The journey doesn’t end with the accelerator – in many ways, it’s just the beginning.
We are proud to announce the launch of DayOne NEXT, a long-term support program designed to help the most promising startups from the DayOne accelerator cohort build, scale and anchor their R&D in the Basel Area. It is a hands-on, non-profit venture builder for exceptional early-stage teams, where we provide capital (no equity, no fees), workspace and deeply embedded operational support – and we stay for the long term.
Each year, up to three startups from the accelerator cohort will be selected to join DayOne NEXT and receive tailored, long-term backing to transform breakthrough science and technology into real-world impact.
Building beyond the accelerator
DayOne NEXT is designed around a simple idea: early-stage healthtech, techbio and pharma-enabling ventures need more than short-term momentum. They need time, focus, ecosystem integration and highly tailored support. We will work side-by-side with a small number of exceptional founders and actively help build the company.
What this means in practice…
- At its core, selected companies will receive a non-dilutive 50,000 CHF cash grant, giving them immediate financial flexibility at a critical stage of development. Beyond this direct funding, DayOne NEXT provides 12 months of personalized support valued at up to 50,000 CHF. This support is not standardized or predefined. Instead, it is tailored to the specific needs of each company – whether that means fractional executive leadership, regulatory or clinical expertise, domain specialists or operational guidance. The objective is simple: provide precisely what moves the company forward.
- To support the presence in the Basel Area, we also offer additional relocation and settlement support of up to 5,000 CHF, covering legal advice, notary fees or other direct costs associated with setting up in the region.
- Selected companies also receive 12 months of desk space at Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, with preference for placement at the renowned Novartis Campus. This places founders at the center of one of the world’s leading life sciences clusters, surrounded by global pharmaceutical leaders, fast-growing biotech ventures and a dense network of scientific and regulatory expertise.
- DayOne NEXT companies receive support in accessing the Basel Incentive Programme, which can provide up to 25% cash back on R&D costs and up to 50% of lab rental costs – a powerful incentive for early-stage ventures building capital-intensive technologies. Find out more here.
- Additionally, DayOne NEXT companies continue to leverage the full DayOne network – gaining long-term access to mentors, industry experts and investors. Preferred visibility at curated conferences and ecosystem events further supports fundraising and partnership development.
For the startups we back, this isn’t just “access to benefits.” It’s real involvement. We embed ourselves within the team – working on strategy, fundraising, hiring, positioning and whatever is mission-critical.
Who we select and why
The program is intentionally selective. We select top ventures from the DayOne accelerator program with strong scientific foundations and a robust intellectual property position – or a clear path to defensibility. Companies should have an active R&D component, require technical, regulatory or clinical support beyond business development, and have raised limited external funding so that the grant delivers meaningful impact.
We also prioritize engaged, collaborative teams with a clear strategic rationale for locating R&D in the Basel Area and strong alignment with the region’s ecosystem.
We deliberately work with very few startups so we can go deep. This is high-conviction, long-term venture building.
A long-term partnership
DayOne NEXT represents a new chapter in our mission: not just to accelerate innovation, but to anchor it, nurture it and help it scale sustainably within the Basel ecosystem.
It is more than just follow-on funding. It is a long-term partnership – aligning capital, expertise and ecosystem access to help exceptional founders build enduring, globally impactful health innovation.
Learn more about the DayOne accelerator program here.
