Emerging Talents: Starting Power Programme (Switzerland)

Deadline: 15-Oct-2026

The Emerging Talents: Starting Power Programme supports young professional designers with a connection to Switzerland as they develop their first post-graduation project. Selected participants receive a CHF 5,000 financial contribution along with tailored online coaching from national and international experts.

About the Emerging Talents: Starting Power Programme

The Emerging Talents: Starting Power Programme is designed to help young designers move from academic training into professional practice.

The programme combines financial support with expert coaching to help emerging designers develop their first project after graduation and build the skills needed to establish themselves professionally. The support is intended for designers who have completed their design-related education but have not yet launched a project on the market. What Support Does the Programme Provide? Selected participants receive two main forms of support: - A CHF 5,000 financial contribution. - Tailored online coaching from national and international experts. The combination of funding and professional guidance is designed to help participants develop a viable, innovative, sustainable, and marketable project. Expert Coaching Participants receive individualised online coaching from experts with national and international experience.

The coaching covers areas such as:

- Project development. - Sustainability concepts. - Business strategy. - Finances. - Marketing and public relations. - Pitch training. Coaching sessions are conducted in English and are scheduled individually with each expert. Who Can Apply? The programme is intended for professional designers who meet the specified emerging-talent requirements.

Applicants must:

- Be professional designers of any discipline. - Have completed design-relevant training within the last 18 months before the submission deadline. - Have not yet launched any projects on the market. - Demonstrate a connection to Switzerland. Designers from different disciplines can apply as long as they meet the programme’s eligibility requirements. What Should the Proposed Project Demonstrate? Projects submitted to the programme should demonstrate strong potential and a clear development pathway.

Eligible projects should show:

- Feasibility. - A high degree of innovation. - Marketability. - A clear sustainability concept. Applicants should demonstrate that their project can realistically be developed while offering an innovative and sustainable approach. Sustainability Focus A clear sustainability concept is an important requirement of the programme. Applicants should explain how sustainability is incorporated into their proposed project and demonstrate that the project considers sustainability as part of its overall development. The expert coaching also provides participants with support in developing and strengthening their sustainability concepts. Innovation and Marketability The programme is designed to help emerging designers develop projects that can move toward professional and market-oriented practice.

Projects should therefore demonstrate:

- A high degree of innovation. - Practical feasibility. - Market potential. Applicants should clearly communicate what makes their project distinctive and how it could develop beyond the initial concept. Connection to Switzerland Applicants must demonstrate a connection to Switzerland. The programme specifically targets emerging professional designers who have a relevant connection to the Swiss design environment. Applicants should clearly establish this connection when preparing their application. First Post-Graduation Project The programme focuses on designers at the early stage of their professional careers. Applicants must have completed their design-relevant training within the specified 18-month period and must not have already launched projects on the market. This makes the programme particularly relevant to designers seeking support to turn their first post-graduation idea into a professionally viable project. What Projects Are Not Eligible? The programme excludes several types of projects and activities.

The following are not eligible:

- Commissioned work. - Advertising campaigns. - Unique pieces. - Craft projects. - New editions. - Collectible projects. - Promotional platforms. - Promotional publications. Applicants should ensure that their proposed project does not fall into one of these excluded categories. How to Prepare a Strong Application Applicants should clearly present their project and explain how it meets the programme’s requirements.

A strong application should:

- Clearly describe the proposed project. - Demonstrate its innovative character. - Explain why the project is feasible. - Present its market potential. - Include a clear sustainability concept. - Demonstrate the applicant’s connection to Switzerland. - Confirm completion of design-relevant training within the required 18-month period. - Show that the applicant has not previously launched a project on the market. Applicants should also consider how expert coaching could help strengthen their project development, business strategy, sustainability approach, marketing, and pitch. Key Facts About the Starting Power Programme

- Programme: Emerging Talents: Starting Power Programme

- Target group: Young professional designers

- Eligible disciplines: Any design discipline

- Financial contribution: CHF 5,000

- Additional support: Tailored online expert coaching

- Coaching experts: National and international experts

- Coaching language: English

- Coaching areas: Project development, sustainability, business strategy, finances, marketing, PR, and pitch training

- Training requirement: Design-relevant training completed within the previous 18 months before the submission deadline

- Professional stage: First post-graduation project

- Market requirement: Applicant must not have launched projects on the market

- Geographic connection: Switzerland

- Project requi