EC Award: Dream Big.
11 May 2018 | ETH HG Audi Max
Join the Competition
Free Ticket

"The EC Award makes things happen."

I was encouraged by this competition to 'just try my luck' with an idea I had. The feedback and funding I received helped in making a startup out of my idea.

Tim Taubner

Winner EC Award 2015

Founder of Koala Bicycles

"I don't like startups."

It simply is not attractive to do what you believe in, to do what you love or to realize the changes you want to see.

No one.

Seriously, no one.

Are you ...

a creative?

Show the world what you see.

a doer?

We offer you the means to kick off.

a thinker?

Prove yourself in practice.

an eco?

Start making the change.

a dreamer?

Turn it into reality.

just interested?

Get to know more about the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Zürich.

Do the magic

  • Sign up and present your project on Cofoundme
    DEADLINE 12.04.2018
  • Get invited to be part of the workshop preparing for the selection process at the Polybahn Pitch
    24.04.2018, 17:00
  • Get preselected for the Polybahn Pitch
    28.04.2018, 08:00-12:00
  • Be a part of the Pitch training
    03.05.2018, 09:30-12:00 and
    08.05.2018, 09:30-13:00
  • Qualify and pitch at the event
    11.05.2018, 17:15
  • Enjoy the cheering audience and win up to 12'000 CHF
Join the competition

See the magic

  • Vote for your favorite idea on Cofoundme
    until 12.04.2018
  • Get your audience ticket for the EC Award from eventbrite for the main event
    11.05.2018, 17:15
  • Come to the event and vote again during the pitches!
  • Enjoy awesome pitches and meet awesome people
Free Ticket

11 May 2018

ETH HG F30 (Audi Max), Rämistrasse 101

Schedule

17:15
  • 7 pitches by teams, selected by EC Award Qualification Committee
  • every 3 min pitch is followed by 5 min Q&A with the jury
  • including a short break with snacks and drinks
18:45 Winner Ceremony
19:15 Burgers'n'Beers

Prizes

General: 2nd

5000 CHF
  • SSUF Accelerator Fast-Pass
  • ETH EC Coworking Space access
  • Free 3h business development consulting with SSUF
  • Business Webhosting Package
  • also: fame

General: 1st

8000 CHF
  • SSUF Accelerator Fast-Pass
  • ETH EC Coworking Space access
  • Free 3h business development consulting with SSUF
  • Business Webhosting Package
  • also: much fame

General: 3rd

3000 CHF
  • SSUF Accelerator Fast-Pass
  • ETH EC Coworking Space access
  • Free 3h business development consulting with SSUF
  • Business Webhosting Package
  • also: fame

Best Pitch

2000 CHF
  • Free 3h business development consulting with SSUF
  • Business Webhosting Package
  • also: swag

Audience Prize

2000 CHF
  • Free 3h business development consulting with SSUF
  • Business Webhosting Package
  • also: swag

Past winners

Immunas

  • Winner Spring 2016
  • 1st Prize
  • Test reducing use of antibiotics through rapid diagnostics of infection's source

Sound-Proof

  • Winner Fall 2015
  • Best innovation
  • Seamless Two-factor authentication via sound

Whipcat

  • Runner-up Fall 2015
  • Best added value
  • Drone charging over long distances

Frequently asked questions

  • Who can participate with an idea?
    • Everyone - teams of arbitrary size.
  • Are there restrictions on the topics?
    • Nope.
  • Are there any restrictions on the idea?
    • We do not allow funded ideas/startups.
  • Are prototypes allowed?
    • Yes, still the idea has to be considered 'early-stage'.
  • How can you qualify as a team?
    • The EC Award Qualification Committee will pick 15 teams demonstrating extraordinary quality for the elevator pitches. The 6 best teams get the chance to pitch at the EC Award. Furthermore, the committee will make sure to restrict participation to idea-stage projects.
  • I have already worked on my project. I don't know if I'm still idea-stage.
    • Heuristic, not a rule: If your work brought you to a prototype for the purpose of getting feedback, great. If your past work already represents a respectable part of your product or business, you are no longer what we're looking for.
  • Is it ok to have one of the team members to be part of EC?
    • Nope.
  • What should a project registration on cofoundme.org look like?
    • We don't require a certain structure - just do your best to convince the voters and the Qualification Committee. Be sure to emphasize on the given judgement criteria. Furthermore, you might want to restrict the length of your content.
  • What will the pitches be like?
    • Every team will have exactly 3 min to pitch. We will not let any team have a second of overtime (hint: there will be a gong!). Slides are allowed. Immediately afterwards, the jury will randomly ask you questions for 5 min. There are no restrictions on the content of the pitch. However we want you to keep in mind, that it's all about idea-stage projects.
  • What are the judgement criteria for at the event?
    • Feasibility, monetization potential, innovation, added social and/or ecological value.
  • Do I need a ticket to join the audience?
    • Yes, but all tickets are free. We want everyone to enjoy the evening, which is impossible without seats, food and drinks. Still we don't want to spend an unnecessary amount of money on food and drinks - as we try to rise the prizes as much as we can.
  • As a participant, what is the timeline of the event?
    • First you need to apply with your idea at www.cofoundme.org/ec-award/ (DEADLINE 12th of April). After that you will be invited to the workshop (24th of April) which prepares you for the Polybahn Pitch. At the workshop you will learn more about the Business Model Canvas and pitch your idea to coaches who will give you feedback. At the Polybahn Pitch (28th of April) you will pitch your idea again while you are filmed, and there will be a selection process for the ideas that will be invited to the EC Award. After the Polybahn Pitch, the selected ideas will go through pitch training (03.05: 9.30-12.00 and 08.05: 9.30-13.00). Then, after refining the idea through the workshop and through pitch training, the jury and the audience will decide the winners of the EC Award on the 11th of May!

Contact Us

Questions regarding the EC Award?

award@entrepreneur-club.org

General questions regarding the Entrepreneur Club?

info@entrepreneur-club.org

Our Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring? Get back to us.

award@entrepreneur-club.org