Dr. Thomas Dübendorfer
Internet entrepreneur and angel investor, President of SICTIC
Investors & PMF
Early-bird until January 15, 2027
6-month sprint program
Nail your PMF. Accelerate your growth.
You have customers and revenue, but growth is harder than it should be?
Startups with a clear Product-Market Fit grow 20× faster* than those that scale prematurely. The Academy equips you with the tools, methods, and frameworks to iterate faster and in a structured way towards Product-Market Fit.
* Startup Genome Report (Version 2) – Premature Scaling (UC Berkeley, Stanford, Startup Genome Project, 2011–2012)
Supported by
About PMF
PMF is the foundation for startup success and sustainable growth
Startups with PMF win customers more easily, grow faster and attract more investors. They have the momentum on their side to grow fast.
Signals of Product-Market Fit
Sales become predictable
Customer acquisition costs are dropping
Customers are staying with you and want more
Customers are actively recommending you
What Product-Market Fit is NOT
- Prospects keep delaying their buying decisions.
- Sales just feels hard.
- Every customer project is different, with multiple use cases.
- Existing customers don’t ask for more.
Self-assessment
Check your PMF with 8 questions
A quick self-assessment to gauge your Product-Market Fit and growth momentum. Answer anonymously.
The program
6-Month PMF Impact Program
The program is all about learning and experimenting fast. You will constantly acquire new customers and identify repeatable patterns for success and startup growth.
During the first two kick-off days, you’ll get the essential tools and methods to iterate fast and in a structured way. Seven growth sprints follow, combining hands-on experimentation, expert insights, and peer learning.
After six months, you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your progress and pitch to investors.
2Days
of intensive, hands-on workshops
7Sprints
guided, with expert input and actionable feedback
10Startups
carefully selected
1Demo Day
to pitch your progress to investors
Your six months
- KKick-off4 & 5 March 2027Zurich
- S1Sprint 126 March 2027Online
- S2Sprint 216 April 2027Zurich
- S3Sprint 37 May 2027Online
- S4Sprint 428 May 2027Online
- S5Sprint 518 June 2027Zurich
- S6Sprint 62 July 2027Online
- S7Sprint 713 August 2027Online
- ★Demo Day20 August 2027Zurich
In person in ZurichOnlineAbout 3 weeks between sprints
That is what you’re gaining
Structured methodology and tools to reach PMF faster
Insights from top entrepreneurs
Peer learning and exchange with fellow entrepreneurs
Proven methodology
Outstanding Net Promoter Score
+80
Net Promoter Score from founders who completed the program.
9.45/10
Average rating from founders who completed the program.
Participant survey of the second Growth Academy
Guest speakers
Learn from experienced founders and investors
Tobias Rein
Co-Founder & Principal Engineer at GetYourGuide
PMF Journey
Raphael Schaad
Founder of Cron (acquired by Notion) and General Partner at YC
Talking to 1,000 Customers
Thomas (Gaba) Gabathuler
CEO and Co-Founder of Get More Brain
Never stop learning
Stefan Zanetti
CGO & Chairman at Allthings & CEO at Pivotal
How to pivot
Michael Sauter
Founder of PMF Factory and author of the book Product-Market Fit – How to Build a Business That Scales
Who should apply
Startups that seek acceleration
You have customers and real usage data, but growth has plateaued or become hard to repeat, and now you want to accelerate. Only 10 startups are selected. Don’t miss it.
Typical participants are:
ModelB2Boccasionally B2C
On the market2–7 years
RevenueCHF 200k–2.1Mminimum CHF 50k
Additional selection criteria
- Ambitious and coachable leadership team
- Committed participation of two key people
- Sufficient funding to see the six months through
You should NOT apply if…
- Your revenue is below CHF 50,000.
- You are not willing to learn, experiment, and challenge your assumptions.
- You have less than six months of financial runway.
- You are a one-(wo)man show.
Testimonials
What founders say
Joel Singh · CEO, Crossiety
Side note: Crossiety is growing again and is profitable.
Interview
The program was an absolute game changer for us
- What impact did the systematic work on Product-Market Fit have?
- Joel: It fundamentally changed how we set our priorities. Today we make decisions based on what really matters to our users – not simply on what feels most urgent at the moment.
- What changed in sales?
- Joel: We now have a clearly defined Ideal Customer Profile. That means we talk to the right customers in a targeted way instead of approaching as many different prospects as possible. It makes our sales more focused and more efficient.
- What impact did this have on your product development?
- Joel: We used to get a lot of technical feedback, but often it was individual opinions or very specific requests. Today we understand much better what the majority of our users really need. That helps us prioritize our backlog and align our sprints consistently with customer value.
- Has collaboration within the team changed as well?
- Joel: Yes, significantly. The whole team has much more clarity today. Everyone understands better what matters to our users, so we work in a more focused way and pursue the same priorities. Our meetings have a different quality, too: we no longer just discuss ideas and opinions, we show data and customer signals. That builds trust and leads to better decisions.
- What did the process do for you personally as a founder?
- Joel: It gave me much more confidence. I feel I finally have a compass. I know better where we are going – and above all, why we are taking this path.
Product-Market Fit is the single most important factor for any startup – and the whole company must be focused on it. On a scale from 1 to 10, I definitely give this program a 10.
Michael TrummerCo-Founder, aheadEvery startup should address the topic of Product-Market Fit at an early stage and implement a process before they have already done everything wrong. The program has definitely demystified the topic of Product-Market Fit for us and given us the necessary guidance on how to focus and make it measurable.
Pascal WeberCo-Founder, ManukaiEvery startup should introduce a PMF process as early as possible in order to optimize their chances of success. The program has helped us a lot with tools and frameworks.
Diego GladigCo-Founder, GossikIn my opinion, Switzerland has a huge need for what you are doing. The more Swiss startups understand and implement the PMF process, the more successful they will be. I recommend the program to every startup with customers and revenues.
Reto GrobCEO & Co-Founder, Augment ItI’ve been through several programs before, but this one has been the most practical and relevant by far.
Elias RemeleFormer CSO & Co-Founder, Augment ItBefore the program, Product-Market Fit was more of a buzzword to me. We were focused on hitting $1 million in ARR. But today, we understand that PMF goes far beyond just revenue – it’s the core of a successful venture. We now take a much more structured and evidence-based approach to measure it.
Tobias NägeliCo-Founder, Tinamu LabsBefore joining the program, we were greenhorns in terms of a methodical approach to Product-Market Fit. The Growth Academy has given us methodological security. Now we’ve got a solid method with a clear structure to test ideas from A to Z.
Roger LangeneggerCEO, SolarifyThe program has given me further confidence in what we are doing and where we are going. Product-Market Fit is now thoroughly embedded in my thought process and we know how to measure it.
Ian KeathesCEO, Altoo AGThis program has given me so much energy. It has shaped my thinking about developing a business, and we as a company have taken a big step forward.
Chris ZurbrüggCo-Founder & CEO, aumicoThe program helped us push scalable growth for Tinamu. We would not be where we are today without it. Especially the expert presentations and individual coaching was invaluable for us and we can highly recommend it to any entrepreneur building a successful business.
Thomas GötschmannCEO, Tinamu LabsWe are ready to scale – and the program gave me exactly the confirmation, clarity, and focus I needed to take this next step. It’s an outstanding, high-quality program. Missing out would have been a real disappointment.
Doris ErneCEO, WheycationI am very happy that you convinced me to participate in the program. You definitely overachieved. We now have a much better understanding of our PMF. I recommend the program to every startup.
Pascal GrossniklausCo-Founder, aheadI have only participated in a few programs in the last thirty years, but this program was really worth it. Never stop learning.
Thomas (Gaba) GabathulerCEO & Co-Founder, Get More BrainI was a little skeptical at first. But then the value of the program exceeded my expectations. As a company, we have taken a big step forward. In hindsight, the value of the program is many times more than we paid for it.
Mario von BergenCo-Founder, Splint InvestInitially, I was unsure of how I would benefit from attending the program, but after the Academy I have to say it was extremely valuable on many levels. We now discuss Product-Market Fit differently and with clarity. Refining our KPIs related to PMF in particular has helped us a lot.
Philip HedigerChief Customer Officer, Altoo AGWithout this program, I would never have had this understanding of Product-Market Fit. We now know how to focus on it and how to measure PMF. I would love to participate in the program again.
Samuel SchmidCo-Founder & CTO, aumicoImpressions
Learning, sprinting and celebrating together
Workshops, guest talks, peer groups and a founders dinner from previous editions in Zurich.
Your Return on Investment
Every month faster to PMF saves you one month of burn
CHF
Salaries, rent and spend per month.
Your saving
CHF 150,000
That is 23× the program investment of CHF 6,500.
| Program fee2 participants per company (2 × CHF 4,250) | CHF 8,500 |
| Partner discountSICTIC, Standortförderung Kanton Zürich, PMF Factory | – CHF 1,000 |
| Early-bird discountuntil January 15, 2027 | – CHF 1,000 |
| Total investment per company2 participants | CHF 6,500 |
| Your savingFrom the calculator, based on your burn rate | – CHF 150,000 |
Book a 20-min call
Ready to nail your Product-Market Fit?
Two people per company, six months, one goal: repeatable, predictable growth. Apply before January 15, 2027 to save CHF 1,000.
Let’s check the fit with the program within a 20-minute call.
Application process
Four steps to the program
- 1
Book a 20-min call
Pick a slot that suits you, online and free of charge.
Book a 20-min call - 2
20-min call
Let’s check out the fit with the program.
- 3
Official application
If it fits, you submit your official application.
- 4
Selection of 10 startups
Only 10 startups are selected for the program.
Don’t miss this opportunity!
For investors
Do you want to propose a startup for the program?
You know a portfolio company or a founding team that has customers and revenue, but growth is harder than it should be? Tell us about them and we will get in touch.
Startup criteria
- More than CHF 50k revenue
- Founders ready to learn
- Runway of at least 6 months
The book
Product-Market Fit – How to Build a Business That Scales
by Michael Sauter, Founder of PMF Factory
- Understanding Product-Market Fit
- How to focus on Product-Market Fit
- How to iterate to Product-Market Fit
Including success stories of Bexio, Xovis and Cron
The book has what it takes to become the standard work in the startup world. It addresses the fundamental question of every startup: How can I grow successfully and become big? And it doesn’t just address it, it answers it credibly. The core message – extend the product and customer development phase at low cost until PMF is truly found, and only then scale – is incredibly powerful and practical. That’s why it shapes my thinking from now on.
FAQ
Questions, answered
When and where does the program take place?
The program runs from March to August 2027. In-person days take place in Zurich; the other sprints are online. There are about three weeks between sprints.
- 4 & 5 March 2027Kick-off (2 days)Zurich
- 26 March 2027Sprint 1Online
- 16 April 2027Sprint 2Zurich
- 7 May 2027Sprint 3Online
- 28 May 2027Sprint 4Online
- 18 June 2027Sprint 5Zurich
- 2 July 2027Sprint 6Online
- 13 August 2027Sprint 7Online
- 20 August 2027Investor Demo DayZurich
How is the program structured?
Two kick-off days give you the essential tools, methods and frameworks. In seven growth sprints, you experiment, acquire customers and learn from experts and peers. At the Demo Day, you showcase your progress and pitch to investors.
Who are the guest speakers?
Experienced founders and investors such as Thomas Dübendorfer (SICTIC), Tobias Rein (GetYourGuide), Raphael Schaad (Cron, YC), Thomas Gabathuler (Get More Brain) and Stefan Zanetti (Allthings, Pivotal) share their insights on Product-Market Fit.
Who runs Swiss PMF Academy?
The academy is powered by SICTIC, the Swiss ICT Investor Club, and PMF Factory, and supported by Innovation Zurich.
Is my startup a fit?
Typical participants are B2B (occasionally B2C), 2–7 years on the market, with CHF 200k–2.1M in revenue. You should not apply if your revenue is below CHF 50,000, you have less than six months of runway, or you are a one-(wo)man show.
How many startups are selected?
Only 10 carefully selected startups take part, so every team gets real attention from experts and peers.
Who should take part from my company?
Two key people from your leadership team, both committed to taking part throughout the six months.
What does it cost?
CHF 4,250 per participant, so CHF 8,500 per company. A partner discount (SICTIC, Standortförderung Kanton Zürich, PMF Factory) and an early-bird discount until January 15, 2027 of CHF 1,000 each bring the total to CHF 6,500.
How do I apply?
Book a 20-minute call with Michael Sauter. Together we look at where you stand and whether the academy is the right next step.
Book a 20-min callCan I learn more before applying?
Yes. Take the PMF Check above, or download the free e-book with the success stories of Bexio, Xovis and Cron.