Swisspreneur Show

Tobias Gunzenhauser, co-founder and former CEO of Yamo—a pioneering FoodTech company focused on healthy baby food—discusses his rollercoaster journey in the industry. He reveals insights into starting with direct-to-consumer sales and navigating the complex food regulations. Tobias reflects on leadership during tough times, including the emotional weight of making difficult decisions, like shutting down operations. He emphasizes the role of transparency and connections with customers while sharing how angel investors shaped Yamo's growth and resilience.

Georges Khneysser, founder of QBIT Capital, shares insights from his journey from Lebanon through trading and banking to venture capital. He discusses why he favors Switzerland over California for startups, emphasizing the discipline and efficiency of the Swiss ecosystem. Georges explains QBIT's unique support model for entrepreneurs, offering extensive mentorship and resources. The conversation also delves into the impact of AI and quantum technology on Switzerland's tech landscape, along with the evolution of investment strategies amid changing market dynamics.

Timestamps:11:40 - The early days of Cerrion 22:39 - Adapting your tech to different environments27:45 - Being obsessed with customer pain points32:15 - Getting into Y Combinator 42:15 - Why would an international company stay in Zurich?Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.About Karim Saleh:Karim Saleh is the co-founder and CEO of Cerrion, a startup developing digital AI workers for the manufacturing industry. He holds a BSc in Information Technology and Electrical Engineering from ETH, and worked at Unicorn Labs and Assaia – The ApronAI before co-founding Cerrion in 2022.Cerrion’s AI workers use standard video cameras to monitor production, detect deviations and respond to them on their own, empowering production teams to make better and more timely decisions. Cerrion’s platform is currently deployed across factories in eight countries, including the USA, Germany, Italy and Turkey, where it has already reduced production losses by over 30% on average.Cerrion participated in Y Combinator back in 2022. During his time in San Francisco, Karim highly valued the fact that YC holds founders accountable to what they say they’re trying to achieve. He was also glad to benefit not only from his batch’s network but from the entire YC community, which includes many top 1% founders. YC perks notwithstanding, Karim still thinks Zurich is the best headquarters for Cerrion, as it boasts a very strong talent density. 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.

Geri Kirilova, Partner at Laconia and venture capital expert, shares insights from her journey in the B2B software space. She discusses Laconia’s unique investment strategy, emphasizing strong unit economics and capital-efficient growth. Geri explains why cold emails are favored over warm intros, challenging conventional networking norms. The conversation touches on the distinct challenges faced by Swiss startups compared to their U.S. counterparts, highlighting the need for a supportive ecosystem to thrive.

Wendy Jordan, co-founder and former COO of Encuentra24, shares her transformative journey in creating Central America's top online marketplace. She discusses the serendipitous inspiration leading to a property database and the challenges of bootstrapping for a decade. Wendy emphasizes the significance of partnership in overcoming obstacles and the innovative advertising strategies that fueled growth. She also reflects on her transition to mentorship and investment roles, advocating for gender equity and the importance of authentic leadership in entrepreneurship.

Simon Michel, CEO of Ypsomed and member of Switzerland’s National Council, shares his journey in the medtech industry. He discusses the evolution of Ypsomed from its roots in insulin delivery to broader chronic care solutions. The conversation dives into the challenges of balancing R&D in Switzerland with manufacturing abroad, the strategy behind going public, and the necessity for political involvement to support entrepreneurs. Michel also reflects on maintaining Swiss values while pursuing global expansion.

Thomas Schori, Co-founder and CEO of tide ocean, transforms ocean-bound plastic into useful products. He discusses the journey from the Swiss watch industry to sustainable waste management, highlighting the urgent issue of plastic pollution. Thomas emphasizes the importance of creating a sustainable value chain and effective recycling processes. He also shares insights on building a dedicated international team and navigating startup financing. Moreover, he reflects on the value of awards in validating business models and the need for a circular economy around plastics.

Manuel Hartmann, Founder and CEO of SalesPlaybook and former Tesla employee, dives into the critical topic of trust in sales. He shares insights on the 'speed of trust' and highlights how AI-driven practices often erode this essential quality. Manuel discusses the need for authenticity in sales communication and the role of CRM solutions in fostering trust. He also addresses the competitive landscape shaped by companies like HubSpot and emphasizes how genuine care and problem-solving can restore trust in sales relationships.

Gian Reto à Porta, a serial entrepreneur and business angel, delves into his journey from co-founding the fintech Contovista to establishing NORM, a climate tech startup. He shares insights on the stunning 33x returns for Contovista investors and discusses the importance of achieving product-market fit in startups. Gian emphasizes the urgency of energy efficiency in the building sector, driven by upcoming regulatory changes. The conversation also touches on the motivations behind starting NORM and the challenges in the climate tech landscape.

Alessandra Agnello, Principal at ACE Ventures, discusses her remarkable transition from oil trading to venture capital. She shares insights on the importance of understanding risk and prioritizing customer engagement over seeking funding. Alessandra emphasizes that not every startup is suited for VC money, highlighting the need for a solid growth structure. She also touches on how AI might shape the future of business funding and reveals how building honest relationships with investors can lead to success in the startup ecosystem.