swiss design association

The Swiss Design Association supports initiatives in the area of the circular economy.

The innovation program, NTN Inno Booster «Applied Circular Sustainability» promotes an financially supports the implementation of 100% circular concepts and solutions in Switzerland.

Over the next four years, the program will support Swiss companies, both financially and through the transfer of knowledge, helping them to transform their systems from a linear to a circular economy.
Circular solutions will primarily be supported within defined "circular boosts". Together with a panel of experts from various disciplines, including materials research, product and process development, business model and lifecycle analysis, the NTN IB ACS will support companies and innovators via moderated “design thinking sprints".

These serve to illuminate the various aspects of the circular economy and help them to develop their ideas, taking all perspectives into consideration. Products and services with circular business models, which have 100% closed biological and technical material cycles and are in line with the cradle-tocradle principle, will be created.

Project submission for the first "idea boosts" has been open since March 30, 2021. The concepts will be funded, with innovators receiving booster funds of up to CHF 25’000.- each.

The NTN IB ACS thus uses "open innovation" to connect ideas and bridge any gaps in knowledge. The Center for Production and Process Development at the ZHAW School of Engineering as "leading house" is the primary coordinator of the NTN IB's applied circular sustainability activities and syndicate. The syndicate is made up of experts from ZHAW, ETH, FHNW, BFH, Material-Archiv, Studiocolony, Tribecraft, Hightech Zentrum Aargau, Impact Hub, sanu durabilitas and EPEA Switzerland.

If you have a great circular project idea, and need financial support submit your project by April 30, 2021 here.