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► Call for applications 2024 has been completed
The UZH Entrepreneur Fellowships, Digital Innovation support early career researchers who intend to start up a company based on UZH research in the field of digitalization.
Entrepreneur Fellows are 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.
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.
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.
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.
All Entrepreneur Fellows are encouraged to visit 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.
The following courses are recommended:
Digital Ventures – fundamentals for founding and management of a startup
Innosuisse Start-up Training – modules 2 and 3
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.
Selected candidates will be invited for an interview with the expert jury.
Jury members
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Bea Knecht Founder Zatoo, Co-founder Genistat and Levuro |
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Harald Gall Professor for Software Engineering, Jury head |
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Constantin Overlack Founder Omniwatt AG / Co-Founder Aeris Cleantec AG |
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Claudia Witt Professor for Complementary and Integrative Medicine |
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Tobias Zehnder Co-founder Webrepublic AG |
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.
Find more information on how to apply for the Entrepreneur Fellowships here.
Register on the grants platform and submit your applicationhere.
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!
