HWZ as an active partner in the start-up world

Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Spirit at HWZ

HWZ sees itself not only as an educational institution, but also as an active driver of entrepreneurial thinking and action. The goal is clear: to be the most entrepreneurial university in Switzerland. Together with entrepreneurs, start-ups and innovative companies, it creates an environment in which ideas are further developed, tested and put into practice.

This is not only about traditional business start-ups. At HWZ, entrepreneurship also means taking responsibility, recognising opportunities, and developing new solutions for business and society.

What begins in the classroom at HWZ often leads to the founding of a company. Many students use projects, pitch sessions or practical case studies from their studies as a starting point for their own business ideas.

Start-ups from HWZ: Ideas that Became Reality

The diversity of start-ups within the HWZ community demonstrates the wide range of entrepreneurial paths: from sustainable business models and creative brands to technology-driven innovations.

Start-ups with social and sustainable impact

savontage: Natural cosmetics with social impact

Natural ingredients, regional production and social commitment: the start-up savontage, co-founded by Samuel Hartmann, a graduate of the Bachelor’s in Business Communications at HWZ, combines sustainability with entrepreneurship. With every product sold, the company supports social projects and demonstrates how social responsibility can be integrated from the very beginning of a business venture.

Mr. Green: Alumni make recycling a matter close to their hearts

What began as an everyday shared flat problem developed into a successful recycling start-up. The founders of “Mr. Green”, Keiran Smith, Valentin Fisler, Leo Steiner and Florian Blattmann, wanted to make recycling easier and created a fictional superhero who takes care of all waste. Through a subscription service, Mr. Green’s green-and-black rubbish bag is collected, carefully sorted, and properly recycled. Three of the founders acquired the necessary entrepreneurial knowledge for their start-up at the Bachelor in Business Administrationat HWZ.

AUKZIA: AI in the Property Market

AUKZIA aims to bring property buyers and sellers together more effectively through artificial intelligence. With AUKZIA, a platform has been created that offers property buyers greater opportunities to realise their dream of home ownership, while providing sellers with better information to help them find the most suitable buyer.

Start-ups for Lifestyle & Community

PALMEY: a lifestyle online shop from Zurich

The lifestyle label “PALMEY” was created over a glass of wine in the shared flat of Michelle Gisler, a graduateMAS Digital Business HWZ, and Sandra Daldini, a graduate of the CAS Social Media Management HWZ. Their fashion accessories combine sustainable materials with stylish looks, reflecting the founders’ passion for design and attention to detail.

brozie clothing: Streetwear fashion label from Zurich

It was not only the HWZ network, but also Janko’s marketing expertise from the Bachelor in Business Administration and Reto’s talent for unique design and aesthetics that helped them launch and develop their streetwear fashion label, «brozie clothing», which offers stylish and environmentally friendly fashion at affordable prices, giving everyone the opportunity to build a more sustainable wardrobe.

Upwood Gastro GmbH: a start-up in the events and hospitality sector

Florian Durrer founded Upwood Gastro GmbH together with a co-founder, deliberately taking the step into a new sector: the events and hospitality industry. This made the knowledge and experience he gained during theBachelor Business Communicationsthe knowledge he had acquired, which he was able to apply directly from the outset in building his company.

Start-ups in communication, marketing & consulting

Time and again, agencies and consultancy firms emerge directly from student projects. Two examples of this are the marketing agency 1322 and Questline KLG.

Marketing agency alongside your studies

Alessia Paschos combines her studies with self-employment. While pursuing her bachelor's degree in Business Communications at HWZ, she and her team founded the marketing agency "1322", allowing her to gain entrepreneurial experience at an early stage.

Questline KLG: From Pitch to Your Own Agency

Luca Huber and Roman Sievi developed a communications concept for Book a Home AG as part of the Bachelor’s degree programme in Business Communications at HWZ. Following their successful pitch, they were offered a mandate to implement their case in practice. They seized this opportunity to jointly found the consultancy Questline KLG.

Start-ups with Innovation & Technology

QR Audio: Audio Experiences for Municipalities and Cities

Everyone is seizing the opportunity to produce their own podcasts and audiobooks with immersive audio experiences, aiming to move and inspire people. The start-up "QR-Audio" has specialised in audio stories for children with its "Gschichtli-Weg" and already counts numerous municipalities among its clients.

Why entrepreneurship works at HWZ

Successful start-ups rarely emerge in isolation. This is why HWZ is actively involved in the Swiss start-up ecosystem and collaborates with a range of partners to connect students, founders and innovative companies. Various partnerships strengthen the links between education, business and innovation, creating real platforms for exchange.

These include, among others, partnerships with the Swiss Startup Association and initiatives such as Launch Control:

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  January 27, 2025 · Media Releases

  HWZ and Launch Control | Supporting Start-ups and Entrepreneurship

Events and networking occasions are also an integral part of the entrepreneurship culture. Partnerships such as the one with Talent Pitch create valuable platforms for exchange, inspiration and visibility.