The Ark's Incubator offers professional support to start-up companies. It increases their chances of success and helps them become part of the business landscape. The Incubator provides entrepreneurs with practical, appropriate support, to maximise their chances of success. It offers them professional mentoring and appropriate facilities, enabling them to improve their business plan and gather the necessary resources to accelerate their growth.

1. The privileged partner of
business creators
Fondation pour l’innovation en Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch 2012

3. Goal
To build the Technological Valais
of the Future
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

4. Strategy of the Ark
« to build the technological Valais of the future »
Promoting Bringing together
innovation competences
Supporting
Strengthening Economic
competitiveness growth
The Foundation has been created in 2004 by the state of Valais
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

5. 3 fields
Information and communication
Technologies
Since the end of 80’
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

6. 3 fields
Life Sciences
The 2nd chemical Swiss canton (in terms of GDP)
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

7. 3 fields
Engineering Sciences Focus Energy
1/4 of hydro-electricity consummated in Switzerland
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

8. 3 fields and 6 technological sites
Life Science
ICT
Engineering Science
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

9. 6 technological sites in Valais
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

10. The Ark’services
Technologies’ providers
and companies
Founders of innovative
businesses
SME’s in Valais
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

11. Bridging the gap between
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais
Science and Market
www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

12. Supporting SME’s in developping
business innovation
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

13. Professionnal support for
start-up companies
Fondation pour l’innovation en Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

14. Incubator The Ark
One mission:
To maximise chances of success…
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

15. Incubator The Ark
The privileged partner of the entrepreneurs:
services
coaching hosting financing networks
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

16. Incubator The Ark
A customized professionnal coaching
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

17. Incubator The Ark
Leading edge equipment and facilities
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

18. Incubator The Ark
Leading edge equipment and facilities
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

19. Incubator The Ark
A wide network of experts
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

20. Incubator The Ark
Support in searching for funding
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

21. Incubator The Ark
A platform of exchange and sharing of experiences
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

22. Incubator The Ark
A taylormade process
to the growth of the start-up
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

23. Incubator The Ark
Growth
Starting Incubation
Incubation
Pre-incubation
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

24. Incubator The Ark
3. STARTING 4. GROWTH
1. SELECTION 2. PRE-INCUBATION
INCUBATION INCUBATION
BUSINESS MODEL PRODUCT LAUNCH DEVELOPMENT
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

25. Incubator The Ark
1. SELECTION 2. PRE-INCUBATION 3. STARTING INCUBATION 4. GROWTH INCUBATION
BUSINESS MODEL PRODUCT LAUNCH DEVELOPMENT
Evaluation scheme:
• Management
• Product/service
• Market
Coaching: Coaching:
• Finances Coaching:
• Strategy •Conceptualisation • Commercialisation • Sales development
•Business Plan • Funding • Growth strategy
•Information research • Marketing – Product • Financial planning
•Support in searching for launch
funding
• Organisation & HR
• Network of experts
• Leading edge • Leading edge
equipment & facilities
equipment & facilities • Leading edge
equipment & facilities
• Networking
• Networking
• Networking
1 – 2 weeks 3 – 12 months 6 – 18 months 6 – 12 months
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

26. 1. SELECTION 2. PRE-INCUBATION 3. STARTING INCUBATION 4. GROWTH INCUBATION
BUSINESS MODEL PRODUCT LAUNCH DEVELOPMENT
Evaluation scheme:
• Management
• Product/service
• Market
Coaching: Coaching:
• Finances Coaching:
• Strategy •Conceptualisation • Commercialisation • Sales development
•Business Plan • Funding • Growth strategy
•Information research • Marketing – Product • Financial planning
•Support in searching for launch
funding
• Organisation & HR
• Network of experts
• Leading edge • Leading edge
equipment & facilities
equipment & facilities • Leading edge
equipment & facilities
• Networking
• Networking
• Networking
1 – 2 weeks 3 – 12 months 6 – 18 months 6 – 12 months
Finance 10– 25 KF Finance 25 – 60 KF Finance 20 – 30 KF
No repayment Repayment if success (1/2) Repayment if success (1/2)
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

27. Incubator The Ark
 Coaching :
 A team of 20 people
Engineers and Economists
• Industrial experiences
• extensive openness of innovation
• integrated to international business networks
 Certified ISO 9001
 BIC : Business Innovation Center
 Networks : Platinn, BioAlps, AlpicT, CleantechAlps CTI, Retis, EBN,
CEEI, …
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

28. Incubator The Ark …networks
The incubator provides access to it’s partner organisations like :
CTI : Commission pour la Technologie et l’Innovation in Switzerland
CTI Start-up (www.ctistartup.ch)
The Start-up support Initiative of the Swiss Federal Government
CTI R&D (www.kti-cti.ch)
R&D support grants from the Commission for Technology and Innovation
CTI Invest (www.cti-invest.ch)
Swiss national investor platform
Universities and institutes: EPFL, HES-SO, Idiap, RFID Center, FFHS, etc.
Clusters &networks: BioAlps, AlpicT,CleantechAlps, PlatInn, Retis, EBN…
Venturelab (www.venturelab.ch) - VentureKick (www.venturekick.ch)
Funding: CCF, BusinessAngels, Venture Capitalist, …
Experts: legal, industrial, IP, marketing, insurances, …
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

29. Incubator The Ark …start-up
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

30. Incubator The Ark
Incubator The Ark :
• Since 2004 (The Ark Incubator) : 85 start-up
• Since 2000 (« Vulcain ») : 102 start-up
• In 2011 : 29 start-up, 12 new-ones
• 01.01.2012 : 19 start-up
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

31. Incubator The Ark …results
Résultats fin 2011 (depuis 2007) 70
65
60
55 13
• Entreprises 12
13
50
63 hébergées
45 6
10
(depuis 2007)
40
35
• Entreprises 30
50 encore en activité 25
41 44 46 48 50
(à fin 2011) 20
15
10
5
79% • Taux de survie 0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
en activité plus en activité
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

32. Incubator The Ark …results
Levier financier 2007-2011
(CHF mio)
18 16.90
16
14
12
10
8
6
3.70
4
1.55
2
0
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

33. Incubator The Ark …results
Nombre de start-ups à l’incubateur The Ark
35
30
10
25 9
10 11
20
14
8
15
11
10 21 20
19 18
5
13 12
5
8
6
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Start-up des années précédentes dans l'incubateur Start-up entrées durant l'année
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

34. Welcome to the The Ark Incubator
Where your
projects will
grow up
The Foundation for Innovation in the Valais www.theark.ch – info@theark.ch

35. Thank you for your attention
Fondation The Ark
Bâtiment de Courten www.theark.ch
Place St-Théodule blog.theark.ch
1950 Sion info@theark.ch