On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, TiE Silicon Valley and Inventus Law co-hosted an exclusive delegation visit featuring international startup founders and innovation leaders from the University of Basel, Switzerland.
The program brought together visiting Swiss delegates, Silicon Valley VC partners, industry mentors, and TiE Charter Members for an intensive afternoon of market strategy, pitch feedback, and cross-border networking.
Welcome & TiE Silicon Valley Overview
- Speaker: Ajay Manglani (Chief Operating Officer, TiE Silicon Valley)
The day officially began with a warm welcome and orientation led by Ajay Manglani. Ajay provided an overview of TiE Silicon Valley’s global network and detailed how TiE collaborates with international cohorts to bridge global innovation hubs with Silicon Valley. He outlined how TiE supports visiting founders through mentorship, investor connections, and hands-on guidance as they explore U.S. market expansion.
University of Basel Innovation Office Leadership
The visiting delegation was championed by leadership from the University of Basel Innovation Office, who supported the startups throughout the immersion program:
- Christian Elias Schneider — Managing Director
- Alessandro Mazzetti — Head, Innovation & Entrepreneurship / Deputy Managing Director
- Leily Jalinous — Junior Innovation Manager
- George Barnett — Entrepreneur in Residence
- Ekta Dang — Innovation Ambassador
Entering the U.S. Market & Building the Silicon Valley Way
- Speakers: Dr. Anurag Mairal (Director, Global Translation and Outreach at Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign) & Chris Danek (CEO, Bessel.co)
Dr. Mairal and Chris shared actionable insights on commercializing healthtech and biotech innovations in the U.S. They walked the cohort through practical strategies for scaling operations, navigating complex regulatory pathways, and adapting business models to thrive within the Silicon Valley ecosystem.
Legal Insights & Cross-Border Growth
- Speakers: Anil Advani (Founder & Managing Partner, Inventus Law) & Abhilipsa Panda (Of Counsel, Inventus Law)
Following the market entry discussion, Anil Advani and Abhilipsa Panda highlighted key legal frameworks essential for international startups expanding into the U.S. They addressed critical considerations around corporate structure, cross-border IP management, employment compliance, and fundraising logistics for European founders.
Fast-Paced Startup Pitch Session & VC Feedback
A major highlight of the afternoon was the rapid-fire pitch session. Startups each delivered a 3-minute pitch followed by a live 2-minute Q&A with a panel of Silicon Valley investors, including Jyotika Gupta (Co-founder & Partner, z21), Avantika Tibrewala (Investor, WestBridge), and Matthew Wong (Investor, Fusion Fund).
Featured Pitching Startups:
- 201 Therapeutics — Developing small-molecule therapies for liver cancer organoids.
- Blue Wave Therapeutics — Targeted radionuclide therapies for solid tumors.
- NanoZymeX — Lipid nanoparticle enzyme delivery platform for Pompe disease.
The session wrapped up with an interactive feedback round, where the investor panel provided direct guidance on tailoring pitch narratives, valuation expectations, and go-to-market strategies for U.S. venture capitalists.
Connecting with the Ecosystem
To round out the day, members of the delegation stayed on as invited guests to listen in on TiE Silicon Valley’s Annual Investors Day, giving the visiting founders firsthand exposure to local pitches and additional networking with ecosystem leaders.
A big thank you to our co-hosts at Inventus Law, the University of Basel Innovation Office leadership, our guest speakers, panel investors, and the startup delegation for a fantastic collaborative event!
