As part of the DIZH Founder Call, four ZHAW projects will be funded that aim to establish a start-up or spin-off.
A total of ten projects from DIZH universities were approved, including four projects from the ZHAW. By funding the step from pure start-up idea to proof of concept, potential founders can show that their conceptually developed projects can be realised in practice. Funding is provided at the four DIZH universities (ZHAW, University of Zurich, PHZH, ZHdK) during the “incubation phase”, during which questions of technical and economic feasibility can be validated.
The Founder Call in the innovation program was launched for the first time in summer 2023. The approved projects are characterised by their innovative strength and their contribution to digital transformation. Digital technologies and applications are used in various areas. Researchers from the ZHAW Departments Life Sciences and Facility Management as well as the School of Health Sciences are developing a smartwatch to promote concentration in children with ADHD. In another project, the ZHAW Departments Applied Linguistics and the School of Management and Law are developing an interactive app with realistic interpreting situations. Project descriptions of all funded projects can be found on the DIZH website.
Financial support for these projects is provided by the DIZH special credit with a maximum funding of CHF 75,000 per project and a project duration of up to 12 months. During this period, the approved project teams develop a proof of concept and thus lay the foundation for the establishment of their start-up or spin-off. The application for the 2nd Founder Call is planned for autumn 2025. The 2nd Structure Call is currently being advertised. More information on the calls.