Solutions for a sustainable society

► Call for applications 2025 is now closed! Next call in April 2026.

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 support researchers in building innovative and sustainable ventures that deliver impact at scale. The 12 months program provides funding and resources to demonstrate proof-of-concept and establish market viability.

The goal of this Entrepreneur Fellowship track is to accelerate solutions that 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 entrepreneurs 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.

Our 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

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

Before submitting your application, please advice the application guidelines.

The application requires the following elements:

• Project description
• Project budget
• Completed application form on the grants platform
• 3 minute pitch video
• Your CV
• Support letter from your mentor

Submit your application on the grants platform

Curious to learn more about this program?

Book at meeting

We advice you to reach out to the UZH Innovation Hub Office before submitting your application. Send us an email to book a meeting: support@innovation.uzh.ch