MassChallenge Switzerland opens the call for applications today until March 5 to the 10th edition of its Early-Stage Startup Accelerator program, for startups providing solutions in any sector, with a focus on 3 Tracks: Sustainable Food, Sustainable & Efficient Industry and HealthTech.
Participating startups will be mentored by some 15 corporate partners, including Bühler, dsm-firmenich, Eisberg, Givaudan, Louis Dreyfus Company, Novonesis, Omya, PMI, SMC and Südzucker, and will benefit from the advice of over 400 experts. Participants will compete for over CHF 500,000 in non-dilutive cash prizes and other in-kind awards, without any equity investment in return.
On this same occasion, MassChallenge Switzerland and Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) also announce the opening of applications for the 2025 LDC Climate Resilience Prize, which will be awarded to the startup with the most promising climate impact in the food and agriculture space. The winner of this additional, unconditional, non-dilutive cash prize of CHF 100,000 will be announced at the MassChallenge Switzerland award ceremony on October 30, 2025, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Michael Gelchie, LDC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’re pleased to once again sponsor the LDC Climate Resilience prize, established in 2023 with MassChallenge Switzerland, to support visionary startups whose ideas, technologies and solutions have the highest potential for lasting positive climate impact in food and agricultural supply chains. We look forward to connecting and collaborating with more innovative and like-minded entrepreneurs who are helping to shape a more sustainable future for the benefit of current and future generations.”
Ian Roberts, President of MassChallenge Switzerland added: “I am delighted to collaborate for a third consecutive year with Louis Dreyfus Company on the LDC Climate Resilience Prize. Indeed, MassChallenge Switzerland is supporting startups whose work contributes to tackling climate issues and with the LDC Climate Resilience prize it will enable more startups to deliver meaningful change that can reduce emissions in the food value chain and feed the world sustainably”.