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UZH Innovathon

Course Overwiew

This transdisciplinary course equips students with practical innovation skills through structured, hands-on problem-solving techniques. Such capabilities are vital for organizations in developed economies like Switzerland to sustain their competitiveness and economic wellbeing.

Students learn to approach problems creatively, work effectively across disciplines, and develop impactful solutions. Working with practice partners, students address real-world challenges, contributing directly to solving them while expanding their own skill set.

By participating, students will:

  • Develop problem-solving skills by learning how to uncover a problem’s root cause, how to efficiently develop solutions, and how to test them effectively
  • Master innovation skills such as ideation, prototyping, and solution refinement
  • Build professional skills to pitch and present ideas convincingly
  • Gain experience in interdisciplinary teamwork and understand how to make the best use of team members’ combined strengths and resources
  • Access opportunities for internships or future jobs

How it works

  • Innovation Skills

    Build Your Team

    Form interdisciplinary teams of 3–4 students and create a list of preferred challenges your team would like to tackle.

    Each team member will contribute their unique strengths while developing new skills and playing a key role in the group’s success.
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  • Get Teaching sessions

    In 2 days of teaching sessions you will learn about recent developments, challenges, and opportunities in relevant fields (e.g., legal, social, ethical, economic) from lecturers from various fields.
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  • Meet the Company

    Get to know the company behind your assigned challenge and engage in an interactive exploration of the task.

    There are three partner companies in total, each presenting a unique challenge.

    Structured feedback from both students and partner firms promotes collaborative skills and supports professional development.
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  • Welcome to the Design Sprint

    Several student teams will tackle each challenge. During the Design Sprint, you'll work in interdisciplinary groups over several days, including an intensive Innovathon Weekend.

    You will be supported by a Design Sprint manual and professional innovation coaches. The handbook guides you through each step of the process and provides practical tools for generating and selecting ideas, asking the right questions, gathering valuable feedback and knowing when to stop discussions and move on.
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  • Dry Run & Final Pitches

    Practice your pitch during a dry run, then present your final solution to the partner companies.

    Reflect together on what you’ve learned and explore how the companies can apply your proposed solutions moving forward.
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  • Reflection Workshop

    In a final reflection workshop, you and your practice partners share your findings. You present the broad spectrum of ideas you have investigated, including the approaches that were rejected and the reasons for these decisions. The practice partners provide detailed feedback on the solutions developed: what impressed them, what could be implemented and what is less promising, so that both sides can have a deeper learning experience.
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Learning Goals

Teaching Methods

Past Challenges (selected)

  • Post Company Cars AG

    Using telematics data for smarter fleet services

    The challenge was to develop a new service or product that uses vehicle telematics data to improve fleet management at Post Company Cars. The goal was to enhance efficiency, safety, or sustainability internally and potentially for external clients. Key elements included operational optimization, value-added services, and AI integration for intelligent decision-making.
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  • Swisscom (Switzerland) AG

    Redesigning business travel for cost and climate goals

    The challenge was to redesign Swisscom’s internal business travel platform to make employee travel more cost-efficient and sustainable. While employees needed a smooth, intuitive booking experience, the Mobility Team required tools to track costs and CO₂ emissions. Features like smart booking, limited but curated options, and motivational elements such as gamification or storytelling were central to the task.
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  • Innovation Zurich (Empa / IPZ)

    Connecting the Innovation Park to public transport

    The challenge was to create a scalable mobility solution linking the Empa and IPZ sites to nearby train stations Dübendorf and Stettbach while improving on-site navigation. The solution needed to accommodate fluctuating visitor volumes, reduce walking distances, and help users find their way easily, ideally within a 2–10 year implementation window.
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  • IKEA

    Making customer trips to IKEA stores more sustainable

    The challenge was to reduce the CO₂ emissions caused by customer travel to physical IKEA stores, without discouraging visits. Teams were asked to design strategies that made low-emission travel appealing, possibly by adapting the IKEA Family program, using digital nudges, co-traveling options, or targeting incentives to responsive customer segments.
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  • Mobility

    Increasing adoption of on-demand ride pooling

    The challenge was to encourage more people in the “It’s my ride” group to use on-demand pooling services. Participants had to keep wait times low and travel times within 10–15 minutes, while allowing personal preferences like “women only” or “no talking.” Solutions had to preserve efficiency and ensure passengers felt both private and secure.
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  • TCS

    Repositioning the TCS app for a younger generation

    The challenge was to create new app features that appealed to people aged 16–30, shifting away from TCS’s traditional image of roadside assistance. The solution needed to highlight youth-relevant mobility services like shared transport, biking, or leisure travel and include a standout “killer feature,” possibly using gamification and bold communication strategies.
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  • SBB 2023

    Making public transport exciting for Swiss youth

    The challenge was to design a digital solution that fosters enthusiasm for public transport among 16- to 24-year-olds. The aim was to keep SBB their preferred mobility provider even after they aged out of discounted youth fares. Solutions had to balance fun, convenience, and loyalty-building strategies.
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  • SBB 2021

    Improving how staff handle everyday onboard conflict

    The challenge was to create a simple, cost-effective digital solution to help train staff deal with tense but non-emergency situations, like loud or disruptive passengers. Key features included tools for discreet assistance requests, customer reporting features, and data generation (e.g., heat maps) to optimize security staff deployment.
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  • Accenture

    Designing a digital companion for post-pandemic work mobility

    The challenge was to design a travel companion app tailored to flexible, post-pandemic work habits, integrating mobility services with access to co-working spaces. The solution had to address pain points of hybrid work lifestyles, encourage adoption, and outline key ecosystem partnerships needed for implementation.
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  • Helbling

    Rethinking sustainable supply chains for the future

    The challenge was to explore new and future-ready ways to make goods supply chains more sustainable—either end-to-end or by focusing on specific segments like last-mile delivery or intralogistics. The aim was to boost efficiency, resilience, and environmental protection while cutting down on unnecessary transport, packaging, and noise.
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