Many of you have come into Switzerland as trailing spouses and tend to be highly educated and motivated. However, there is a real struggle to crack the Swiss job market. Perhaps your qualifications aren’t recognised, language issues, a different mindset, or a lack of a market fit for your skills. This can lead to depression, financial stress, or a sense of low self-esteem. A never-ending job search is probably sabotaging your drive and confidence.
Having been part of the Swiss startup ecosystem for a significant time, I’ve found that startups are the largest growth drivers in Switzerland and are most open to hiring skilled people without much local experience. The reason to consider startups is that Switzerland, in general, and Zurich in particular, are key locations for technology startups to emerge and thrive. Although the Startup survival rate after 5 years is about 35%; if the startup is an ETH spinoff, over 90% of them are still around after this period. The rate is most likely the same of other Swiss technology universities.
In this article, I provide an overview of the ecosystem and what you may need to do to crack into this hidden job market.
To get a job as an early employee or late cofounder in a startup, it’s important to understand how they emerge. Startups emerge from universities like ETH (including PSI and EMPA), EPFL, and from the University of Zurich (including Zurich Hospital) and ZHAW.
Your Entry-Points into the Startup world
Use the Internet correctly and Google up the startups in your area of expertise. Make sure your own LinkedIn profile is authentic and populated, and check out the LinkedIn channels of startups of your interest and their founders. You may find a personal and professional connection. Otherwise, cold-call, provided you believe in the startup and see yourself as a fit there.
If you can support their work (finance, researcher, business, software, etc.), this can be an excellent way to reach out. Meet over a coffee and try to get engaged very early with a future startup, and forge your own position based on your competencies and motivation. The money will come in once the startup takes off. You may not have any immediate monetary benefit. Founders are quick to understand your motives
Who should you look for?
- Identify early-stage entrepreneurs: Look for those recognised as pioneer fellows or founder fellows. Quite often, or even before they establish their startups, they generally have a fund of upto CHF 150K to transition their technology into a startup.
- Identify Bridge fellows: These are highly qualified PhDs or Post Docs from Swiss universities and are given CHF 130K to transition their technology into a startup. Most of these fellows do end up starting their companies. But this takes time.
Government-funded training programs – a hotbed of startups
Participate in programs created to start your own company or become a part of someone else’s idea as a cofounder.
Some programs below are mentioned so that you can follow up on startups that are funded enough and are in a space for hiring early-stage personnel.
- Startup Campus runs programs twice a year in the English language. Anyone can apply to join this, irrespective of whether or not you have a business idea. It’s free for participants and is often looked at as an investment in the future competitive advantage of Switzerland. This could be your first step towards entrepreneurship. If you have an idea, you could find cofounders here. If you don’t have an idea or your idea is not selected in the cohort, you can join another team to benefit from the learnings and insights into Swiss entrepreneurship .This is an excellent opportunity to get in contact with possible founders, become a co-founder or early employee in a technology startup. A good rule of thumb is that the earlier you join, the more your equity and ability to define your position in the startup.Each year, about 10 to 20 startups emerge from this program, although it takes about 6 to 12 months from the conclusion of the program before the students form their startups. But there is a high risk that the startup may simply not take off or have any money to pay you.
- Venture Lab Bootcamps of 5 full days spread over a month. The participants in this program are more advanced and have often founded their startups. But more importantly, the program also provides funding to startups.in three stages: Stage 1 receives CHF 10K, Stage 2 receives CHF 40K, and Stage 3 receives CHF 100K. Since the jury that decides on the funding often includes Swiss VCs, startups that get the Stage 3 funding often are ready for commercialisation and can attract more funding. Startups that get funding are announced on LinkedIn. And that’s your ‘go-to’ for finding high-potential startups. Beyond this, Venture Kick also organises the Top 100 Award, an excellent opportunity to identify startups across multiple sectors and different levels of maturity.
- Innosuisse, a part of the Swiss government innovation ecosystem, also provides direct funding through its Startup Innovation Grant program. This funding ranges from CHF 1 to 1.5m on average and is given directly to the startup. Since these startups now have funding, you have a better chance of getting paid for your work.
Keep in mind that the most important element here is the opportunity to get into the Swiss work ecosystem. And although working in startups can be intense, it’s incredible fun since you have the chance to work with some of the smartest and most driven people on the planet.
There are few luxuries greater than the opportunity to work in an area you believe in and help bring it to market. It’s how you build a better tomorrow.
Disclaimer: Namaste Switzerland does not undertake any financial, reputational, legal, misrepresentational or other obligation or liability which may arise from the content of this article.
