Meet Ritah Ayebare Nyakato
My name is Ritah Ayebare Nyakato, Duty Editor at Startupticker.ch, #1 information platform for the Swiss start-up scene, positioned as an editorially independent channel. Founded in 2011, the portal supports technology and science-based startups by increasing their visibility through publishing news on their milestones, from launching the company to investments, expansion, and exit.
The most important news and events of the week from the start-up community are sent out in a weekly newsletter. The platform provides an events calendar and several directories, namely investors, awards, grants, loans, and more, for established and aspiring founders to find relevant players to help them build their businesses.
When did you realize you wanted to be a social entrepreneur? How did you define your purpose?
I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. My grandfather was a serial entrepreneur, running businesses simultaneously; my parents and numerous relatives followed. Navigating the unpredictable journey of business ownership was a rollercoaster, but through their creativity, hard work, resilience, and perseverance, their businesses thrived, and that was when I understood the impact of entrepreneurship. I did not become a founder, but I embrace entrepreneurship, and I am passionate about engaging with founders and players in the entire support ecosystem.
What was your first project? What were your lessons learned?
During my bachelor's program, I volunteered with a student organization. We organized a social project to help the elderly boost their cognitive skills by crocheting. We collaborated with a nursing home to create products that we later sold at the University Fair. During my internship, I got to explore the Swiss startup scene from a different angle, and that was my turning point. I joined Startupticker in 2015 and have since been helping startups share their success stories. What I have learned is that a vision keeps one on track, but having the right support will determine how fast you can reach your vision.
Describe your journey. Smooth sailing or a roller coaster ride?
At 19, I left my motherland, Uganda, and embarked on an unknown journey in Switzerland. I was armed with dreams, ambitions, and the imagination of what I wanted to achieve. Little did I know that not everyone would applaud me for setting my vision. I was told that people like me could not make it; I was told to lower my ambitions and expectations; I was told to stick to my level. I listened. But I did not let these discouragements stand in my way. Navigating the system posed its own challenges, but I did not give up. Since I could not get into the Swiss University in the defined period I had set, I went to Germany to attain my bachelor’s degree. With each interaction, I learned about the different cultures and was able to adapt. Soon after the undergraduate program, I attained a double master’s degree. This journey symbolizes my unwavering commitment to learning and personal growth, which led me to where I stand today. I am proud to be working at Switzerland’s leading news portal for startups. I was, of course, not alone on this journey. I had guardian angels and support from those who believed in me. Overcoming these challenges required courage to face them, believing in oneself, accepting whatever support one could get, and learning to explore other opportunities.
Founders can relate to some of the challenges mentioned, especially when no one understands why you want to do what you have set your mind to. The journey of becoming independent is not the smoothest, even when all the right prerequisites are provided. But determination, resilience, perseverance, and exploiting available offers can help them become changemakers. Our team at Startupticker is dedicated to helping the founders get the visibility they need to succeed, not only because of the support we receive but also because of their willingness to reach out and seek information.
What are you building right now? What is your ambition?
Startupticker has grown to become the leading and go-to platform for the Swiss startup scene, and this is thanks to the continued trust of all startups and supporters. We are working towards expanding our offers to increase transparency while strengthening the formation of networks in the startup ecosystem and between start-ups.
How can everyone support you?
The Startupticker community relies on the support of everyone in the scene and the information they deliver to us. We therefore encourage startups, both male-led and female-led, as well as ecosystem players, to contact us with news and offers, respectively. Many readers in Switzerland and abroad rely on us to deliver continuous updates on the innovation landscape in the country. The benefits for startups of publishing their news on Startup can help them get traction from relevant parties such as investors, customers, etc. We also invite everyone to subscribe to our newsletter, as this is the easiest way to get the most important updates. As a non-profit company, we welcome organizations to join us as sponsors or supporters.
If you would like to learn more about Startupticker, please visit the website or social media pages.
