Meet Sibille Scherrer, Co-founder of SAPIO GMBH

Tell us about SAPIO GMBH

SAPIO is a Swiss startup that helps schools and companies create and check digital certificates for skills and education. These certificates are secure, easy to share, and impossible to counterfeit. SAPIO uses future-proof technology (Self-Sovereign Identity) and follows Swiss and European rules for digital identity. Our goal is to smoothen the process for people to prove what they know and for companies to find the right talent—quickly, safely, and with full trust.

Please give some more details of your startup story

SAPIO was founded in 2025 by three co-founders after our CEO won the Best Bachelor Thesis Award at HSLU in 2023. We saw a clear need for a better way to issue and verify education and skill certificates. Our platform uses secure, privacy-friendly SSI technology and follows Swiss e-ID and EU eIDAS rules. We help schools and companies share trusted digital credentials that are easy to verify and impossible to fake.

Tell us more about your plans for 2025 and what is your long-term vision.

In 2025, we plan to launch our beta version with Swiss universities and partner companies. Our goal is to test and improve the platform with real users and onboard our first paying customers. We will also release our own wallet to support Swiss e-ID compliance and start expanding into the EU market.

Our long-term vision is to become the leading platform for trusted digital credentials in Europe. We want to build a world where people can prove their qualifications and education instantly, securely, and across borders—empowering better hiring, learning, and mobility.

What has been the biggest success that you have achieved in your startup?

SAPIO won the award for Best Bachelor Thesis Project in Information & Cybersecurity at HSLU in 2023. During our presentation at the START Summit, we attracted hundreds of interested visitors and dozens of companies and startups eager to collaborate with us. By the end of the year, we will be ready to launch several pilot projects.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? What are your biggest learnings?

I believe I would have started much earlier, even though all the industry experts told me the topics were premature—it’s never too early to start a revolution.

What motivates you to continue your business every day?

The chance to build a business that gives back to society and contributes to the education sector. That’s what motivates and drives us—being a support for others.

One piece of advice for someone who is just starting out with their startup?

There’s never a good moment to start — you have to create the moment. Waiting for the “right time” often means never starting at all. Instead, you have to take initiative, create your own opportunities, and shape the moment yourself. Success comes to those who act, not those who wait.

What does it mean to you to be a member of the Swiss Startup Association?
It would mean being part of a community of people that like us, want to contribute to our society and create something new and different.

Would you recommend joining the Swiss Startup Association? Why?

Absolutely – if you believe in what you do and you want to connect with other motivated people, this is the right choice.

Connect with Sibille on LinkedIn!

________________________________________________________

About the Swiss Startup Association

The Swiss Startup Association (SSA) is the umbrella organisation and the voice of Swiss startups. As a sector-independent non-profit organisation, the SSA gives startups a strong voice vis-à-vis politics, business, and works to improve the conditions for startups in Switzerland.
Beyond its political engagement, the SSA fosters a community for startups, recognizing the unique challenges they face. Through networking opportunities, educational sessions, and practical services, the SSA collaborates with industry partners to offer tailored support and valuable resources to guide founders on their entrepreneurial journey.

Join the Swiss Startup Association! Tap into our member benefits, the comprehensive Investor List and get full access to our events. By becoming an SSA Member you enjoy discounted tickets to our Big Founders Dinners and the SSA Founders Day.