Venturelab Trophy 2021: Swiss startups and international investors set sail for success

The second Venturelab Trophy took place on the weekend before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The entrepreneurs and investors embarked on a friendly regatta followed by a pitch event at the Royal Club Nautico, where the Swiss National Startup Team connected with investors. This year’s regatta was supported by VISCHER; the Venture Leaders Mobile program is sponsored by Huawei, Swisscom, and VISCHER.

Startup founders and CEOs are used to running a tight ship—at least on land. A friendly regatta on the Mediterranean Sea offered a different perspective of what it means to be at the helm: On the weekend before the Mobile World Congress, all hands had to be on deck for the second Venturelab Trophy. During this three-hour sailing trip, selected entrepreneurs experienced a new way to network and collaborate with each other, the program partners, and the Venturelab crew.



“When sailing, you can find parallels to the startup world: You cannot influence everything, and certain events you have to take for granted. But there are many factors that you can prepare: The boat, the materials, and the crew, for example. And then you make the best out of the wind and try to take every wave perfectly. On a boat and in a startup, you accept the circumstances and optimize,” said Rolf Auf der Maur, host of the Venturelab Trophy at the Royal Barcelona Maritime Club and a partner at VISCHER law firm, one of the sponsors of the Venture Leaders Mobile program.
 

Off they go! The Venture Leaders Mobile are kicking off the second Venturelab Trophy with partners and sponsors in Barcelona! @Huawai_ @Swisscom @VISCHER_Law #VLeadersMobile #SwissStartups pic.twitter.com/uBp2dYhovN

— Venturelab (@venturelab_ch) June 27, 2021

After safely returning to the harbor, the Venture Leaders Mobile pitched in front of international investors at the Royal Barcelona Maritime Club. 



“The Venturelab Trophy offers an exceptional opportunity for startups, investors, and partners to establish personal contacts and for entrepreneurs to pitch in an exclusive setting,” said Jordi Montserrat, managing partner at Venturelab. “All participants of this year’s trophy provided the same feedback: Not only meeting in person but sharing a common experience is an indispensable and irreplaceable part of building business relationships.”


 
Learn more about the Venture Leaders Mobile 2021: