
Swisspreneur Show
The Swisspreneur Show is a podcast series of in-depth, candid conversations with some of Switzerland’s most successful founders, business leaders and innovators. By getting to the heart of these leaders’ stories - their successes, their failures, their must-have advice and greatest regrets - we hope to both inspire and guide the next generation of Swiss entrepreneurs. Each episode deconstructs and showcases one person’s personal and professional background and provides advice and recommendations for existing and aspiring entrepreneurs in Switzerland.
Latest episodes

Jun 4, 2025 • 40min
EP #499 - Fatemeh Nikayin & Thomas Müller: How to Sell SaaS to Banks
In this engaging conversation, Fatemeh Nikayin and Thomas Müller, co-founders of Rivero, share their journey from the payment industry to launching a groundbreaking SaaS solution for banks. They discuss the challenges of selling to financial institutions, emphasizing the importance of trust and data security. The duo highlights their innovative products for fraud recovery and dispute management, along with their experience bootstrapping to profitability before their Series A funding. Their insights into navigating partnerships with major players like Visa and Mastercard are particularly captivating.

May 28, 2025 • 59min
EP #498 - Philipp Hadjimina: Reaching Language Fluency with an AI Tutor
Timestamps:8:35 - Why enter a crowded market?15:24 - Language learning in AI28:02 - When Univerbal got into YC37:30 - How to get into YC41:00 - Getting 50K+ people to test your prototypeDISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded several months ago, and since then Philipp has left his role at Univerbal. We nonetheless thought the episode was still worth sharing, as it is a great startup story about building an AI language tutor and making it to YC. We hope you enjoy the content!Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.(Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)This episode was sponsored by infinity.swiss, Switzerland’s most advanced AI accounting tool. Save 25% by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.About Philipp Hadjimina:Philipp Hadjimina is the co-founder and former CEO of Univerbal, an AI tutor for language learning and conversation. He holds a MSc in Management, Technology, and Economics from ETH, which he completed in 2022, after which he co-founded Univerbal (then named Quazel).Univerbal empowers language learners to practice new languages by talking with an AI Agent about anything they want in a completely unscripted way. Their product allows specific analysis of the individual learning stage, and can thereby offer tailored feedback and customized suggestions for improvement. Univerbal aims to position itself between traditional language learning apps like Duolingo and Babbel and online tutoring services like Preply and iTalki — retaining the personalized experience of tutoring, but making it as affordable and accessible as a traditional language learning app.Univerbal has raised a total of $2M in funding over 2 rounds, and got into Y Combinator in 2022 (their launch year).The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.

May 25, 2025 • 41min
EP #497 - Nicolas Autret: How to Make Long-Term Startup Investments
Timestamps:7:29 - How does the Swiss ecosystem compare to others?18:09 - Which Swiss scaleups is Nicolas excited about?23:46 - Does Swiss shyness hold us back?30:23 - Investing in companies with long development cycles35:08 - Creating outbound investment opportunities This episode was co-produced with the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation.Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today. Click here to profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)About Nicolas Autret:Nicolas Autret is a partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures, a venture capital firm helping early stage companies in the US, Europe, and Israel build the next generation of category-defining businesses in deep tech. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and was previously a partner at Sofinnova Partners, 360 Capital and Samsung Catalyst Fund before joining Walden Catalyst in 2021.During his chat with Merle, Nicolas explained why he thinks the Swiss ecosystem should not try to replicate the Silicon Valley phenomenon. According to Nicolas, Silicon Valley is a unique ecosystem that’s been around for 60 years, which resulted from a unique recipe for collaboration between academia, investors, entrepreneurs and large corporates. It took decades to mature, first through government funding and then later largely through private funding. The success of Silicon Valley ought to inspire us, says Nicolas, and of course best practices can be derived from it, but we should not try to replicate the exact same phenomenon in Switzerland — a very different country with its unique set of circumstances. Switzerland benefits from excellent universities and is quite strong in terms of deep tech, but it is still maturing as an ecosystem, as are other European startup hubs. Our culture of high performance and high precision differentiates us from the Americans and their “break things” mentality, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Each mindset has its own individual perks.Nowadays, Nicolas is excited about Swiss companies like Scandit, ANYbotics, Ecorobotix and SOPHiA GENETICS. He thinks one major key to accelerating the maturation of the Swiss startup ecosystem (and other European ecosystems) is to allow for more late stage funding.The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.io.Don’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.

May 21, 2025 • 48min
EP #496 - Evelyne Pflugi: How to Quantify and Invest in Innovation
Evelyne Pflugi, co-founder and CEO of The Singularity Group, dives into quantifying innovation for investment. She shares her transition from food science to finance, driven by the allure of the U.S. market. The discussion challenges traditional metrics, emphasizing profitability over R&D spending. Evelyne also highlights the importance of building trust with investors and reflects on the advantages of smaller investment firms. Gender dynamics within her team add another layer to her insights on leadership and innovation strategies.

May 18, 2025 • 38min
EP #495 - Felix & Jianhe Mao: Investing in Startups as Father and Son
Jianhe Mao, a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive experience in MedTech, joins his son Felix Mao, a next-gen investor in Switzerland's startup scene. They discuss how their shared journey shapes their investment strategies and the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship. Notable topics include helping European companies enter China, building AI models to predict fundraising success, and SICTIC’s innovative youth investment program. Their unique perspectives mirror the evolving landscape of startup investing and how young investors can make impactful decisions.

May 14, 2025 • 47min
EP #494 - Ieva Soblickaite: A Cybersecurity Bootcamp in 45 Minutes
Ieva Soblickaite, CPO of NordPass, shares her expertise in cybersecurity with a focus on protecting startups. She explains what a data breach is and the various types of malware, emphasizing their potential dangers. The conversation highlights the financial impact of breaches and the unique cybersecurity challenges startups face. Ieva debunks the myth that infrequent incidents mean strong security, stressing the importance of comprehensive strategies and awareness, especially in a digital age where risks are ever-growing.

May 7, 2025 • 46min
EP #493 - Was Haben Profisport und der Businessalltag Gemeinsam?
Diego Benaglio, a former Swiss national goalkeeper, joins record goal-scorer Alex Frei, UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti, and former team captain Stephan Lichtsteiner for a dynamic discussion. They explore the pressure and performance parallels between sports and business, emphasizing teamwork and resilience. Mental health's importance is highlighted, alongside fair play in both realms. The conversation also touches on navigating setbacks and the significance of risk management, offering valuable insights for anyone striving for excellence.

Apr 30, 2025 • 48min
EP #492 - Laurent Decrue & Arijana Walcott: Fundraising Through the Investor’s Lens — What Founders Get Wrong
Arijana Walcott, Founder of DART Ventures, and Laurent Decrue, Co-CEO and CFO at Holycode, dive into the world of startup fundraising. They discuss how much equity founders should give up during Series A and the nuances of startup valuation that can make or break a deal. They also highlight the differences between good and bad investors, revealing why some may lead founders on. With smart strategies for approaching investors, they emphasize the importance of effective communication and adapting to evolving market dynamics.

Apr 23, 2025 • 1h 7min
EP #491 - Simon Ittig: The CHF 450M Swiss Biotech Exit
Timestamps:3:51 - How T3 Pharma launched a clinical trial15:44 - When a partner wants to acquire you30:55 - Selling for more than you expected44:56 - Why they publicly disclosed the acquisition cost52:52 - How the company changed post-exit Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.About Simon Ittig:Simon Ittig is the co-founder and CEO of T3 Pharmaceuticals, a company developing bacteria-based cancer therapies. With a background in molecular biology and a PhD from the University of Basel, Simon transitioned from academic research into the high-stakes world of biotech startups.In this episode, Simon shares how he approached some of the most complex and sensitive aspects of his entrepreneurial journey: how to sell a startup without losing its soul, how to build trust in an industry where confidentiality is currency, and why he chose to stay after his company was acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2023 for CHF 450M.He also opens up about the emotional calculus founders make — the pressure to execute, the doubts that come with big decisions, and how staying grounded is what really lets you go far.The cover portrait was edited by www.smartportrait.ioDon’t forget to give us a follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.

4 snips
Apr 16, 2025 • 59min
EP #490 - Tobias Häckermann, Lars Mangelsdorf & Laurent Decrue: How to Scale Your Sales Team
Join Lars Mangelsdorf, the Co-founder and CCO of Yokoy, as he shares his expertise in scaling sales teams and maximizing AE efficiency. Tobias Häckermann, Co-founder and CEO of Sherpany, unveils the crucial strategies from his acquisition journey, addressing hiring dilemmas. Laurent Decrue, Co-founder of MOVU and Holycode, emphasizes the essential role of lead magnets in growth. These insights spark a lively discussion on performance metrics and evolving hiring strategies to build an effective sales force.