Challenge accomplished

16. January 2024

Thanks to the commitment of over 1600 ETH alumni, students and employees the challenge target of CHF 1 million was reached in only eight months. We would like to thank all donors. Special thanks go to the ETH juniors who brought the challenge over the finish line and to Jost Allmeling, Plexim, Prof Dr Roland Siegwart, Dr Severin Hacker, Andreas Friedrich, Heer und Co AG and the Werner Steiger Foundation.

2. November 2023

The existing project resulted from a public tender in 2020. However, as it started to take shape, the project grew increasingly expensive, with the rise in costs reinforced by the inflation that has affected all building projects over the last two years. The Executive Board has therefore decided to commission a concept study to re-launch the project. The core idea – to establish a hotspot for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship on the Hönggerberg campus – still remains. The valuable insights gained from the previous process will be incorporated into the new project, but costs are to be lower. The project will therefore be delayed by approximately two years. ETH feels particularly obliged towards donors, but also towards taxpayers, to build the new centre in a cost-effective way that maximises impact. The Centre for Students and Entrepreneurs represents an important milestone for ETH Zurich. When in operation, it will empower future generations of students to realise their creative ideas and enable entrepreneurial initiatives to achieve their full potential.

24. August 2022

Plans for a new building on ETH's Hönggerberg campus have taken a major step forward, thanks to a generous donation from UBS. The new space is to be a centre of dialogue and collaboration for creative students, the entrepreneurial ETH community, business and society. ETH Zurich and UBS are launching a strategic partnership to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Over a ten-year period, UBS will invest up to CHF 20 million in two joint initiatives to promote entrepreneurship and innovation and raise interest in STEM subjects. In addition to these two initiatives, UBS will also make a donation of up to CHF 20 million to support the construction of a new ETH building on the Hönggerberg campus. The building will be a meeting platform for students and young entrepreneurs with business and society that will make an important contribution to ETH as an educational and innovative institution and strengthen Zurich and Switzerland as an innovation and business location. Thanks to the commitment of primary partner UBS, other organisations and numerous private individuals, CHF 25 million has already been raised to finance the space. For the remaining CHF 15 million further partners and donors are being sought.