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► Call for applications 2025 is now open!
The UZH Entrepreneur Fellowships track «Sustainable society» supports early career researchers planning to found a startup based on UZH research contributing to the sustainable development of society.
The UZH Entrepreneur Fellowships provide funding and resources to translate UZH research with commercial potential by demonstrating proof-of-concept and establishing market viability.
The goal of this Entrepreneur Fellowship track is to accelerate solutions that can contribute to a sustainable development. New companies can actively impact the development towards a more sustainably society driving inclusive economic growth and innovation, improving social conditions and addressing economic, social and environmental challenges.
Early career researchers supported by an Entrepreneur Fellowship will gain the skills, knowhow and network needed to become confident entrepreneur in the sustainability and impact space.
These Entrepreneur Fellowships support entrepreneurial projects with the potential to make a real impact for our economy, society and/or environment. Proposed solutions should be based on findings of UZH research.
Proposals may address a wide range of problems related to mitigating and adapting to climate change as well as creating a more sustainable and equitable society overall. The program is open for ideas from any research domain but may specifically be interesting for ideas originating from political science, communications science, sociology, plant science, geography, chemistry and veterinary. Interdisciplinary proposals are explicitly encouraged. Both technical and social innovations are supported.
While these Entrepreneur Fellowships support the development of startups that set impact first, applications should include a potential business model that can guarantee economic viability of the startup.
The UZH Entrepreneur Fellowship, Sustainable Society amounts to CHF 100’000 and is given for a period of 12 months. The funding may be used to pay salaries, materials and other project-related expenses.
Every Entrepreneur Fellow is supported by a scientific mentor and a dedicated business coach throughout the Entrepreneur Fellowship.
The mentor is a professor or senior researcher at UZH suggested by the applicant. We recommend choosing a mentor with previous experience in research translation, entrepreneurship and/or partnerships with industry.
At the beginning of the project, the Entrepreneur Fellow chooses a coach from our associated coaches.
The fellows in this track will get access to targeted workshops and contacts to support them to become confident entrepreneurs in the sustainability and impact space. In addition, the 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.
Supported projects will gain special access to the Zurich Knowledge Center for Sustainable Development, ZKSD, that includes the possibility to host workshops in the space, access to desk space and special invitation to relevant events.
Learn more about ZKSD: https://zksd.ch/
Selected candidates will be invited for an interview with the expert jury.
Jury members
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Axel Michaelowa Head of the International Climate Policy group |
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Cyril Zipfel Professor for Molecular and Cellular Plant Physiology, UZH |
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Gabriela Schaepman-Strub Associate Professor of Earth System Sciences |
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Jeannette Behringer Responsible Sustainability in Research and Teaching, UZH |
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Leigh Pezzicara VP Sustainability at La Prairie |
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Roman Gaus Company Builder at Wattson Homes |
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Stéphanie Engels Partner at Signium Switzerland |
Applications for the Entrepreneur Fellowships, Sustainable Society can be submitted once a year until April 15th.
The application requires the following elements:
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 coaches and startup founders. The event focuses on internal exchange within the UZH innovation community and includes presentations by supported researchers and startup founders.
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!
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