Working principles

Our credo is: They lead, we support.

Swiss EP empowers key actors in emerging startup ecosystems to drive their change process, offering ideas, iteration, and connections to relevant experts and resources.

Our key principles:

• Empower local organizations: We support startup support organizations to design and implement their activities rather than implementing our own.
• Fostering ownership: We encourage partners to define missions and address the needs of entrepreneurs for sustainable ecosystem changes.
• Providing capacities, not subsidies: We support capacity building to overcome challenges sustainably and longer term, not subsidising operational costs and salaries in the short term.

Our key resources:

• Local teams: We have engaged, proactive and well-connected team members with entrepreneurial attitudes providing support to our partners and entrepreneurs.
• International experts: We have a pool of 700+ entrepreneurs and subject-matter experts providing hands-on expertise and tailored support through peer learning.

Our offering:

• Long-term eye level relationship: We establish equal partnerships with local organizations who have commitment for learning and change, visions and plans, and skin in the game.
• Tailored support: We take the needs of our partners seriously and help design programs tailored to the local context and entrepreneurial needs.
• Broad international network: We can offer access to a broad and rich support network.
• Agility: we work with a lean management structure, swiftly assessing requests, mobilizing experts, and streamlining processes.