Impact Hub Switzerland, exciting umbrella organization establishes largest community for entrepreneurs in Switzerland

Zurich, 13 May 2019 – Around 100 coworking spaces for entrepreneurs in more than 50 countries are part of the global Impact Hub network. In Switzerland, the first Impact Hub was established in Zurich in 2011, followed by others in Geneva, Bern, Lausanne and now Basel. With the newly founded umbrella organization “Impact Hub Switzerland”, the activities of all five hubs will now be bundled. With around 2,000 members, this will create the largest network of entrepreneurs, creatives and techies in Switzerland with an extensive range of offerings. Impact Hub Switzerland’s focus is on entrepreneurship for sustainable development, a community that is tied together throughout Switzerland with national events and support programmes.

The merger of the five Swiss Impact Hubs with a total of seven coworking spaces is the logical consequence of previous joint activities and the growing interest in supraregional networks in the founding scene. In the future, the hubs’ services will be standardized for all members. They can use the coworking spaces in all locations, rent meeting rooms, and network with the local community. Christoph Birkholz, Co-President of Impact Hub Switzerland, explains the motivation behind the merger: “From now on, we can act as a unified national player, expand and develop existing and new partnerships, initiate new large-scale projects that go far beyond the regional focus and thus advance Switzerland much more efficiently as a location for innovation.”

The first major joint project is already running successfully: The incubation programme of the “Circular Economy Transition” (CET) initiative. Currently, 26 Circular Economy startups with both ecologically and economically sustainable business models are being promoted throughout Switzerland. “CET shows us how much we can achieve if all Swiss locations work together with other partners towards a common goal. Impact Hub Switzerland simplifies the implementation of such programmes. “We will remain very locally anchored, but nationwide,” says Amanda Byrde, initiator of CET and Co-President of Impact Hub Switzerland.

To celebrate the merger throughout Switzerland, the five Impact Hubs across the country in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich are organizing events with high-ranking guests during the week, such as Marina Carobbio Guscetti, President of the National Council, or Thomas Vellacott, CEO of WWF Switzerland.

Geneva

Monday, 13 May, 6pm – 9pm

Location: Impact Hub Geneva, 1 Rue Fendt, 1201 Genève

Lausanne

Tuesday, 14 May, 6 pm – 9 pm

Location: Impact Hub Lausanne, 11 Rue du Jura, 1004 Lausanne

Basel

Wednesday, 15 May, 5.30pm – 9 pm

Location: Coming soon Coworking Space of Impact Hub Basel, Münchensteinerstrasse 274A, 4053 Basel

Bern

Thursday, 16 May, 5.45pm – 9.30pm

Location: Impact Hub Bern, Spitalgasse 28, 3013 Bern

Zürich

Friday, 17 May,

Launch Event: 5.30pm – 8pm,

Launch Party (public): from 8 pm on, Facebook-Event

Location: Kraftwerk Zürich, Selnaustrasse 24, 8001 Zürich

For more information, you can visit their website here.

And you can read an article about some of their work with the Circular Economy Transition here: https://irishtechnews.ie/resource-light-on-the-rise/

About Impact Hub Switzerland

The Impact Hub Switzerland association was founded in May 2019 by the five Swiss Impact Hubs with a total of seven locations in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich. The Swiss-wide community of around 2,000 members consists of entrepreneurs, creatives and techies who can now benefit from the services of the Impact Hub network throughout the country as a result of the merger. These include coworking places, meeting rooms, events and start-up support programmes. The association’s activities focus on entrepreneurship, sustainable development, innovation and new forms of work.

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