Starting a Business in Switzerland: A Practical Checklist

From idea to first invoice: registration, insurance, banking and budgeting.

5 min read · Business & Freelance

Life situations: Self-employment

Starting a business involves several formal steps. A checklist keeps you on track.

Before you start

• Test the idea and calculate your break-even point.
• Choose a legal form and a name.
• Plan cash for the first twelve months.

Registration and insurance

Register with your compensation office for AHV, check whether commercial registry entry or VAT registration is needed and arrange accident and income insurance. Open a separate business account.

Set up your operations

• Create a simple bookkeeping system.
• Prepare invoices with the required information.
• Set aside money for tax and social contributions.

Watch the cash

Many young businesses fail from cash shortages. Check your runway with the startup runway calculator.