1. European Entrepreneurship
and Innovation @ Stanford Engineering
Corporate & University Roles in
Growing National Startup
Ecosystems
Penny Schiffer, Head of Startup Initiatives, Swisscom AG
penny.schiffer@swisscom.com
Feb 12 2018 @ Stanford University, California

2. SWITZERLAND…
WITH WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH
ENTREPRENEURIAL POTENTIAL TO BE UNLOCKED
…IS A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

3. WHO AM I?
HEAD OF SWISSCOM’S STARTUP INITIATIVE
INVEST MY OWN MONEY
STARTUP JURIES AND BOARD MEMBER

4. HOW DID I GET THERE?
ENTREPRENEURSHIP RUNS IN THE FAMILY
DID MY OWN TOMATO BUSINESS AT AGE 8

5. What I can share with you
Agenda
From government-owned telco provider to
innovation leader in Switzerland
World-class research institutions and engineering centers of
Google, IBM etc. plus excellent support system
Corporations and government initiatives partner to
unlock innovation; maturing VC industry financing growth phase
Swisscom’s open innovation approach
Switzerland’s strength: Deep Tech & Life Science
Entrepreneurial Potential to be Unlocked
1
2
3

6. What I can share with you
Agenda
From government-owned telco provider to
innovation leader in Switzerland
World class research institutions and engineering centers of
Google, IBM etc. plus excellent support system
Corporations and government initiatives partner to
unlock innovation; maturing VC industry financing growth phase
Swisscom’s open innovation approach
Switzerland’s strength: Deep Tech & Life Science
Entrepreneurial Potential to be Unlocked
1
2
3

7. As of 31 December 2017
Employees
20,506
Fixed Network Telephony
2.0 Mio.
Customers
Internet
2.0 Mio.
Customers
Swisscom TV
1.4 Mio.
Customers
Mobile Communication
6.6 Mio.
Customers
Share Price
CHF
518.50
Capital Expenditure (CH)
CHF
2,378 Mio.
Net Revenue
CHF
11,662
Mio.
EBITA
CHF
4,295
Mio.
Net Income
CHF
1,568
Mio.
SWISSCOM AG
IS A MAJOR TELCO PROVIDER IN SWITZERLAND
PARTIAL PRIVATISATION IN 1997

8. A
Core
Business
B
Growth
Reposition &
maximize
Development
of growth
areas
B2
New
B1
Adjacent
Adjacent
to core
business
Disruptive
to core
business
DUAL TRANSFORMATION
ESSENTIAL TO ESTABLISH DIFFERENT AREAS
FOR MANAGEMENT OF CORE VS. GROWTH AREAS

9. OPEN INNOVATION @ SWISSCOM
CORPORATE VENTURING & OUTPOSTING IN SV
MAKE OR BUY / PROTOTYPING / CO-CREATION
3 CHALLENGES

10. PIRATES HUB INNOVATION LAB
PLACE TO GROW NEW BUSINESS / SPIN-OFFS
CO-CREATION WITH STARTUPS
EXCHANGE WITH THE COMMUNITY

11. KICKBOX INTRAPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
150+ TEAMS IN 18 MONTHS
EMPLOYEES CAN BUILD THEIR IDEAS
3 STAGES, TIME & BUDGET PROVIDED

12. BOTTOM-UP & TOP-DOWN INNOVATION
TRANSFORMATION & PRODUCT INNOVATION
TOP MANAGEMENT SUPPORT CRUCIAL

13. SWISSCOM VENTURES
CORPORATE VENTURE FUND
SWITZERLAND + SV
50+ INVESTMENTS IN IT, DIGITAL MEDIA + TELCO

14. What I can share with you
Agenda
From government-owned telco provider to innovation leader in
Switzerland
World class research institutions and engineering centers of
Google, IBM etc. plus excellent support system
Corporations and government initiatives partner to
unlock innovation; maturing VC industry financing growth phase
Swisscom’s open innovation approach
Switzerland’s strength: Deep Tech & Life Science
Entrepreneurial Potential to be Unlocked
1
2
3

15. WORLD CLASS RESEARCH…
SWITZERLAND RUNS

16. …AND CLUSTERS IN
BANKING & FINTECH (ZURICH + GENEVA)
LIFE SCIENCES (BASEL)

17. DRONE VALLEY
WATCH INDUSTRY
OUTSTANDING MECHANICAL EXPERTISE
MEDTECH SECTOR

18. HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE
GOOGLE AND OTHER TECH COMPANIES BUILD HUBS
EASY TO ATTRACT GLOBAL TALENT

19. What I can share with you
Agenda
From government owned telco provider to
innovation leader in Switzerland
World class research institutions and engineering centers of
Google, IBM etc. plus excellent support system
Corporations and government initiatives partner to
unlock innovation; maturing VC industry financing growth phase
Swisscom’s open innovation approach
Switzerland’s strength: Deep Tech & Life Science
Entrepreneurial Potential to be Unlocked
1
2
3

20. # 40 IN COMMERCIALISATION
HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP?
# 1 IN INNOVATION RANKINGS

21. VC: NEARLY CHF 1BN INVESTED IN 175 ROUNDS
MORE NON- TRADITIONAL VC‘S
EXPANSION CAPITAL ON THE RISE
EARLY STAGE: BIGGER ROUNDS

22. 47% OF ALL FINANCING
STRONG FOCUS ON BIOTECH:
US COMPANIES
ON SHOPPING TOUR

23. STARTUP 1 #AI: DAEDALEAN AI
OF THE NEAR FUTURE
THE ELECTRIC PERSONAL AIRCRAFT
AUTOMOUS FLIGHT CONTROL FOR

24. STARTUP 2 #ROBOTICS: ANYBOTIC
LEGGED ROBOT
COMPLIANT ROBOT JOINT

25. STARTUP 3 #BIOTECH: IMMUNO PHOTONICS
EXCELLENT ENVIRONMENT
ATTRACTING TALENT FROM THE US

26. CORPORATIONS START INNOVATION INITIATIVE
DOUBLE # OF HIGH QUALITY STARTUPS
OPEN INNOVATION EFFORTS
EDUCATE MORE TALENT LIFE SCIENCE + ICT

27. TO SUPPORT STARTUPS & INNOVATION
...AND SOME UNIQUE PROGRAMS

28. NEWS PORTAL
COMMUNITY CONNECTING SWITZERLAND
AND THE WORLD
INNOVATION INITIATIVE
FIND OUT MORE:

29. & CONNECT YOU TO SWISS INNOVATION:
PENNY.SCHIFFER@SWISSCOM.COM
THANK YOU!
I AM HAPPY TO HELP