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Innovation Hub

Transfer research to the market

► Call for applications 2024 has been completed

The UZH Entrepreneur Fellowships track «Digital Innovation» supports early career researchers planning to found a startup based on UZH research in the field of digitalization.

Entrepreneur Fellows must be employed at the University of Zurich and work full-time to further develop a technology or novel service towards a marketable solution and strategies for the commercialization thereof.

The goal of the Entrepreneur Fellowships is to lay the basis for university spin-offs and to support motivated researchers to gain the skills needed to become confident digital entrepreneurs. 

Innovations supported

The Entrepreneur Fellowship, Digital Innovation supports entrepreneurial projects with the potential to make a real impact. Proposed solutions may be based on a novel technology, software or business model with its origin in findings of UZH research.

This thematic track of the Entrepreneur fellowships program supports solutions in a vast number of fields including Fintech, InsurTech, LegalTech, Digital health, logistics, publishing, security, language processing, logistics and more.

Funding

The UZH Entrepreneur Fellowship, Digital Innovation amounts to CHF 100’000 and is given for a period of 12 months. The funding may be used for salaries and consumables.

Mentoring & Coaching

Every Entrepreneur fellow is supported by a mentor and a dedicated business coach throughout the fellowship period.

The mentor is a professor or senior researcher at UZH suggested by the applicant. We recommend to choose a mentor with previous experience in research translation, entrepreneurship and/or partnerships with industry.

At the beginning of the project, the Entrepreneur fellow will choose a coach from our network of experienced entrepreneurs.

Our coaches

Training

All Entrepreneur fellows should participate in an entrepreneurship training to gain knowledge on how to develop a business plan, the role of IP for startups, leadership and company building. Most trainings also provide access to experienced coaches and investors.

Innosuisse Business Concept Course

Infrastructure

Entrepreneur fellows are employed at the UZH and hence have access to all the IT and library resources offered by the university. The Entrepreneur fellows are encouraged to register as members of the Digital soceity initiative. As a DSI member you can book rooms at the representative location at the UZH Center.

Jury

Selected candidates will be invited for an interview with the expert jury.

Jury members

d

Bea Knecht

Founder Zattoo, Co-founder Genistat and Levuro

LinkedIn

d

Harald Gall

Professor for Software Engineering, Jury head

LinkedIn

a

Anne Scherer

Co-founder of Delta Labs AG

LinkedIn

c

Constantin Overlack

Founder Omniwatt AG / Co-Founder Aeris Cleantec AG

LinkedIn

t

Claudia Witt

Professor for Complementary and Integrative Medicine

LinkedIn

r

Tobias Zehnder

Co-founder Webrepublic AG

LinkedIn

Application

Applications for the Entrepreneur Fellowships, Digital Innovation can be submitted once a year until April 15th.

For the application you need to submit a description of your project, the project budget, a 3 min pitch video, your CV and a letter of intent from your mentor. Here you can find a blank application form (for reference only). (PDF, 128 KB)

Find more information on how to apply for the Entrepreneur Fellowships here.

Register on the grants platform and submit your applicationhere.

Learn more at the Innovator Mornings!

Curious to learn more about this program?

At the Innovator Mornings event you’ll have the chance to meet previous recipients of the UZH Entrepreneur Fellowships and Innovation Grants as well as entrepreneurship coaches. The event focuses on internal exchange within the UZH innovation community and includes presentations by supported researchers and startup founders.

Check out the agenda and register for the next event!

Weiterführende Informationen

Digital Society Initiative

Mehr zu Digital Society Initiative

DSI supports researchers in their research and teaching on digital change.

Unitectra supports researcher with intellectual property and license agreements. Contact them if you want to find out if it is possible to protect your results.