More than 7,000 founders, investors, corporate executives and young talents from over 30 countries are expected in St. Gallen on March 19 and 20 for the Start Summit, a student-run startup conference organized by Start Global and the University of St. Gallen.
Under the theme “Embrace New Horizons,” the event is set to look beyond the current artificial intelligence boom and focus on fields such as deep tech, robotics and data-driven technologies, while also examining how Europe can turn strong academic research into globally competitive companies.
This year’s program places special emphasis on the Alpine innovation corridor spanning Lausanne, Zurich, St. Gallen and Munich. Organizers say the region’s universities, including EPFL, ETH Zurich, the University of St. Gallen and the Technical University of Munich, are helping build a stronger deep-tech ecosystem with closer links between research and entrepreneurship.
The summit will also serve as a showcase for the University of St. Gallen’s own startup pipeline. According to the HSG Entrepreneurship Monitor, 845 startups emerged from the university between 2014 and 2024, reinforcing its position among the most active startup universities in the German-speaking world.
Alongside panels, keynotes and workshops, the two-day program features multiple pitching competitions with more than CHF 100,000 in prize money and the 36-hour Start Hack, where students and young technologists will build prototypes for real industry and research challenges.