Big ideas. Bold voices. Unique stories.
Behind every innovation lies a journey, and no two are the same. On the Main Stage at Launch, some of the most inspiring minds from around the world share the personal stories that shaped their paths in science, technology, and entrepreneurship. Expect raw insights, fresh perspectives, and powerful storytelling, all set in ETH’s most iconic space: the Semper Aula (HG G 60).
Meet Our Speakers 2025
Dr. Thomas Dübendorfer
President of SICTIC
Vanessa Wood
VP of Knowledge Transfer and Corporate Relations at ETH Zurich
Thierry Kneissler
Board Member • Startup Coach • Co-Founder of TWINT & Former CEO
Christian Hugo Hoffmann
Founder of Hoffmann Economics and House of Lab Science
Agnes Zoller
CEO of InnoGrant Advisors
Eric Stirnemann
Co-founder of Planted
Jan Schnyder
Co-founder of nunu.ai
Stephan-Daniel Gravert
Co-Founder & CPO at mimic robotics
Nicolas Berg
Co-founder of Redalpine, XING, and cash.ch
Heiko Visarius
CEO of VISARTIS Healhcare GmbH
Nina Portier Reinhart
Startup Investor / Board Member / Entrepreneurship Coach
Anil Sethi
Serial Entrepreneur
Stefan Legge
Swiss economist and Vice‑Director at St Gallen’s Institute for Law & Economics
Estelle Clerc
CEO of CellX
Nicole Klegger
CTO and co-founder of sallea AG
Donato Rubinetti
CEO and founder of Ionic Wind
Nicholas James Eyring
Program Manager - Venture Kick
Brett Bivens
founder of Production Capital
Gilles Retsin
co-founder and CTO of Automated Architecture (AUAR)
Sam Baker
investor at Planet A
Katia Moskvitch
STEM Communicator, Founder of Tesseract Quantum and The Quantum Kid Podcast
Stéphanie Smith
CEO & Co-Founder
Timeline
Opening by ETH Entrepreneur Club
ETH Audimax · 10:00 - 10:10
What Angel investors can learn from failed startups?
ETH Audimax · 10:15 - 10:35
From Idea to successful startup - and where to find the money
ETH Audimax · 10:35 - 10:50
ETH Zurich as a DeepTech LAUNCHpad
ETH Audimax · 10:55 - 11:10
Is Europe still the place to be? An economic comparison with the US
ETH Audimax · 11:15 - 11:30
The FOAK playbook - Taking deeptech startups from promise to proof (VC Panel)
ETH Audimax · 11:35 - 12:05
The first mile: lessons from startup founders
ETH Audimax · 12:20 - 12:50
Commoditized Magic - AI eats Software, Services, and finally - its own tail
ETH Audimax · 12:55 - 13:10
The European Robotics opportunity
ETH Audimax · 13:15 - 13:35
From Corporate to Startup: Do’s & Don’ts – The TWINT Story
ETH Audimax · 13:40 - 13:55
Great founders move fast
ETH Audimax · 14:00 - 14:10
Building the next Robotics Powerhouse from Zurich and beyond
ETH Audimax · 14:20 - 14:50
Exit Strategies: Turning Startups into Success Stories
ETH Audimax · 14:55 - 15:10
Raising your first equity round in Deeptech
ETH Audimax · 15:15 - 15:30
The Investor Perspective: 17 Years of ETH Startup Success
ETH Audimax · 15:45 - 16:00
The Funding Advantage: How to Find and Use Funding to Accelerate your Growth
ETH Audimax · 16:05 - 16:20
Story of Planted - ETH Spinoff
ETH Audimax · 16:20 - 16:35
Reinvention as a Superpower
ETH Audimax · 16:40 - 16:55
ModaResa - Smarter Schedules, Better Decisions
ETH AudiMax · 17:00 - 17:15
Quantum computers will change everything - if we teach the world how to use them
ETH Audimax · 17:20 - 17:35
InCube Finale
ETH Semperaula · 17:25 - 17:45
Be part of the experience
Secure your spot at Launch and join the brightest minds in science, technology, and entrepreneurship.