Best Founders Programme

Our young talents are able and want to be Entrepreneurs. The new HSG Best Founders Programme offers a wide range of support and motivation on the path to entrepreneurship. The most promising business ideas and entrepreneurial top talents have the chance to earn a fellowship that allows them to work on their business idea for several months. Ideally up until the fondation of their company.

• Raising Awareness for Entrepreneurship
  From day one, entrepreneurial talents are inspired to pursue the entrepreneurial path. Selected formats also target school students who have not yet made their career choice. These formats include entrepreneurship courses and thematic events.
  
  
• From Ideation to Innovative Ideas
  Business ideas have great potential when they stem from real market needs. The goal of the ideation phase is to establish HSG as a leading institution in ideation and the development of business ideas, including through collaboration with partners (especially companies). The focus of this second phase, so-called ideation, lies in the fact that it represents the first crucial step on the path to company formation. Key factors such as market pull and scalability play a central role. As a result, this phase will serve as an incubator for innovative ideas. Each year, HSG students generate 60 to 80 ideas in this process.
  
  
• Incubation or Developmet of  the Best Ideas
  In this phase, initial concepts are refined into concrete business ideas. Students develop a solid business plan and receive support in further developing and validating their ideas. The HSG Best Founders Programme provides grants of CHF 5'000 per talent and/ or team in this phase, contributing to prototype development or external support. Throughout the process, the talents and teams are closely mentored by HSG experts. Up to 40 entrepreneurial talents and/ or teams are supported annually in this phase.
  
  
• Company Formation (Spin-off)
  In the final phase, the most promising talents - the champions - are guided ideally all the way to founding their own company. This phase focuses on knowledge and technology transfer. A grant of CHF 100'000 per talent and/ or team provides the champions with the time and resources needed to prepare the company launch, further develop the product, and test it in the market. Particular support is given to HSG talents working in mixed teams with technical universities. A maximum of ten grants are awarded per year.