions, work on your application, and leave with a clearer path forward.
🏁 Your Starting Line is in Zurich. Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/venture-the-starting-line-zurich-tickets-2001519358280?aff=socialmedia
