Webinar: Breaking the FOAK Barrier: How Startups Finance Capital-Intensive Innovation

Do hardware startups fail because the technology doesn’t work? Often not — they fail because traditional investors aren’t structured to fund the leap from pilot to production. How can founders and investors tackle this “First of a Kind” (FOAK) challenge?

In this webinar, you will explore practical ways to address this challenge. Founders and investors will discuss proven strategies, learn from real-world examples like DePoly’s Showcase Plant financing, and discover which types of capital to approach at different stages. The session equips participants with actionable insights to plan and secure financing for hardware-intensive innovation effectively.

Register here

• Date: 13.10.2026
• Time: 16.00-17.00
• Location: Online – Zoom
• Speakers:
  Yves Becker, Investment Manager at ZKB Start-up Finance
  David Hanf, CFO of DePoly
  Sebastien Marang, Investment Manager at Swisccanto Private Equity

Session Main Takeaways

• Understand the FOAK gap and why hardware startups often fall outside traditional VC logic
• Learn from the field: DePoly shares how they financed their Showcase Plant and are planning their Commercial Plant
• Identify which capital sources to approach at different stages of development

About Zürcher Kantonalbank
Zürcher Kantonalbank is a leading Swiss cantonal bank and active investor in early-stage and scaleup stage startups. The bank offers startup financing between CHF 200,000 and CHF 1 million, and scale-up financing between CHF 800,000 and CHF 1.5 million.