Founders: Bootstrap or Raise Fast?

Timestamps: 

03:06 - How the AI Boom is pushing energy back to the top of the agenda

10:34 - Impact of new Funds on Founders

35:22 - Startup Agenda Switzerland: Key Challenges

49:14 - Prioritizing Startup Needs in Switzerland

This episode was co-produced with ⁠⁠Swiss Startup Days⁠⁠, the leading Swiss deep-tech catalyst event for startups, investors, enablers, and corporates.Checkout Newcomers - the ultimate pitching format for pre-seed and seed startups in Switzerland. Applications open in December 2025.

Episode Summary:

In this Febuary Swisspreneur Briefing, we go live with ⁠Sophie Lamparter⁠ (Founder & Managing Partner at ⁠VitaminºC⁠) and ⁠Laurent Decrue⁠ (Co-Founder & Co-CEO of ⁠Holycode⁠) to break down what’s moving and shaking in the Swiss startup ecosystem in the last month -  from funding and liquidity to what founders should read between the headlines.

This episode dives into three founder-relevant themes. First, the Swiss Venture Capital Report: funding is stabilising: but is CHF 2.95B remotely enough if we want global relevance? Second, AI’s real impact on startups: cheaper building, higher expectations, longer bootstrapping, and bigger later rounds. Third, structural competitiveness: why capital, speed, and investor density matter more than celebratory rankings — and why Switzerland still struggles to fund late-stage ambition.

We also go deeper into the nuances: the tension between hype cycle and fundamental shift in AI, why SaaS public market corrections signal changing assumptions - not collapse - and what a “Startup AG” could mean for Switzerland. From pension funds allocating to venture, taxation misalignment, to why the Delaware C-Corp still beats the AG in ease of setup, this conversation is less about criticism and more about unrealised potential. The takeaway: Switzerland doesn’t lack talent or capital - it lacks structural urgency.

The cover portrait was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartportrait.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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