Discovering Ticino’s Startup Ecosystem: Small Region, Big Moves

Ticino isn’t the loudest player in Switzerland’s startup scene, but it’s quickly becoming one of the most effective. With strong infrastructure and a strategic location at the heart of Europe, Ticino has become a serious launchpad for innovation. In one of the latest webinars we unpacked what makes the region tick, from its academic excellence and growing investor network to structured public support and no-nonsense accelerators.

Innovation that’s not just talk

It’s easy to call something an ecosystem – harder to build one that actually works. Ticino has done just that. Twice ranked in the top 10 of the EU Regional Innovation Scoreboard, and second only to Zurich in Switzerland, the region is proving that its small size is no limit. Strong links to ETH Zurich, the Switzerland Innovation Park, and a clear roadmap from research to market make it a compelling home base, especially for science-driven startups.

What’s powering the region

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

• Fondazione Agire coordinates the Regional Innovation System – connecting founders, investors, and infrastructure with tight coordination.
• Ticino Technopole provides flexible scale-up space, where residents have already raised CHF 85M+.
• Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) offer academic firepower with research strengths in AI, life sciences, and data science, as well as structured support for startups and spin-offs
• CSCS in Lugano hosts one of the top 10 supercomputers worldwide, boosting data-heavy deep tech ventures.
• Ticino’s Innovation Act provides direct financial support of up to CHF 1M to qualified startups – on top of national Innosuisse programs.
• Tax incentives make investing in startups here more attractive and founder-friendly.

Boldbrain: The Accelerator that delivers

Ticino’s flagship accelerator, Boldbrain Startup Challenge, goes beyond coaching slides and networking nights. Startups are challenged to present their ideas clearly, iterate fast, and grow intentionally. The format is competitive, time-compressed, and brutally useful, as Francesco Elio, CEO & Co-Founder of Deutelio, shares:

What startups get:

• 30 hours of hands-on coaching
• Workshops on value proposition, finance, pitching, IP, legal, sustainability
• National-level exposure
• Cash prizes for a total value of CHF 120’000, and more than CHF 90’000 in kind as well as follow-on support

Startups like InVirtuoLabs, which originated from the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence (USI-SUPSI), have moved from this program into incubation at the USI Startup Centre and are now entering the growth mode with major rounds and institutional partnerships.

The USI Startup Centre: From lab to launch

The USI Startup Centre focuses on three key pillars to foster entrepreneurship within the academic community: incubation programme, entrepreneurship education and community building.  Its startup incubator is designed for early-stage science-driven ventures, mainly in the Life Sciences and ICT sectors. Selected startups in the pre-seed and seed stage get paired with dedicated vertical coaches and receive hands-on support on key topics, including IP strategy, fundraising, governance, and communications. It’s not just a resource hub-it’s a launch framework. The incubator accepts applications on a rolling basis and typically supports around 20 high-potential startups at any given time.

They’re also an official training partner of Innosuisse, organizing numerous courses, workshops and events in the region to help founders build business fundamentals from the ground up. Whether you’re just exploring an idea or already pitching to investors, there’s structured help to move forward.

It’s working, and it’s real.

Startups like InVirtuoLabs, which uses generative AI for drug discovery, shared how the ecosystem helped them go from concept to viable business fast-cutting months of validation and networking into weeks. Their feedback: Ticino delivers value, not hype.

The region’s strength lies in its clarity: quick access to people who can help, focused accelerators, clear financial incentives, and an open-door culture that connects you with the right support at the right time.

What sets Ticino apart

• Strategic location at the heart of Europe
• World-class research institutions and computing infrastructure
• Fiscal advantages for both startups and investors
• Integrated support system from idea to scale
• Active local and national investor community
• A culture of fast decisions, lean execution, and, yes, excellent food

Final Thoughts

Ticino’s startup scene isn’t trying to become the next Silicon Valley. It’s becoming exactly what it needs to be: fast, focused, and founder-friendly. If you want noise, look elsewhere, and if you want to build, start here.

Catch the full webinar replay! Visit our Education Session Library to watch the full session and download the slides – free for all Swiss Startup Association members. 

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