Abstract

Entrepreneurship in Switzerland seems to be the exact opposite of that in Silicon Valley and can be described as low-impact entrepreneurship, or niche-centric entrepreneurship. We used an online survey to investigate the characteristics of Swiss entrepreneurs, their business performance, activities in securing investments, as well as their expectations from supporting institutions. In addition, as an effective example of utilizing the ecosystem, we investigated the entrepreneurs’ activities in venture competitions. We provide empirical evidence that supports the view that Switzerland, at least regarding high-tech, early stage companies, has a unique ecosystem – low financial expectations, niche technology specialists, mostly angel and self-financed, high survival rates and clear success, defined via great products and innovation, and positive social/environmental impact.

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