Talent Kick – Early Bird Applications for Spring 2026 (TK-S26) Now Open

Talent Kick will help you find a co-founder with a complementary skillset and gain hands-on experience as an entrepreneur. With the Early Bird Track, you can pitch your idea earlier, receive a fast-tracked admission decision, and secure your spot in the program ahead of the regular timeline.

Early Bird Overview
The Early Bird Track gives highly motivated Master’s and PhD students the opportunity to join Talent Kick early through a fast-track selection process, with final decisions starting in December 2025 – months before the regular timeline. To qualify, applicants must pitch in person during the Immersion Day on September 22, 2025. If you’re unable to attend, your application will automatically move to the regular selection process, with decisions released by February 2026.
By joining the Early Bird Track, you can secure your spot in the Spring 2026 batch ahead of others and benefit from an accelerated selection process.

Program Overview
Talent Kick is a highly selective, cross-university program lasting 2 to 4 semesters until your graduation, designed to help you build an interdisciplinary co-founder team and combine your studies with entrepreneurial experience.
The 1st semester is centered around bootcamps, workshops, events, and personal coaching. You’ll form a strong team, develop leadership skills, gain direction, and validate your chosen problem or technology space – setting the foundation for your entrepreneurial path. The most promising students receive initial funding and transition into semesters 2–4.
Semesters 2–4 focus on building your network and testing your ideas in the real world. You’ll benefit from input by seasoned entrepreneurs, potential customers, investors, and experts, and you’ll be supported in finding synergies with your studies, navigating the startup ecosystem, and securing additional funding.

At the end of the program the best participants will have…

• Validated Ideas
• Secured Fundings
• Co-founder secured and/or company founded
• Immersed in the Swiss and international entrepreneurial ecosystems
• Runway extended through other support programs Swiss-wide & from global program partners

Apply until 03.08.2025 for the Talent Kick program starting in Spring 2026 via the Early Bird Track!