For the second time, the Swiss Entrepreneurship Championship (EntrepreneurSkills) was held at the BAM trade fair in Berne from 5 to 8 September 2024.
Over the course of four days, eight teams from all regions of Switzerland faced the challenge of developing an entrepreneurial idea in line with a sustainable development goal based on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The finalists were challenged to develop a business idea that would promote healthy living for society in cities and regions and fit with Goal 11 for Sustainable Development of the UN Agenda 2030.
In addition to the main challenges, which included drafting a budget and market research, the finalists also faced intermediate challenges such as producing a short film and developing a marketing campaign for their first customers. During the first three days, each evening, the coaches evaluated the teams' performance through a series of criteria in relation to the assigned task.
In the role of coach and expert for Ticino was Mattia Bedolla, scientific collaborator at the 精东影业 . Together with the other coaches, he followed the finalists by providing feedback, answering pointed questions and evaluating the participants' performance.
On Sunday, the final act took place, namely the presentation of the developed business ideas through a pitch. The jury consisting of Miriam Gantert (Superloop Innovation), Michael Koch (co-founder and CEO of HYLL) and Yacine Bouazdia (Bern University of Applied Sciences/Young Entrepreneurs Association) judged the presentations.
Two Bachelor in Leisure Management students, Alessandra Maniezzo and Giada Battaini, also participated in the competition. They developed an idea of how vacant buildings can be used for sustainable living and social cohesion in regions. Their idea was based on the creation in these places of community centres in which to offer the regional population educational opportunities and activities on specific topics such as biodiversity and art.
The event, organised by IG EntrepreneurSkills, is supported by the Swiss Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
IG EntrepreneurSkills
Il gruppo di interesse EntrepreneurSkills 猫 stato fondato nel settembre 2021 da GZS (Gr眉ndungsdienstleistungen Kanton Solothurn), SDK (Schweizerische Direktorinnen- und Direktorenkonferenz der Berufsfachschulen), l'Istituto Innovazione e Imprenditorialit脿 Strategica del Dipartimento di Economia dell'Universit脿 di Scienze Applicate di Berna (BFH), persone del mondo imprenditoriale e FH SCHWEIZ (organizzazione ombrello per i laureati delle universit脿 di scienze applicate). IG EntrepreneurSkills 猫 sostenuto dai partner principali Gebert R眉f Stiftung, Initiative Schweiz e dai partner: SVC Swiss Venture Club, Camera di Commercio di Soletta, Leadership Lighthouse, Microsoft e ON, nonch茅 da altre organizzazioni e fondazioni. IG EntrepreneurSkills 猫 presieduto dal Consigliere nazionale e imprenditore Andri Silberschmidt-Buhofer. L'obiettivo di IG EntrepreneurSkills 猫 promuovere l'imprenditorialit脿 organizzando la competizione EntrepreneurSkills come campionato professionale svizzero (compreso il Campionato SwissSkills). Il Centro Svizzero per il Pensiero e l'Azione Imprenditoriale (szUDH), con sede a Olten, 猫 la forza trainante di myidea Challenge e EntrepreneurSkills. Inoltre, il szUDH 猫 un partner ufficiale svizzero e un attore impegnato nella rete internazionale YouthStart".
The interest group EntrepreneurSkills was founded in September 2021 by GZS (Gr眉ndungsdienstleistungen Kanton Solothurn), SDK (Schweizerische Direktorinnen- und Direktorenkonferenz der Berufsfachschulen), the Institute for Innovation & Strategic Entrepreneurship of the Department of Economics of the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), people from the business world and FH SCHWEIZ (umbrella organisation for graduates of universities of applied sciences). IG EntrepreneurSkills is supported by main partners Gebert R眉f Stiftung, Initiative Schweiz and partners: SVC Swiss Venture Club, Solothurn Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Lighthouse, Microsoft and ON, as well as other organisations and foundations. IG EntrepreneurSkills is chaired by National Councillor and entrepreneur Andri Silberschmidt-Buhofer. The objective of IG EntrepreneurSkills is to promote entrepreneurship by organising the EntrepreneurSkills competition as a Swiss professional championship (including the SwissSkills Championship). The Swiss Center for Entrepreneurial Thinking and Acting (scETA), based in Olten, is the driving force behind the myidea Challenge and EntrepreneurSkills. In addition, the scETA is an official Swiss partner and a committed player in the international YouthStart network.
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