A total of 33 applications have been submitted for the first round of the 2026 Innovation Booster Fashion & Lifestyleprogram.
Powered by Innosuisse, this open innovation initiative aims to foster radical innovation within Switzerland’s fashion and lifestyle industries. The program seeks to create strong synergies between businesses and research institutions across the country, while also welcoming collaboration with international partners.
At a regional level, the program collaborates closely with USI and SUPSI in Ticino, alongside additional research partners throughout Switzerland such as University of Zurich, FiBL Suisse romande, ETH Zurich, HEIA-Fr, OST, ZHAW and HSLU
The thematic focus of the first 2026 Call for Challenges includes:
- Technology and Innovation Transformation
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
- Customer Relevance and Customer-Centric Solutions
- E-commerce & Digital Sales Innovation
- Production & Data Intelligence
- Data & Trust
- Robotics, Automation & Industry Scaling
- Next-Generation Materials & Scalable Sustainable Production
The program is supported by leading industry partners, including 7 For All Mankind, Alpha Square Invest, GUESS, Heads for Excellence, Hugo Boss, Lifestyle Tech Competence Center, Logitech, Microsoft, OF Design, Philipp Plein, and UBS, among others.
The Call for Challenges officially opened on February 12 under the theme “Beyond Digital: Technology & Sustainability Solutions to Reimagine Fashion & Lifestyle.”
Today, 24 Swiss innovation teams took part in the co-creation workshop “Challenge Your Ideas”, at Dagorà Lifestyle Innovation Hub in Lugano.
With the guidance of the Innovation Booster team and dedicated experts, participants developed their innovation hypotheses, refined the problems they aim to solve, and co-created bold, forward-thinking solutions for the fashion and lifestyle industries.
Following the workshop, participants will pitch their ideas to a dedicated jury. Up to five selected projects will receive funding of CHF 28,000 each to test their concepts in terms of desirability, feasibility, and viability.
The Innovation Booster program is rooted in the belief that meaningful innovation thrives in diverse and inclusive environments. By bringing together individuals from different backgrounds, disciplines, and perspectives, the initiative cultivates a space where unconventional ideas can emerge and challenge established norms. The program actively promotes inclusion, ensuring all voices are heard and valued, and creating equitable opportunities for participation and collaboration. This approach not only strengthens the innovation process but also contributes to developing solutions that are responsible, representative, and impactful across communities.
More updates about the program are available at: https://ibfashionandlifestyle.ch/news/
For inquiries, please contact: info@ibfashionandlifestyle.ch