About Marianna Fighera

My Journey

I’ve always believed that great ideas deserve more than wishful thinking, they deserve a plan. Through my experience founding a tech startup and working closely with fellow entrepreneurs and researchers as a startup coach, I realized how many people have powerful visions, but often lack the tools, structure, or experience to move forward, especially in the early stages.

That’s why, backed by my extensive and successful experience in securing non-dilutive funding for Swiss startups over the last 10 years, I created D2D – Dream to Document: to support researchers, entrepreneurs, and SMEs in shaping solid business plans, financial projections, and innovation strategies, thus turning bold ideas into structured, actionable documents.

My academic background combines a BSc and MSc degree in Biomedical Engineering from Italy, a PhD in Microsystems & Microelectronics from EPFL, an MBA from the United States, and a Business Finance executive program at IMD, giving me both scientific depth and business fluency. 

Building upon my diverse expertise n the Swiss startup scene, I’ve spent the last decade navigating the space between innovation and entrepreneurship, building bridges from science to real-word applications. I’ve worked with early-stage startups, entrepreneurs, researchers, and SMEs, helping them shape ideas into structured, fundable, and impactful projects, both at national and international level, thus securing cumulatively over CHF 7M non-dilutive funding.

Since January 2023, I am a startup coach at the Runway startup incubator of ZHAW School of Management and Law, where I guide startups and researchers through the funding landscape and project development process, bringing both clarity and momentum to their journey.

Today, as an accredited Innosuisse Innovation Mentor, I support Swiss startups and SMEs in transforming innovative ideas into collaborative innovation projects. My role is to help them bring new products, processes, or services to market by identifying the right partners and building the right foundations for success.

While my roots are in innovation and startups, I’m equally passionate about supporting local businesses, in any field. Whether you’re starting a service-based business or bringing a new idea to life, I’m here to help you turn your dream into an actionable plan for business creation and growth. I am your startup angel!

Marianna Fighera, PhD, MBA

Feedback & Reviews

These are the voices of entrepreneurs I’ve guided through business planning and successful fundraising strategies.

“Marianna supported us with our Innosuisse SIP application. With her ability to grasp complex topic, her understanding of what’s important in funding application and her eye for detail, she played an important role in our application process. Her review of our application made it stronger and eventually helped with its acceptance.”

Moritz Pill

Co-founder at Borobotics GmbH

“Marianna’s input and feedback on our SIP application was instrumental in us receiving a grant of 1M CHF from Innosuisse.”

Jason Corkill

Co-founder at Rapidata AG

“We are deeply grateful for Marianna’s invaluable support throughout our Innosuisse application process. Her expertise played a key role in shaping a strong submission. She provided thoughtful and strategic feedback on our business plan and project proposal, helping us refine the content to maximize our chances of success. Her guidance on critical components – particularly the business model, financial projections, and risk management – was instrumental. The clear structure she proposed, along with her detailed comments, made the drafting process significantly smoother. We truly appreciate her strong commitment and look forward to collaborating with her in the future.”

Liliana Barrios

Co-founder at Glimpse Health

What I can do for you

Below, you’ll find more information about the specific services I offer. Through an introductory call, I’ll assess your needs and tailor the right solution to support your goals.

Fundraising for innovation

I can support your startup in developing effective fundraising strategies and executing your roadmaps. Numerous non-dilutive funding opportunities are available – for national or international, monobeneficiary or collaborative projects. I will:

  1. Guide you through the different funding instruments offered by Innosuisse, Horizon Europe, the EIC, and others
  2. Help you tailor your proposal to align with the specific evaluation criteria of each program
  3. Support you throughout the entire process – from identifying relevant calls to preparing and submitting your application, and beyond

Together, we’ll work through the funding application process, review your materials, and craft a compelling project plan to support your strategy.

Innosuisse mentoring

As an accredited Innovation Mentor for the Swiss Innovation Agency, I help bring innovative ideas from the lab to the market by leveraging Switzerland’s top-tier academic and research infrastructure.

If you’re a researcher at a university or research institute, or a startup/SME seeking collaboration with a Swiss research center, you may be eligible to apply for a mentoring voucher through Innosuisse. If your application is successful, I can support you as your mentor.

In this role I will:

  • Evaluate your innovation and assess its potential for Innosuisse funding
  • Identify the right research partner for your project, thanks to my broad national network – from Geneva to St. Gallen
  • Guide you through the application process, from project planning to proposal review

Apply for an Innosuisse mentoring voucher here and let’s kick it off!

Business consulting

While ideas are limitless, success belongs to those who execute with clarity and purpose. I help you turn your dream into an actionable plan — ready for market launch or business growth.
Together, we’ll shape your ideas into a solid business plan and financial projections to turn your vision into a viable path to success.