#digitalinnovation

Digitalization research spans disciplines. The interdisciplinary perspective on change with digitalization is important to understand and foresee the effects of digitalization on society as a whole. Since 2016 the University of Zurich has been developing its interdisciplinary digitalization research under the umbrella of the Digital Society Initiative. In different initiatives at the University of Zurich spanning areas such as the Digitalization of Mobility, Blockchain, FinTech and more, researchers from across the university come together. It is a challenging but necessary undertaking that also lays the seed for many innovations. New ideas typically emerge when conventional ideas are challenged by a different perspective. On this background, the University of Zurich is turning into a contributor for digital innovation of national importance to the stakeholders beyond the university.

Cluster for Digital Innovation

As part of the UZH Innovation Hub, the Digital Innovation Cluster fosters innovation related to the digitalization of our society. The Digital Innovation Cluster positions itself as an accelerator for visions and prototypes in all kinds of digital innovations with a multi-discipline perspective. Over the years, the Cluster has spearheaded the development of a number of skill- and ecosystem-building formats such as the Digital Entrepreneurship Program and the Innovathon. A pool of around ten entrepreneurship experts and coaches has been set up. This pool has shown enormously valuable to provide qualified and inspiring speakers and coaches to work with the students and researchers in the different programs. Together with the Digital Innovation Ambassadors, and researchers at the University of Zurich, the Cluster supported the launch of two new project-supporting programs such as the Digital Entrepreneur Fellowships and a pilot for Digital Innovation Grants.

In the next years, the Cluster will launch further formats and products that focus on visions and prototypes, in particular for grand societal challenges. It will also put a stronger focus on the continued development of a community and partnerships with the private and public sector.

"The Digital Innovation Cluster breaks boundaries, thinks anew and lives innovation. It sees itself as an accelerator for visions and prototypes that bring about radical change with digital innovations."

Digital Entrepreneurship Bootcamp

How do you turn your entrepreneurial vision into reality and bring your idea to life? The University of Zurich has been offering the Digital Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for entrepreneurial students and researchers across all faculties for several years. Students can get their digital business idea off the ground with the help of experienced tech founders, business coaches, and start-up or entrepreneurial experts. In 2022, students and researchers from different faculties participated in the course. Six coaches with numerous years of experience and know-how accompanied the students and helped them sharpen their entrepreneurial ideas into five business cases.

Digital Ventures Seminar

In the Digital Ventures Seminar, students learn firsthand from successful entrepreneurs and industry experts about the basics for founding and running a digital business. The course is designed to facilitate a conversation between lecturers and participants. Participants gain a detailed understanding of how entrepreneurs build and run their startups. Industry experts will advise on the legal and financial aspects of founding a venture in Switzerland. In 2022 31 students joined the course to learn from seven lecturers.

Digital Innovation Grants

What can you do with 10’000 CHF? In an initial pilot Digital Innovation Grants were introduced with the purpose to bring ideas with strong innovation potential off the ground and make such projects fit for further funding and implementation. In three calls addressing students, researchers and staff at UZH, 55 applications including a short project proposal and a pitch video were handed in. 10 projects were selected by the Digital Innovation Ambassadors and supported by entrepreneurship coaches. The project proposal related to a wide range of applications from health to logistics and marketing. Thanks to the successful pilot, the UZH Innovation Office plans to build on this experience to launch a similar program in 2023.

#stories

A young law PhD develops a marketplace for startup financing based on blockchain

Startup investing was previously available to only the wealthiest 3% of the population – Merens Derungs and his team want to change this. With Arcton Merens and his co-founders founded a company with the goal to enable anyone to invest in private startups for a chance to earn a return. The company is based on Merens doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Law and work done during his Digital Entrepreneur Fellowship 2021-2022.

“It was purely by chance that I heard about the call for the Digital Entrepreneur Fellowship in an email from the university,” recalls Merens Derungs. At the time, he was in the process of writing his thesis on the topic of digital stocks and thought the project could be a good match for the program. He should not be mistaken.

With the aim of democratizing start-up investments, Arcton is building the first crowd-investing platform with a liquid secondary market. This marketplace for startups and crowd investors leverages blockchain technology for asset tokenization. It quickly got recognized. Arcton was among the illustrious circle of 6 startups that were allowed to present themselves at the Startup Nights in Winterthur. In 2022, Arcton was among 14 startups joining the 8th cohort of the F10 Switzerland Incubation program.