Organization · Community

Swiss Startup Association

The Swiss Startup Association (SSA) is a non-profit organization that advocates for the interests of startups in Switzerland. It connects over 1,800 startups and collaborates with various partners to enhance the startup ecosystem through political advocacy and community support.

CommunityCommunityEvent hostPublisher

Overview

What Swiss Startup Association does

What Swiss Startup Association is

The Swiss Startup Association (SSA) is a non-profit organization that advocates for the interests of startups in Switzerland. It connects over 1,800 startups and collaborates with various partners to enhance the startup ecosystem through political advocacy and community support.

How it participates in the startup ecosystem

The current public profile supports community and event host and publisher capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.

Operational profile

Organization status and context

Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.

Operational status
Active
Organization type
Community
Founded
Founded in 2015
Approximate age
About 11 years
Structured capabilities
Community · Event host · Publisher
Last reviewed
March 19, 2026

Official channels

Find Swiss Startup Association elsewhere

Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.

Capability profile

Swiss Startup Association as a community

Community overview

The Swiss Startup Association (SSA) is an organization dedicated to improving the conditions for startups in Switzerland. It serves as a unified voice for the startup community, advocating for their interests in political, business, and societal contexts. The SSA is supported by a board of directors, advisors, volunteers, and an operations team.

Community focus

The SSA focuses on enhancing the startup ecosystem in Switzerland through political advocacy, education, and community support. It aims to improve the framework conditions for startups, including access to talent, financing, and regulatory reforms. The organization collaborates with various stakeholders to position Switzerland as a leading startup nation in Europe.

Member value

Members benefit from advocacy efforts, networking opportunities, educational resources, and access to a community of over 1,800 startups and 25 partners.

Membership

Recorded members
1,800
Pricing models
free

Format and cadence

Modality
hybrid
Schedule
rolling-admissions
Commitment
light

Availability

Membership state
Accepting

Audience and fit

Audience
Founders · Investors · Corporate Innovators
Benefits
network-access and mentorship
Program types
community and other
Selection criteria
open
Regions
Europe

Community activity

Events and activity

The SSA organizes several events, including Founders Day 2026, Founders Dinners for informal networking, and webinars and education sessions for startup founders.

Notable members

Notable partners include Swisscom, Deloitte, and AXA. Key team members include Raphael Tobler, Arijana Walcott, and Simon Furer.

Capability profile

Swiss Startup Association as an event host

Event focus

The Swiss Startup Association (SSA) is dedicated to enhancing the startup ecosystem in Switzerland through political advocacy, education, and community support. It aims to improve framework conditions for startups, including access to talent, financing, and regulatory reforms, positioning Switzerland as a leading startup nation in Europe.

Format narrative

The SSA organizes various events, including networking opportunities, informal gatherings, and online learning sessions for startup founders.

Participant value

The SSA serves as a unified voice for the startup community, advocating for their interests and providing resources and support to enhance their growth and success.

Format and cadence

Event types
meetup, dinner-series, and workshop
Modality
in-person
Startups can present
No

Availability

Registration state
Not currently accepting

Audience and fit

Selection criteria
open
Audience
Founders
Regions
Europe

Speakers and past editions

Speakers

Notable team members include Raphael Tobler, President SSA; Arijana Walcott, Co-Founder & CEO DART Labs Ventures; and Simon Furer, CFO at Voliro.

Past editions

The SSA has successfully engaged over 1,800 startups and collaborated with 25 partners, including Swisscom, Deloitte, and AXA.

Capability profile

Swiss Startup Association as a publisher

Editorial focus

The Swiss Startup Association (SSA) is dedicated to improving the conditions for startups in Switzerland. It serves as a unified voice for the startup community, advocating for their interests in political, business, and societal contexts. The SSA focuses on enhancing the startup ecosystem through political advocacy, education, and community support, aiming to improve access to talent, financing, and regulatory reforms.

Audience value

The SSA provides a platform for startups to voice their needs and concerns, collaborates with various stakeholders to enhance the startup ecosystem, and offers resources and events to support entrepreneurs.

Format and cadence

Content formats
blog, newsletter, and webinar-series
Primary platform
Website

Availability

Guest pitch state
Not currently accepting

Audience and focus

Audience
Founders
Regions
Europe

Flagship work and coverage

Flagship properties

The SSA publishes a blog with regular updates on the Swiss startup landscape and a newsletter for updates on events and news.

Connected ecosystem

Continue from Swiss Startup Association

These links use structured organization type, sector, and regional relationships. They do not imply endorsement or commercial similarity.

Common questions

What to know about Swiss Startup Association

Upseed classifies Swiss Startup Association under the Community organization type. Its current public profile includes community, event host, and publisher capabilities.

Next step

Keep comparing startup organizations

Return to the organization index or continue through a verified sector, place, peer, or program connected to this profile.

Source and update disclosure

Know what this page is based on

Source basis

Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.

Last reviewed

March 19, 2026

Known limits

Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.

Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.