EP #503 - Roland Siegwart: Why ETH Keeps Churning Out Killer Startups

8 snips

Jun 22, 2025

Roland Siegwart, a professor of Autonomous Systems at ETH Zurich and board member of several tech companies, shares insights on the thriving startup culture at ETH. He discusses the importance of marrying academic rigor with startup agility, especially in robotics. Siegwart highlights how ETH attracts talent and funding while guiding innovators from research to commercialization. The conversation also touches on the significance of collaboration between startups and corporates, and the role of networking in driving entrepreneurial success within Switzerland.

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INSIGHT

ETH's Secret Sauce for Success

ETH Zurich's success hinges on attracting top talent and having stable basic funding.
Autonomy and speed in research also allow the university to foster innovation effectively.

ANECDOTE

Senior Mentors Boost ETH Startups

Roland links startups from ETH to senior experienced entrepreneurs who guide young teams.
This mix of youthful energy and seasoned mentorship helps startups focus strategy and succeed.

ADVICE

Focus on Market Pull

Startups should focus on markets with strong needs rather than perfecting products.
Delivering a good-enough product quickly helps gain market traction and iterative improvement.

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Timestamps:

2:48 - Why ETH generates so many startups

7:23 - From research to commercialization

14:00 - Does ETH invest in startups?

21:50 - Perfectionism vs move fast and break things

29:23 - It’s not hard to convince people to work for startups

This episode was co-produced with the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.

Click here to order your copy of “Swiss Startups” today.

About Roland Siegwart:

Roland Siegwart is a professor of Autonomous Systems at ETH Zurich and board member for Sevensense Robotics, NZZ, Komax and Evatec. He has been a visiting scientist at both EPFL and Stanford, and holds a PhD in Mechatronics from ETH Zurich.

During his chat with Silvan, Roland discussed the evolution of ETH Zurich, focusing on its role in fostering startups and innovation. The discussion covered the importance of talent, funding, and the unique environment at ETH that supports research and entrepreneurship.

Roland emphasized the need for a balance between academic rigor and the fast-paced startup mentality, as well as the potential for collaboration between research institutions and the business world.

Silvan and Roland discussed the challenges and opportunities within the startup landscape, emphasizing the need for collaboration between startups and corporates, the significance of purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and the potential for innovation in technology, particularly in robotics.

The cover portrait was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartportrait.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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