We promote social innovation as an open learning and design process. The exchange between research, implementation, and our enabling partners from the participating city administrations (currently Zurich, Basel, Sion) and municipalities is crucial. Although our calls for proposals may focus on specific regions, we actively welcome ideas and solutions from across Switzerland.
Our innovation process consists of eight stages.
Important Note: To participate in the Open Call, you must attend at least one event before your submission. Full details are available in the Calls section and in our FAQ.
1. Define Focus Areas
We develop new partnerships and identify relevant focus areas for social innovation. Through close exchange with experts and stakeholders, we develop targeted missions based on these priorities.
2. Challenge Exploration
We publish the missions and, together with our community, identify the relevant challenges within them. Building on existing insights, we sharpen the mission scope and highlight where social innovation can have the greatest impact, particularly for new collaborations and partnerships.
3. Call for Ideas
An Open Call outlining the challenges and all submission requirements is published on our website. To assist applicants, we have launched a series of workshops and webinars, with clear communication of participation criteria and deadlines.
4. Challenge Accepted
The Challenge Accepted workshops bring together all interested participants. Based on the identified challenges, we support the further development of solutions through innovative methods and facilitated exchange. While each workshop stands on its own, they continuously build on insights from previous sessions.
Anyone preparing a submission is invited to participate. Interdisciplinary teams may form during the workshops where, with support from subject matter experts, radical solutions are developed, refined, and prepared for submission.
Please note: At least one team member must attend a workshop in order to submit a project.
5. Apply
Innovation teams submit their project proposals via our website.
6. Funding Decision
If the formal criteria are met, selected project teams are invited to interviews. An independent jury then evaluates the proposals and decides which projects will receive funding and development support.
7. Develop & Prototype
Selected teams further develop, prototype, and test their radical ideas. We support them through expert knowledge, mainstreaming expertise, access to our networks, and targeted workshops that advance project development.
8. Recap
Innovation teams present their progress, including outputs and outcomes, and exchange experiences with the community. We support teams in planning next steps and identifying additional funding opportunities
