The Startup Academy is a non-profit association that brings together people with business ideas and people with knowledge and experience. Here start-ups are supported from their first business idea over a period of two years. Brand new, a 24 to 36-month scale-up support programme is now also offered for start-ups with growth potential. For the young companies this includes services - tailored to their individual needs - such as mentoring, business checks, consulting hours with experts, monthly specialist modules and exchange with other scale-ups. The aim of the programme is to support scale-ups in a focused way in the areas where there is a need in order to scale successfully.
At the beginning there is first an admission process consisting of an entry interview and a questionnaire with a minimum score. Based on this first step, the scale-up then presents to a panel of experts: here the most important fields of action are identified and set down in a binding roadmap with progress reviews. In parallel, all scale-ups receive specialist modules, mentoring and, where necessary, expert support. For specialist advice or expert support, each scale-up has a time allowance of 40 hours per year and can choose the specialist areas freely, depending on where there is currently a need. The individual modules are delivered by proven experts in four-hour workshops. Thematically these range from company positioning through IT questions to building up sales channels or HR administration. Alongside the theoretical part, great importance is attached to transferring things into practice - including exchange among the scale-ups.
Markus Fischer is managing director of the Startup Academy Basel and one of the main initiators of the new support programme. We put a few questions to him about the programme.
Markus, can you tell us in a few words how you came to the Startup Academy Basel and what tasks a managing director of the Startup Academy has?
Seven years ago I was approached directly from my network at the time. I worked in the financial sector for almost three decades and, after a change of direction, worked as an independent consultant. Then came the question of whether I would like to take on the management role, at that point still 30 per cent of a full-time position, with around 15 start-ups and 20 volunteers. Back then we were still the only start-up incubator in the Basel region and I jumped on board just as the start-up boom was beginning. At peak times we had up to 100 start-ups in the programme at once! I was immediately fired up and had an easy start.
My main task is to «be there» for the start-ups. Alongside that I keep track of current trends and developments in order to make them usable for the start-ups. And thirdly I put together further training offerings and workshops for our start-up support programme.
Why did you set up the support programme for scale-ups?
Since the Startup Academy Switzerland began we have supported more than 300 start-ups. For a considerable proportion of them the question arose of what comes next after market entry. Demand for a support programme for scale-ups has increased strongly and so we decided to offer one. The impetus came from the start-up community.
Are there already models for this, or other start-up associations that offer such a programme?
There is a programme from Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency; we analysed it closely. It is a good scale-up programme, but with strong restrictions on the target group of scale-ups. To be able to take part, certain key figures have to be reached - plus the product also has to fulfil technological innovation criteria.
The Startup Academy's approach is broader. There are scale-ups with strong technological innovation, but also ones from traditional sectors. Our programme is therefore about supporting scale-ups where there is a prospect of growth.
How do you find the various specialist experts for the scale-up programme?
The Startup Academy Switzerland has a pool of over 245 volunteers made up of mentors and specialist experts. For the support programme only senior experts were approached, those who had proved themselves over the years.
What were the biggest challenges for you while setting up the programme?
The biggest challenges were putting together and combining relevant fields of action for scale-ups and determining the right level of granularity. Nine modules emerged which are not too detailed and are intended to support scale-ups in their growth. During a module every scale-up can check for itself whether it sees a need for action in an area for its growth and, if necessary, go into that topic in depth individually with an expert afterwards. We are looking forward to the feedback round after the programme finishes in November.
It is all still very new and we are right in the middle of it, but can you already name a highlight or say what you enjoy most?
What I most enjoy is observing how the very different scale-ups - each from a completely different field - network within the programme, exchange ideas and also inspire one another. It is still a small blossom that is coming into bloom, and that pleases me greatly.
Many thanks Markus for your fascinating feedback!
We at Vanillaplan find the first modules very appealing - and can already draw numerous learnings from them. To all scale-ups: highly recommended!
Individual support, specialist modules and constructive exchange with other companies - today we would like to present a programme that we use ourselves and are enthusiastic about: the Startup Academy's scale-up support programme.
