AIT India 2025/26: Swiss and Indian startups complete their innovation journey
The 12th edition of the Academia-Industry Training (AIT) India program has successfully concluded. Designed to support early-stage startups on their path toward market readiness, it brought together ten Swiss and eight Indian founders of science-based startups for an immersive cross-border innovation experience. The next AIT India call will open soon. Ahead of that, the Swiss Leading House South Asia will launch the inaugural edition of AIT Nepal.
The AIT India program guides participants through key elements of both the Indian and Swiss innovation ecosystems. For the Swiss startups, the journey began in August 2025 with a competitive jury day, during which ten startups were selected for the program. A few weeks later, the two-day kick-off brought the Swiss-based founders together for the first time to exchange ideas, refine their pitches and prepare for the program ahead.
The heart of the program consisted of two intensive learning weeks: first in India (16–22 November 2025) and later in Switzerland (15–21 March 2026). Across both locations, participants took part in workshops, ecosystem visits, networking events, coachings, pitching practices and market insights.
From jury day to final pitching competition
“The week in each country gave us the opportunity to really immerse ourselves into the science and innovation landscape, to learn from decision makers and experts as well as to get valuable insights into companies and more advanced startups. Another very important aspect was the peer learning,” says Amanda Strub, Manager of the Swiss Leading House South Asia. Participants also took part in major innovation gatherings such as the Bengaluru Tech Summit, Asias largest tech conference, and the START Summit in St. Gallen.
During the week in Switzerland, participants met with experts from Switzerland Global Enterprise, spent a full day at Startup@HSG, visited the Paul Scherrer Institute, Unbound Potential, ARTIDIS, Switzerland Innovation Park Basel and Wyss Zurich. A special feature of this year’s edition was a three-day joint program with the AIT Brazil cohort, enabling exchange across three continents and innovation systems.
The week closed with the final pitching competition, where all 18 startups presented their progress and potential. A representative of the Embassy of India in Switzerland was also present for the occasion, highlighting the bilateral dimension. An expert jury selected the winning participants, one from Switzerland, one from India. The two winners were awarded 10,000 Swiss francs by the Swiss Leading House South Asia and 10,000 Lak by the Government of Karnataka.
Celebrating the 2025/26 program winners
1st place:
- Kunaljit Chadha – Impact Build (Switzerland)
- Kiran Bettadapur – FlaskAI (India)
2nd place:
- Selen Ercan Jenny – LAYERED (Switzerland)
- Subu Gupta – Quantum Biosciences (India)
3rd place:
- Kanika Dhema – Renuro (Switzerland)
- Tapish Agarwal – Hycosys (India)
A program strengthening bilateral ties
AIT India is led by the Swiss Leading House South Asia and implemented in close collaboration with Swissnex in India and STARTUP CAMPUS Switzerland. The program connects researchers, innovators, and early-stage founders from both countries and fosters access to international innovation networks. It is jointly funded by the Swiss Leading House South Asia at ZHAW and the Government of Karnataka in India.
Hosted at the ZHAW, the Swiss Leading House South Asia operates in an environment where applied research, collaboration with industry, and entrepreneurial thinking are steadily encouraged. This backdrop aligns well with programs like AIT, which help science-based startups gain visibility, refine market approaches, and build connections across two innovation ecosystems.
Looking ahead: AIT India and AIT Nepal 2026/27
Applications for AIT India will re-open soon, offering Swiss science-based startups the opportunity to discover one of the world’s fastest-growing technology and innovation markets.
New in 2026/27 is the inaugural edition of AIT Nepal, providing early access to an emerging ecosystem with growing momentum in sectors such as bio tech, clean tech, food systems, and digital health. Together, India and Nepal offer fertile ground for Swiss startups looking to explore new markets and test scalable solutions.