

EP #520 - Wanja Humanes: From Lab to Launch: How Kickfund Backs Switzerland’s Brightest Ideas
Sep 21, 2025
Wanja Humanes, CEO of Kickfund and an experienced investor, shares insights on transforming Swiss deeptech startups from lab to market. He discusses the powerful synergy between Venture Kick and Kickfund, enabling startups to secure up to CHF 1 million in non-dilutive grants and funding. Wanja elaborates on the practical, founder-friendly strategies of Kickfund, emphasizing a flexible co-investment approach that nurtures innovation without micromanagement. This conversation offers a masterclass for aspiring founders and investors alike.
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Flexible Investing Beats Rigid Theses
- Wanja learned to balance thematic conviction with opportunistic flexibility in investing.
- He warns rigid theses blind investors to high-quality opportunities outside their scope.
Co-Invest And Nurture Relationships
- Co-invest alongside other investors instead of always leading rounds to leverage expertise and relationships.
- Nurture founder and investor relationships since timing and coordination matter for follow-on rounds.
How VentureKick Works
- VentureKick runs a nine-month program for academic founders with three jury checkpoints.
- Graduates receive CHF150,000 in mixed non-dilutive grants and convertible loans to kick-start their companies.