E79 [AI-Translated] MyBikePlan | Terralayr | Index | Project Switzerland | SWISSto12 | Ex Nunc | noriware | Alphalum

In this episode of Burn Rate, Max Meister and Guy Giuffredi break down the key developments shaping the Swiss venture capital ecosystem at the start of 2026. In the news section, they discuss the exit of Zurich-based mobility fintech MyBikePlan to Germany’s JobRad Group, the €192 million mega-round raised by battery storage player Terralayr, and the upcoming generational transition at global VC firm Index Ventures following an exceptional year of exits.

The main topic of the episode focuses on Project Switzerland. Guest Michael Sauter, Project Lead of the initiative, joins the discussion to explore how Project Switzerland aims to close the scaling gap between product–market fit and global expansion. The conversation highlights why traditional accelerator models often fall short at this stage and how a peer-to-peer approach with experienced founders as role models is designed to support ambitious Swiss scale-ups.

In the listener question, the episode addresses “investor ghosting” during fundraising. The discussion provides context on why delayed or missing responses are common in VC processes and outlines structured, professional ways founders can follow up without damaging relationships.

The episode concludes with a roundup of the deals of the week: SWISSto12 raising over €100 million for the industrialization of its HummingSat platform, Ex Nunc Intelligence closing a USD 2.15 million pre-seed round for trustworthy legal AI infrastructure, noriware securing CHF 4 million ahead of its plastic-free packaging launch, and AlphaLum raising CHF 3.4 million to scale next-generation optics and sensing for smart glasses. The episode highlights a strong and diverse start to the VC year, with continued momentum in deep tech and industrial innovation.