Leading to Scale-Up: 2026 Program
Developed jointly by Innovaud and IMD Business School, the LeadiNNg to Scale-Up program supports leaders of high-potential tech startups through a critical stage in their development: the transition from startup to scale-up. The next edition of the program will begin in January 2027. Applications are now being accepted, followed by a selection process based on applications and interviews, with enrollment limited to 20 participants. Designed for founders and CEOs of Swiss or international technology companies, this program aims to prepare entrepreneurs for the challenges associated with rapid growth and expansion into international markets.
Details & Application – Deadline:❗️September 30, 2026❗️
A program of excellence to support future technology scale-ups in Western Switzerland
The LeadiNNg to Scale-Up program consists of an intensive 6-month course structured around 10 sessions led by IMD faculty and entrepreneurs who have themselves grown companies to an international scale.
The curriculum covers three main pillars: leadership, organizational design, and growth strategy. Participants focus in particular on the governance of a rapidly expanding company, team structuring, entering new markets, financial management, integrating sustainability issues into their strategy, and the evolving role of the founder as the company grows.
The program is intentionally sector-agnostic, but it targets exclusively technology companies that have already demonstrated initial commercial traction.
The admission criteria are stringent: companies must have at least 8 employees, have raised more than CHF 1 million in a seed funding round (or demonstrate equivalent growth for certain self-funded projects), and be preparing for—or have recently completed—a Series A funding round.
Participants will also enjoy exclusive access to a network of experienced founders, investors, and international experts, as well as a CHF 5,000 IMD training voucher upon completion of the program.
For technology-based SMEs in French-speaking Switzerland—and particularly for startups in the hypergrowth phase—LeadiNNg to Scale-Up offers a rare opportunity to acquire the methods, tools, and network needed to successfully navigate the transition to scaling up. Beyond academic instruction, the program provides a forum for exchange among executives facing the same challenges, enabling them to accelerate their companies’ international expansion while strengthening the organizational foundations essential for sustainable growth.
Details & Application – Deadline:❗️September 30, 2026❗️
