Timestamps:

4:00 - What’s a data breach?

10:21 - What’s a phishing campaign?

13:50 - How expensive is it to fix a data breach? 

20:35 - How are startups being targeted?

22:07 - Why strong passwords are not enough

This episode was co-produced by NordPass. Use code “swisspreneur” at checkout to get 30% off Business and Teams plans.

This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.

(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)

About Ieva Soblickaite:

Ieva Soblickaite is the CPO of NordPass, a password management solution that is part of Nord Security, the world’s leading cybersecurity company. She holds a Masters from HEC Paris and co-founded Medigo GmbH before joining NordPass in 2021.

During her chat with Merle, Ieva broke down the topic of cybersecurity into easily digestible, actionable chunks:

What’s a data breach?

A data breach occurs whenever confidential data is accessed and used in some way (disclosed, copied, altered, destroyed). Common malicious uses include trading the data on the darkweb, decrypting the data to demand a ransom payment, and identity theft. 

What’s malware?

Malware is any software developed with the express intent of causing harm. Examples include viruses, trojans, spyware, ransomware, etc. It can also completely take over a computer, putting the criminal in complete control.

Common types of malware:

• Ransomware: type of malware that prevents users or organizations from accessing their files. Hackers demand payment to restore access.

• Adware: type of greyware (since it does not necessarily have to be malicious) that displays ads to certain users. These ads can be unwanted or malicious.

• Spyware: malware that secretly monitors and collects information about a user’s activities or devices, usually as the first step before another type of attack.

Another well-known type of cyberattack are phishing campaigns, in which a hacker pretends to be someone the user knows, or an entity that they trust, in order to get them to click on a malicious link, which can download malware or take the user to a fake website where sensitive information will be requested.

On average, a cyberattack occurs every 14 seconds, and the cost of fixing it depends on how quickly the user notices it and how quickly they act. On average, users will take 204 days to notice a cyberattack and another 73 days to contain the breach.

In order to prevent an attack, several components are necessary:

• Strong passwords

• Multifactor authentication

• Limiting access to accounts & regularly reviewing who has access

• Anti-virus software

• Regular vulnerability assessments

Hackers target big and small companies alike, as well as both famous and anonymous people, so it’s safest to start improving the cybersecurity of your professional and personal accounts now.

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

Timestamps:

4:30 - Wie konnte Alex Frei immer die höchste Leistung abrufen

9:20 - Liegt der Fokus auf Input oder Output?

19:30 - Was bedeutet Fairplay im Business?

33:50 - Mentale Gesundheit im Sport

39:22 - Kurze Abschlussfragen

Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.

(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)

Über Stefan Lichtsteiner, Alex Frei, Diego Benaglio, Sergio Ermotti:

⁠Sergio P. Ermotti⁠, Group CEO der ⁠UBS⁠, ist eine der prägendsten Persönlichkeiten der globalen Finanzwelt. Geboren und aufgewachsen im Tessin, träumte er zunächst von einer Karriere als Fussballprofi, bevor er im Banking seine wahre Leidenschaft fand. Seine beeindruckende Laufbahn führte ihn von der lokalen Corner Bank über Stationen in London und New York bis an die Spitze der UBS. Besonders bekannt ist Ermotti für seine Führungsrolle bei der Integration der Credit Suisse, ein Meilenstein, der ihn sowohl beruflich als auch persönlich herausgefordert hat. Mit klarer Vision und unermüdlichem Einsatz steht er für Leadership, Nachhaltigkeit und soziale Verantwortung – Werte, die er in der globalen Finanzbranche eindrucksvoll vorlebt.⁠

Diego Benaglio⁠, langjähriger Torhüter und Integrationsfigur der Schweizer Nationalmannschaft, ist ein Symbol für Beständigkeit und Professionalität im internationalen Fussball. Aufgewachsen in Zürich, führte ihn seine Karriere von Grasshopper Zürich über Portugal und Deutschland bis zum AS Monaco – mit seiner erfolgreichsten Zeit beim VfL Wolfsburg, wo er Deutscher Pokalsieger und Meister wurde. Als ruhiger Rückhalt auf dem Feld und authentische Persönlichkeit abseits davon steht Benaglio für Disziplin, Loyalität und Teamgeist. Auch nach seinem Karriereende bleibt er dem Fussball verbunden – mit einem besonderen Augenmerk auf die mentale Stärke und nachhaltige Entwicklung von jungen Spielern.

⁠Stephan Lichtsteiner⁠, ehemaliger Captain der Schweizer Nationalmannschaft, zählt zu den prägendsten Figuren des Schweizer Fussballs. Geboren in Adligenswil im Kanton Luzern, entwickelte er früh eine Leidenschaft für den Sport, die ihn von den Jugendmannschaften des FC Adligenswil bis zu internationalen Top-Clubs wie Juventus Turin und Arsenal führte. Lichtsteiner ist bekannt für seine unermüdliche Einsatzbereitschaft, seine Führungsstärke und seine Mentalität als «Mentalitätsmonster» auf dem Platz. Nach seinem Rücktritt engagiert er sich für soziale und sportliche Projekte und bringt seine Erfahrungen zunehmend auch abseits des Rasens ein.

⁠Alex Frei⁠, der Rekordtorschütze der Schweizer Nationalmannschaft, ist eine der markantesten Persönlichkeiten im Schweizer Fussball. Geboren in Basel, prägte er mit seinem Torriecher und seiner Leidenschaft das Spielgeschehen auf nationaler wie internationaler Ebene – unter anderem bei Stade Rennes, Borussia Dortmund und dem FC Basel. Frei war nicht nur als Spieler ein Führungstyp, sondern auch nach seiner aktiven Karriere als Trainer und Fussballexperte aktiv. Mit analytischem Blick, klarer Kommunikation und einem tiefen Verständnis für den Sport setzt er sich für die Entwicklung junger Talente und die Förderung des Schweizer Fussballs ein.

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

Timestamps:

6:21 - How much equity to give up in a Series A

13:32 - How investors assess valuation at Series A/B

17:55 - What makes a good vs. bad investor

26:29 - Why some investors lead founders on

36:50 - Don’t spray and pray: smarter ways to reach investors 

This episode was sponsored by Relai. Get started with Bitcoin by downloading the Relai app today, and profit from 10% less fees by entering code SWISSPRENEUR at checkout.

(Disclaimer: Relai services are exclusively recommended for Swiss and Italian residents.)

About Laurent Decrue and Arijana Walcott:

Laurent Decrue is the Co-CEO and CFO at Holycode, a product and engineering powerhouse serving fast-scaling startups. After building and exiting companies like DeinDeal, Bexio, and MOVU, Laurent Decrue now supports founders as an investor, board member, and operator. Laurent Decrue brings real-world startup empathy to every cap table conversation—and a no-BS attitude about what actually moves the needle.

Arijana Walcott is the Founder and General Partner at DART Ventures, where she backs early-stage European startups tackling climate and health challenges. With roots in San Francisco’s tech scene and a sharp eye for scalable impact, Arijana Walcott is on a mission to change how—and why—we invest. Arijana Walcott is also a board member, educator, and startup ecosystem builder focused on helping founders go big instead of going home.

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

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Timestamps:

3:51 - How T3 Pharma launched a clinical trial

15:44 - When a partner wants to acquire you

30:55 - Selling for more than you expected

44:56 - Why they publicly disclosed the acquisition cost

52:52 - How the company changed post-exit 

Click ⁠here⁠ to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.

About Simon Ittig:

Simon Ittig is the co-founder and CEO of T3 Pharmaceuticals, a company developing bacteria-based cancer therapies. With a background in molecular biology and a PhD from the University of Basel, Simon transitioned from academic research into the high-stakes world of biotech startups.

In this episode, Simon shares how he approached some of the most complex and sensitive aspects of his entrepreneurial journey: how to sell a startup without losing its soul, how to build trust in an industry where confidentiality is currency, and why he chose to stay after his company was acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2023 for CHF 450M.

He also opens up about the emotional calculus founders make — the pressure to execute, the doubts that come with big decisions, and how staying grounded is what really lets you go far.

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Timestamps:

2:49 - How Sherpany got acquired

18:05 - Discounting vs additional free features

23:20 - Should you hire salespeople or marketing people first?

32:03 - Where to hire salespeople

45:47 - The fixed/variable salary split

About Tobias Häckermann, Lars Mangelsdorf & Laurent Decrue:

Tobias Häckermann is the co-founder and CEO of Sherpany, a provider of meeting management software for leadership meetings that was acquired by Datasite in 2024. He holds a Master of Laws from UZH.

Lars Mangelsdorf is the co-founder and CCO at Yokoy, a spending management software company which enables companies to automate their expense and credit card processes using artificial intelligence. Yokoy was acquired by TravelPerk in 2025. Lars previously worked as Senior Account Executive at Beekeeper.

⁠Laurent Decrue⁠ is the co-founder of the moving company ⁠MOVU⁠ and the software company ⁠Holycode⁠, and the former CEO at ⁠Bexio⁠. Currently he is active as CFO and co-CEO at Holycode. He holds an MBA from the University of Basel and previously worked at DeinDeal.

During their chat with Silvan, Tobias, Lars and Laurent shared their insights on how to scale your sales team from founder-led scales to a fully operational sales army. When asked about KPIs to track early on, they stressed the importance of AE efficiency (2 AEs bringing in 90% of your revenue is bad) and also talked about sales cycles:  if your average deal size goes up by 200% but your sales cycle goes up by 400%, you’re clearly doing something wrong.

Laurent recalled a lesson he once learned from a fellow entrepreneur about how discounts, despite their attractively lower pricemark, ultimately signal that you’re giving your customers the same product for less money, which insinuates that you were overcharging them before. Laurent’s friend encouraged him to add additional free features for the same price, instead of lowering the price with discounts. 

Still on pricing, Lars shared that since some markets have a competitive price pressure, it may sometimes pay off to go into them with a lower pricing number and increase your price by 15% every year. It’s easier to get people to pay more once you’ve already started to earn their trust. This will allow founders not only to branch out into different markets but also to ultimately increase their deal sizes.

Another topic discussed during this episode was the old chicken and egg problem of whom to hire first: sales or marketing people? Here the guests held different opinions. Laurent said that because you need lead magnets first, you should hire marketing people before sales people. He added that your sales should go from founder-led, to hiring a couple of people to build a really great pipeline, to then hiring a larger number of salespeople. Lars, however, argued that doing sales first allows you to test whether there is a strong demand for your product in the market you’re targeting, and whether your messaging is properly crafted. Finally, Tobias added that marketing is much less relevant for B2B businesses than it is for B2C, since you only need to reach a couple thousand people, as opposed to millions.

When it comes to actually hiring salespeople, Tobias encouraged listeners to start hiring way earlier than necessary “in their head”, meaning that they should build relationships proactively (including with competitors) with the goal of later on acquiring great talent. This is especially important considering that the likelihood of making the wrong hires early on is very strong. He finished by sharing that founders should hire their sales team themselves, instead of outsourcing the job.

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Timestamps:

7:51 - Why is entrepreneurship a lonely journey?

13:55 - Comradeship in entrepreneurship

15:04 - Is post-exit depression a thing?

23:56 - Thinking about the meaning of life

26:23 - The social responsibility of founders

This episode was co-produced with EO Zürich. Check out their upcoming event, Entrepreneurs Summit 2025.

Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.

About Ronnie Zemp:

Ronnie Zemp is a serial entrepreneur, startup investor and the current president of EO Zurich. He holds an MBA from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Throughout his career, he has (co-)founded the following companies: RZ Capital AG, bitConsult, notime AG (exited to Swiss Post), OSUISSE AG, RZ Real Estate GmbH, and Tears of Bacchus AG.

During his chat with Silvan, Ronnie talked about the most difficult aspects of being a startup founder. He stressed the loneliness of being an entrepreneur: when you’re your own boss, you’re the ultimate decision marker, responsible for hundreds of employees, and this can really cause quite a bit of anxiety, and even insomnia. When Ronnie sold notime to Swiss Post, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He credits EO for relieving this sense of loneliness by introducing him to many people who have walked the same path.

Ronnie also warned founders not to see exits as the end-all, be-all of entrepreneurship. They happen, sometimes, yes, but not always, and building a cash-generating company that pays dividends is also a great (or perhaps an even better) goal for which to strive.

Ronnie feels it’s natural for founders to require a long time after an exit to be ready to build a startup again, not only because at that point they can financially afford to be picky, but also because having achieved a successful exit makes them wary of damaging their reputation. There’s also a point to be made about how age makes people more risk-averse. 

Ronnie’s life was made more complicated by the fact that he lost 4 very close people within the span of 3 months, which really made him reflect about who he is and what he thinks is the meaning of life. Due to all his success, Ronnie feels a social responsibility to give back: he has financed the university studies of several students from abroad, and has spent a great deal of time supporting those closest to him, namely the daughter of his best friend, who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 16 years old.

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Timestamps:

8:01 - What drew Brynne to entrepreneurship

15:10 - Brynne’s political debut

24:12 - What’s a smart society?

27:05 - Measuring growth as a VC

43:25 - How can you find the right co-founders?

This episode was produced in collaboration with startup days, taking place this year on May 14th 2025. Click ⁠here⁠ to purchase your ticket.

Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.

About Brynne Kennedy:

Brynne Kennedy is the co-founder and managing partner of Smart Society Ventures, a decarbonization and energy tech investment firm striving to accelerate net zero. She holds an MBA from London Business School, and founded and successfully exited Topia, a company providing technology solutions to manage all forms of employee movement and work location flexibility. 

After stepping down from her CEO role at Topia in 2019, Brynne had a brief stint in American politics, running for US Congress in California's 4th Congressional District. She was not elected, and nowadays she’s able to look back with gratitude at that turn of events, considering the current political climate in the US. In 2023 she co-founded Smart Society Ventures, and began her career as a VC in the climate tech space. 

Smart Society Ventures strives to build a “smart society” (as the name would indicate), which they define as a society enabled by tech and data to achieve better outcomes and do more with less. Brynne is extremely committed to creating the societal impetus necessary to successfully manage the energy transition. She also co-hosts The Smart Society Show with Former MP and UK Energy Minister Chris Skidmore, where they discuss climate news and scaleups.

Timestamps:

12:48 - Anyone can have a mental health crisis

26:30 - Creating trust in a mental health tool

29:12 - How to measure mental health

35:48 - Realizing you don’t want to work with a client

40:43 - Earning the SEF.Growth High Potential Label

This episode was co-produced with SEF.Growth, the Swiss Economic Forum's Growth initiative to support Swiss startups and SMEs with growth plans free of charge.

Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.

About Vlad Gheorghiu:

Vlad Gheorghiu is the co-founder and CEO of Kyan Health, an AI-powered enterprise solution that connects employee well-being with measurable business impact. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and worked for Stryker and McKinsey before starting Kyan Health in 2021.

Vlad’s interest in the topic of mental health and wellness came about as the result of a crisis he himself had during his time at McKinsey. After experiencing a panic attack, he sought medical care and took 4 weeks off work. When he returned, he decided to film a short video explaining what had happened to him, which he shared with coworkers who inquired about his absence. The video went viral within the organization and Vlad was then asked to create an employee wellbeing program, which would later become the blueprint for Kyan Health.

Using predictive analytics, Kyan helps companies monitor and reduce risks like absenteeism, turnover, and presenteeism. Notable clients like Hitachi Energy, Hilti, STADA, Deutsche Börse Group, and On have already seen tangible results. Vlad and his team have worked hard to make their tool a trustworthy source of help for employees around the globe, not only by making the app GDPR-compliant but also by making every profile completely anonymous. This ensures employee cooperation and also allows Kyan Health to still derive insights at an organizational level.

Kyan Health was recently awarded the High Potential Label by SEF.Growth.

Resources Mentioned:

Inside Timer

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Timestamps:

2:29 - How Sami became interested in cinema

11:15 - How to define visions and impact

22:55 - What can Largo.AI actually do?

27:55 - Does AI kill creativity?

53:23 - Largo.AI’s plans for the near future

This episode was co-produced by SICTIC, the leading angel investor network in Switzerland.

Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.

About Sami Arpa & Yunus Erduran:

Sami Arpa is the CEO and founder of Largo.AI, a startup providing next-generation storytelling tools for the audiovisual industry using artificial intelligence. He holds a PhD in Computational Aesthetics from EPFL and was also the co-founder of Sofy.tv, a short film streaming service later acquired by Cosmoblue.

Yunus Erduran is a founder and documentary filmmaker, and one of the first investors of Largo.AI. He holds a BA in Economics from Boğaziçi University (Turkey) and is currently active as Executive Partner at Eğlenceli Bilim, a company offering curriculum-compliant science programs to all educational institutions in Turkey. He’s also the podcast producer and host of arastirmaca, together with his co-host Müge Bakioğlu.

Largo has developed data-assisted intelligence which can be introduced early in the life of a film project, right from script choice and development, through filming, post-production and theatrical release. Largo empowers production companies with data-enhanced ROI uplift and reduction of risk. 

Their AI models were trained with 400K+ movies/TV shows, 250K+ commercials, 950K+ talents. Largo’s clients are usually producers and studios (on the film side) and agencies and brands (on the advertising side). 

Timestamps:

6:54 - An investor generating returns for their LP

8:22 - The Swiss startup ecosystem is 18 years old

12:09 - Does big data drive innovation?

19:20 - What if you don’t perform as promised?

21:25 - Dealing with FINMA regulations as a VC

Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.

About Andrea Silberschmidt-Buhofer, Teddy Amberg, David Hug & Tanvi Singh:

Andrea Silberschmidt-Buhofer is the general partner at EquityPitcher Ventures, an early-growth VC firm that focuses on B2B tech startups, and the vice-president of FEM'UP SWITZERLAND. She holds a MSc in Entrepreneurship from the UCL School of Management and is also a startup coach at Venturelab.

Teddy Amberg is the founding partner at Spicehaus Partners, a VC fund that focuses on seed and early stage Swiss tech companies. He holds an MA in Banking and Finance from HSG and worked at Partners Group and CreditGate24 before founding Spicehaus Partners in 2018.

David Hug is the co-founder of Marcau Partners, an investment manager managing Ringier Digital Ventures and Lightbird Ventures AG. He holds a MSc in Entrepreneurial Management from the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Chur and worked at btov Partners and Zürcher Kantonalbank before becoming a VC in 2015.

Tanvi Singh is the founding partner at Nirmata-ai Ventures, a VC fund focusing on AI-driven investments for a sustainable future. She holds a Master’s degree from UZH and worked for banks like Credit Suisse and UBS before founding Nirmata in 2024.

During their chat with our co-host Merle, these 4 VCs shared their best practices for managing a fund. Their tips included:

• Being proactive in including your LPs in your fund’s journey by giving them co-investment opportunities and full access to your data room;

• Not shortcutting when it comes to compliance and regulatory demands (or you will regret it!);

• Underpromising and overdelivering when it comes to the goals you communicate to your LPs, and being transparent with them when something goes wrong, so as to ensure that trust is never broken;

• Sticking to your portfolio companies both in good times and in bad — the startup journey is rocky, and your investments need your help!

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Timestamps:

5:55 - An Icelandic company headquartered in Switzerland

16:29 - Fundraising for long development cycles

19:00 - Doing the only Swiss IPO in 2023

24:23 - Splitting your focus to sell 3 products at once

28:39 - Advantages and disadvantages of being publicly listed

This episode was produced in collaboration with startup days, taking place this year on May 14th 2025. Click ⁠here⁠ to purchase your ticket.

Click here to check out our free Founders Agreement masterclass, with Melanie Gabriel from Yokoy, Christof Roduner from Scandit, and Viviana Gropengiesser from Talent Kick.

About Riad Sherif:

Riad Sherif is the CEO at Oculis, a company focused on the development of topical treatments for ophthalmic diseases in the back and front of the eye. He holds a MSc in Medical Management from the ESCP Business School and worked at companies like Sanofi, Novartis and Alcon before joining Oculis as CEO in 2017.

Oculis’ pipeline includes a topical eye drop candidate for diabetic macular edema and for the treatment of inflammation and pain following cataract surgery. It also includes a candidate for dry eye disease and for non-infectious anterior uveitis, and a candidate for acute optic neuritis. 

The company’s origins are in Iceland, where the OPTIREACH® solubilizing formulation technology was developed by two Icelandic co-founders, Professors Einar Stefánsson and Thorsteinn Loftsson, to enable eye drops to reach the back of the eye. Nowadays Oculis is headquartered in Switzerland, with operations in the US and Iceland. Oculis has raised a total of $284.6M in funding over 13 rounds, and went public in 2023 (the only Swiss IPO of that year) before their product was even live. It is currently at stage 3 of clinical trials.

The cover portrait was edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartportrait.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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