Across the Röstigraben: Why CONDA Is Now Fluent in French

It’s done.
We took the long-overdue step across the Röstigraben. And yes—we weren’t surprised: Western Switzerland is full of innovation. For us, that means bringing crowd investing to where entrepreneurial spirit meets action

For you, this means even more exciting investment opportunities, new industries, and new minds—directly from French-speaking Switzerland. The scene is vibrant, connected, and ready. And so are we.

“With this expansion, we are fulfilling our promise to our shareholders to bring CONDA.ch to the whole of Switzerland. This is an important step for us, and we are proud that we have already been able to attract a number of great start-ups from western Switzerland for the launch. This sends a strong signal to both our investors and start-ups from all over Switzerland. It underscores that crowd investing strikes a chord and continues to have great growth opportunities in Switzerland.”
– Christian Klumpe, Management CONDA.ch

At the same time, it sends a signal to our community: we are serious about expansion. Not only in Zurich, Bern, or St. Gallen, but also in Lausanne, Geneva, and Neuchâtel. From now on, you will find all campaign pages in German, French, and English. This is real added value for start-ups and for investors. A win-win for everyone! And western Switzerland? It is currently becoming a start-up hub. Or as Swisspreneurs recently asked: Is the center of gravity of Swiss innovation shifting west? The fact is: four of the top five Swiss start-ups come from French-speaking Switzerland. (Source: Swisspreneurs) The future of start-ups lies in western Switzerland – and we are right in the middle of it.

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Our first milestone

Back in June, we launched our first crowd investing campaign in French-speaking Switzerland with Plair, a spin-off from the University of Geneva. The start-up is developing technology for real-time monitoring of pharmaceutical clean rooms – an innovation with enormous market potential. The crowd was convinced: 77 investors, over CHF 350,000 – a strong start for French-speaking Switzerland. To the Plair campaign

But who made this step possible?

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“Romandie is ready for crowdinvesting — and so am I.”

Interview with our Business Development Manager: Pauline Moser.

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Pauline, you recently joined the CONDA team and bring your bilingual French skills to CONDA—how was your start?
I have worked in both start-ups and an investment company, but CONDA feels very different. Structurally, it is still a start-up—small, agile, and entrepreneurial—but it pursues a unique mission: We are building an investor community and helping start-ups raise capital from it. This strengthens both sides. We evaluate potential start-ups from an investor’s perspective and at the same time help them attract the right crowd for their campaign. For me, this is an exciting new challenge because it combines analytical thinking with community building, and I already feel very inspired by this mix.

What attracted you to the task of promoting crowd investing in French-speaking Switzerland?
After three years abroad, I am very happy to return to my roots and support start-ups from my home region in raising capital and driving their growth. In my previous work in impact investing, I was fascinated by how unconventional financial products can be turned into real growth drivers when focused on what really matters. I see crowd investing as a powerful but still underutilized opportunity for start-ups to raise funds. Many people want their money to be used wisely and to have an impact. However, they often don’t know how to take the first step. In Switzerland in particular, there is a great willingness to invest, and it makes me proud to now be able to say to people: here is a concrete way in which your money can support innovative young companies and make a difference.

How would you describe the startup scene in French-speaking Switzerland?
What surprised me most was how open and cooperative the startup scene in French-speaking Switzerland is. When I approached various organizations that support startups, they were all very welcoming and willing to collaborate. In French-speaking Switzerland, the entire ecosystem seems united with the common goal of helping startups succeed. Founders will find many places to go for advice and resources here, and it is precisely this support that is crucial when building a new business.

Where do you see the greatest potential for crowd investing?
I see the greatest potential for crowd investing in investors’ growing need for transparency. They want to be able to understand exactly where and how their money is being used. That’s why we always advise start-ups that launch a campaign with us to clearly communicate what the funds raised will be used for and then actually use them for the stated purposes. This is crucial, especially if a start-up is planning several campaigns. Trust is built when investors see that promises are being kept. More trust leads to more investors, stronger campaigns, and ultimately more capital. This is precisely where the great opportunity for crowd investing lies: if this need for transparency can be consistently met, crowd investing could become mainstream.

What was it like to work on your first case in French-speaking Switzerland?
The first case from French-speaking Switzerland came right after I started at CONDA. It was a valuable learning experience for me. It was the first time I had taken on the role of project manager, while at the same time getting to know the internal processes at CONDA. It was a real “learning by doing” experience that helped me grow into my role very quickly.

What challenges are there—and how do you plan to tackle them?
A major challenge in my position at CONDA is to have the necessary patience. In German-speaking Switzerland, awareness of crowd investing is already much more pronounced, and CONDA has established itself as an important player there. In French-speaking Switzerland, on the other hand, we are entering a new market. It takes time to make a name for yourself. Building relationships, which for me is the key to success, does not happen overnight. This makes the support we have already received from our first partners in French-speaking Switzerland all the more valuable: they invited us to events, helped us promote our own launch event in September, and even recommended exciting start-ups to us directly. All of this has helped us enormously in assessing the market potential of French-speaking Switzerland. Now we feel well prepared for the second half of the year.

What can we expect from the upcoming campaigns? What’s in the pipeline?
I don’t want to give too much away at this point, as it’s supposed to be a little surprise. But I can say this much: the coming quarter will be very exciting. Various start-ups from all over French-speaking Switzerland will be launching their campaigns on CONDA in the fall. They operate in very different fields, but they are all innovative. They develop products that any of us could use ourselves. There will also be events in Geneva and Zurich where you can meet the founders in person.

What would you say to a startup in French-speaking Switzerland that is considering launching a crowd investing campaign with CONDA?
Come and see us! Our door is always open for an initial chat and to get to know each other. Our screening process allows us to quickly assess whether you are suitable for a crowd investing campaign. If you are selected, we will do everything we can to support you in the best possible way and accompany you every step of the way. But one thing is important: you determine most of the success yourself through your preparation, your commitment, and your active cooperation.

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What’s next?

Campaigns are currently running for Orion Horse Shoes and Big Sack – two completely different start-ups with a common goal: growth with the crowd.
And that’s not all: more campaigns will follow in the fall and until the end of the year.

It pays to stay curious. Sign up for our newsletter now so you don’t miss a thing.

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Review: Launch event in Geneva

In September 2025, we celebrated the official launch of CONDA in French-speaking Switzerland together with our new community—live in Geneva, with founders, investors, partners, and supporters.

The start-ups presented their ideas and the crowd asked questions. This was followed by delicious appetizers and exciting conversations.

We are overwhelmed by the interest, feedback, and energy that was palpable on this day.