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online SINGA Business accelerator

The first online business accelerator in Switzerland
for people with refugee and migration backgrounds, which provides access to an investor network. SINGA Accelerator’s services are aimed at people who have already founded a company and need further support to drive it forward or scale it.

Join the SINGA online Accelerator

Do you want to advance or scale your own business in Switzerland ?
Follow our selection process to register!

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Welcome to the Accelerator !
Phase 1 will lead you to analyse your needs and implement your ideas to grow and/or scale your business.

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Phase 2 will lead you to sustainable establish the elements implemented to advance and/or scale your business.

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Find a match with a mentor !
Our expert offer individual support for your specific needs.

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Have you already founded your own company in Switzerland and want to advance or scale it? If you meet the application criteria, you can apply via the online form. After a first selection, there is the possibility that you will be invited to a pitch event, where you will present online your business and your challenges in front of a jury. Afterwards, the jury will decide whether you can participate in the Accelerator.

SELECTION PROCESS

Selection process

Apply

Check our section Who can apply. If you meet the criteria, you can apply by using the respective online forms.

Convince

You will be invited to an online pitch event where you will present your business and your challenges in front of a jury.

Get selected

After that, the jury and the SINGA team will decide if you qualify to participate in the online Accelerator and you will be informed accordingly.

Who can apply

Origin

People from non-EU/EFTA/UK countries or with a project idea to support people with a refugee background.

CH-/EU-/EFTA-/UK-citizens can participate if they join forces with the target group.

Language

At least a B2 level in English, German or French is required.

If you do not speak English or lower than on a B1 level, we will organize translation in German or French for you.

Permit

Persons with an F, B, C or S permit can participate.

CH-/EU-/EFTA-/UK-citizens can participate if they join the target group.

Running business

You have a business registered in Switzerland that has been active for at least one year.
Your turnover is between CHF 15,000 and 25,000 per year (absolute minimum CHF 5,000) and you have at least one paying customer/client.

SDGs Supporting Business Idea

Your business idea supports at least one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). This does not necessarily have to be realized in the business idea itself. You can also fulfill this condition in your strategies and/or how you run your business.

Costs

At SINGA, the cost of the online Accelerator depends on your situation:

Administration fees: CHF 100.-

+ CHF 50.-/month for low income or CHF 100.-/month for normal income.

Please contact the SINGA team if the fees would be a barrier for you! We always find solutions!

ACCELERATION PHASE

In the six-month acceleration phase, you will implement the elements that will drive or grow your business.

Analysis

As a first step, you will analyze your challenges and needs with SINGA in order to organize the appropriate support for the implementation of your plans.

Implementation

After two kick-off days, where you will get to know the other participants, the support starts. This phase consists of regular 1:1 consultations with experts as well as a monthly workshop and check-in with the program manager at SINGA.

Demo Day

At the end of the Acceleration Phase, you will have the chance to pitch your needs and uses of financial resources to an investor network in order to receive (seed) funding.

SINGA offers support through 1:1 consultations and workshops in the following areas and topics:

communication​

  • Strategies in communication and social media
  • (Online) Marketing / SEO
  • Branding / UX design
  • Building or improving the website
  • B2C/B2B, how to address customers
  • Pitching (in front of investors)
  • Media training/storytelling
  • Impact measurement

Finance

  • Financing / Business Model
  • Raising capital
  • Obtaining investments
  • Accounting and taxes
  • Business plan required by banks to obtain a loan
  • Fundraising from foundations

Management / HR

  • Find the right co-founder(s) or team members
  • Soft skills and leadership qualities
  • Project, self and team management
  • Risk management
  • Environmentally friendly business

Legal

  • Contracts and agreements
  • Project protection / patents
  • (Social) insurances

CONSOLIDATION PHASE

After the implementation, this three-month phase is about establishing the implemented elements in your business in the long term.

Evaluation

After the summer break, you will evaluate with SINGA what additional support is needed to establish the realized components in your business.

Establishment

Over the remaining three months you will still have the opportunity to benefit from 1:1 consultations to support the sustainable establishment of the new elements in your business. There will be no more workshops during this phase.

These documents must be uploaded during the online application. Therefore, we recommend that you fill out the documents before you start the online application form. You can upload your own documents or use these templates.

MENTORING

Over a period of at least nine months (parallel to the acceleration and consolidation phase), you will be accompanied by an expert who will offer you individual support at eye level and share his/her professional network.

matching

SINGA will connect you with a mentor who has relevant experience and knowledge in your industry, will assist you on an equal footing, and will share their network with you.

Agreement

During the first meeting, you will define goals, results and the way of working together in an agreement with your mentor.

Meeting

For at least nine months, you will meet regularly with your mentor, who will provide you with strategic support, suggestions and a professional network.

Application Form: Online SINGA Accelerator 2023

Please note that the application form takes approximately 30-45 minutes to complete PLUS there are several documents to submit (downloadable templates can be found just above this application button)

The SINGA online Accelerator is aimed at active companies run by people with a refugee or migration background who want to expand or grow their business. The duration of the program is 9 months and includes two phases: the Accelerator (6 months) and the Consolidation phase (3 months). If you would like to participate as a team, please choose one person to fill out this application. He/she will be the contact person for SINGA, but other active team members can also participate in the program. ** Please put down the date for the selection/pitch night, which will be held online on April 4th, 2023. We look forward to receiving your completed application.

Thank you for your application! We will get in touch with you by mid-March at the latest.