The Champions Programme offers a grant of CHF 100,000, enabling exceptional minds and teams to focus on market adaptation, acquiring initial customers, and establishing the foundation for their startups. The programme emphasizes technical projects that incur higher costs for prototype and MVP development or securing intellectual property, ensuring the journey toward market readiness. Close mentoring and integration with the HSG community provide comprehensive support
The programme focuses on facilitating knowledge and technology transfer, aiming to help innovative business ideas successfully enter the market. It supports the commercialization of HSG-driven business cases with a tech-push or market-pull approach, with the goal of establishing a strong and sustainable product-market fit and achieving market traction.
This track supports HSG students working on innovative, technology-driven startup projects. It is designed to help founders establish their companies and professionalize their business models to gain initial market traction. Projects should have a proven proof-of-concept and a realistic path to market within 12 months. The focus is on bridging the gap between technological innovation and market readiness by refining the go-to-market strategy, validating customer segments, and strengthening the business foundation.
This track supports HSG students in advancing business ideas that demonstrate strong market potential and initial traction. The focus is on refining and developing the product or service to achieve a sustainable product-market fit. Participants will work on the technical feasibility, user validation, and scalability of their solutions, ensuring alignment with real market demand and long-term viability.
Application Video (max. 2 min) with a presentation of the business idea and the HSG entrepreneur (grant recipient).
Pitch Deck: Venture Concept with a description of the business idea, problem-solution fit, proof-of-concept, current status, next steps, and development goals with a simple financial plan.
Full CV (including list of publications if applicable); clearly state education and employment start/end dates (at least month and year).
One-page motivation letter outlining the entrepreneurial motivation.
Supporting documentation (e.g., confirmation of defence date for PhDs, transcripts for Master’s candidates).
Recommendation letter from an academic supervisor, if applicable.
Declaration of other non-financial grants / support projects related to the business idea (if there are any).
Master’s students, PhD students within 18 months after graduation and Postdocs
The grant supports individuals with an entrepreneurial project. The full amount of the grant (CHF 100,000) should support one exceptional HSG graduate over the course of 12 months (monthly payment).
Applicants must be HSG graduates (for teams, the grant recipient must be from HSG).
No concurrent financial support: Applicants must not be receiving other financial grants, scholarships, or similar funding during the programme period.
Solo entrepreneurs are not eligible; an existing co-founder team is required, although the team composition does not need to be finalized at the time of application.
Master’s students and PhD students can apply up to 6 months prior to graduation
Doctoral candidates and Postdocs must terminate their employment contracts before starting the programme.
Application Deadline: June 22, 2025 (23:59 CET).
Interviews (online): held two weeks after the deadline (between 23.06.-04.07.2025)
Decisions: Applicants will be informed within 4–6 weeks of submission (end of July)
Funding period: 1. September 2025 to 31. August 2026 (12 months, monthly disbursements)