What does the future of life look like in urban areas in Switzerland?

How does the good life work within planetary limits? How can we live in a climate-friendly way in the future? How can we travel affordably, climate-neutrally — privately and professionally? How do we make it possible for everyone to eat as regionally and environmentally friendly as possible? These questions can only be answered together, co-creatively and with a new understanding of innovation.

The Innovation Booster Future Urban Society promotes radically new approaches to catapult the best ideas in the interconnected areas of housing, mobility and nutrition out of their niche. Bring along your solutions and develop them further with other experts and innovators. Help mainstream eco-social innovations and secure yourself and your team for jointly developed ideas methodological and financial support.

More about the basic idea of Innosuisse's Innovation Booster →

Current

Twelve projects have been selected and are now moving on to the ‘Develop & Prototype’ phase.

Radical ideas are being further developed, prototyped and tested. We support the teams with our knowledge and expertise in mainstreaming, our networks and workshops, all of which help to further develop the project ideas.

Future outlook

Our programme will enter its final year of funding in 2027.

We are currently preparing the last two missions of our four-year programme. And we are already in the midst of intensive discussions.

Together with the City of Lugano, Living Lab Lugano and other key stakeholders in Ticino, we are developing a nationwide innovation mission with a regional focus centred on the City of Generations.

The Roadmap
Call for Challenges: expected November 2026
Call for Ideas: January 2027
Deadline for project proposals: 31 March 2027
Project duration: mid-April to mid-October 2027

Events

There are currently no other events scheduled.

Two years of social innovation to explore

We’ve put together a publication covering two years of social innovation in and for Switzerland: teams, learnings, and a wealth of knowledge across almost 80 pages. Enjoy browsing.

Das Magazin Soziale Innovation für die Schweiz von heute ist hübsch auf einem Tisch arrangiert

Open publication

Es wurden 12 Projekte ausgewählt, diese starten jetzt mit Develop & Prototype.

Radikale Ideen werden weiterentwickelt, prototypisiert und getestet. Wir unterstützen die Teams mit Wissen und Mainstreaming-Expertise, unseren Netzwerken und Workshops, die bei der Weiterentwicklung der Projektideen helfen.

Selected projects

In the first two years, we received over 100 submissions and funded 24 of them.

Discover all ideas

Climate-just housing in urban areas

Circular Solar Living

eswissolar AG

ZHAW

The use of photovoltaics is increasing, but systems are often used inefficiently and recycled at an early stage, leading to a waste of resources. High initial investments make access to climate-friendly energy production difficult. The proposed OSS model addresses these problems through a disruptive, circular Solar Contracting business model that enables local second-life applications and makes the implementation of PV systems more flexible, attractive and inclusive.

To the project

The edible city

Kitchen sharing in Basel

Basel Food Factory

FHNW – University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland

The aim of the project is to investigate whether easier access to shared kitchen spaces and a visible network of specialists and service providers can promote “Basel Foodpreneurs” (in particular startups) and contribute to sustainable practices in gastronomy and food production. For this purpose, a prototype platform is being built that makes underused catering kitchens and additional services and support offerings visible to food preneurs (“yellow pages”). As part of the project, usage interests and scenarios for underused catering kitchens will be identified and supporting service providers and specialists will be made visible in order to create the basis for a sustainable shared kitchen model in Basel. The Basel Food Factory association manages and is responsible for the project. The FHNW is supporting the project scientifically and the Basel Food Network and the Market Hall contribute experience and network.

To the project

Good Food for All

Pilot Ernährungskasse Zürich

One Planet Lab | WWF Schweiz

ZHAW

In CH, healthy and sustainable food is unaffordable for around one third of people, while organic shops and small producers face strong economic pressure. A solidarity based food fund enables citizens to reclaim governance of the food system, ensure access to good food for all, and drive the transition to a sustainable & resilient food system. Participants receive a fixed monthly amount in a dedicated currency, redeemable only at selected shops. We plan a pilot in Zurich—the first in the DE-speaking region.

To the project

We need systemic approaches

Climate crisis, destruction of biodiversity, energy crisis — we live in a world of multiple crises. Mastering these challenges requires radically new ideas and approaches, both technologically and socially.

Whether it's sharing, repairing, or DIY, many innovative approaches, projects, and ideas for climate-friendly living in urban areas remain small. This isn't because they fundamentally don't work, but because they often touch on various aspects of our lives, making it difficult to change our habits and involve diverse stakeholders in the implementation. The stabilization or distribution of integrative approaches works differently than purely commercial offerings. Therefore, we want to strengthen and scale eco-social innovations in our Innovation Booster to establish them in the mainstream.

“What concerns everyone, only everyone can solve.” Friedrich Dürrenmatt (The Physicists)

The major challenges of our time can only be overcome by working together with people from different sectors of society. That is why the booster uses an open innovation approach. Over the next four years, we will bring together key actors from civil society, science and business with city administrations, currently from Zurich, Basel and Lausanne. Together, systemic problems are researched and radical ideas for sustainable solutions are developed.

Be part of the solution and receive methodological and financial support

To enable and accelerate innovation, we connect cities and administrations with eco-social innovators as well as stakeholders from the private sector and science. We can financially support ideas that arise and/or are developed through the Innovation Booster Program with methodological and financial support, including vouchers for expert advice and coaching. In this way, we make it possible for promising innovations to be further developed and tested in urban areas of Switzerland. In addition, together with our partners, we are working to ensure that further implementation of the innovations after the booster is likely.
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Project ideas can be submitted until May 25, 2025 to secure financial support of up to CHF 22,500 and methodological support as well as valuable contacts for further steps.

Who is behind the project?

Meso Innovation Alliance
‍The Booster Future Urban Society is supported by Meso as a Leading House and is characterized by the expertise of the following organizations:

Team

Björn Müller

Programme Director | Meso Innovation Alliance / Stride the unSchool

Samuel Eberenz

Concept & Stakeholder Engagement | Stiftung Risiko-Dialog / Meso Innovation Alliance

Mirko Fischli

Project Manager Booster | Dezentrum / Meso Innovation Alliance

Nicola Blum

Concept & Research | BFH

Pascal Dey

Research | BFH

Anaïs Sägesser

Anchor Basel | Scaling4Good

Colm Kuonen

Energy Living Lab Association

Laura Minisini

Energy Living Lab Association

Olivier Mächler

Kommunikation | ARC Collective

City Partnerships

Urban innovation is only possible through strong partnerships with cities and municipalities. That is why we are particularly proud of our implementation partnerships: