Our Process.
We use a clear and simple innovation process with the latest methods such as Design Thinking, Lean Start-up, Business Model Canvas and others. For the allocation of seed money we use six criteria for evaluation.
In 2024, there are two different ways in which we promote projects:
1. Industry Challenges:
Various companies can publish their current topics as challenges, and interested project teams have the opportunity to apply for these challenges with their suitable solutions.
Note: This call is open to all project teams, including those already funded by Energy Lab. Already funded teams need to apply with a new idea!
Each company will award CHF 20’000 to one team, and the Energy Lab will fund additional teams whose ideas are convincing. The funding will be decided in the Pitch&Fund Workshop.
There is also a blog post on the Industry Challenges that provides you with more in-depth information. Take a look here!
2. Open Call #8
Open Call #8 is, as the name suggests, an open call. This means that any project idea that has the potential to make a real difference in the energy sector and that takes us one step further towards the energy transition can take part.
No companies other than the Energy Lab and Innosuisse are involved in Open Call #8. Innosuisse is the Swiss Innovation Agency, from which we receive the funding that we give to the project teams.
There is also a blog post on the Open Call #8 that provides you with more in-depth information. Take a look here!
You would like to submit a project idea? Click here!
Project Criteria.
- Novelty of solution
- Impact on energy savings & equivalent CO2 reductions
- Probability of success
- Transfer of results
- Diversity and inclusiveness
- Pitch performance
Do you have a project idea? Be supported by the Energy Lab
You have a project idea with impact on energy savings and CO2 reduction? You have a company or institution that will own the venture and push the project towards the market? Then you are ready to apply for Energy Lab support!
1. Step: Sign up on jointcreate
First step is to sign up on jointcreate.com, which the Energy Lab use as their digital backbone. Create your own profile on jointcreate and fully complete it with your picture and some details about you.
2. Step: Check our open project calls and submit your project idea
After completing your profile you can check on the Energy Lab site the open calls. Submit your project idea to the call and try to answer and describe following five questions in your description:
Project idea description
– What problem would you like to solve?
– Who are the customers and how will they profit from a solution?
– How does your challenge affect energy savings or CO2 emissions?
Current status and previous activities
– What has been tried before? What was not successful? What have you learned?
Resources needed
– What are your planned work packages. How can the Energy Lab help you?
If you have any questions about creating and submitting your venture, contact energy@hslu.ch.
3. Step: Build your team and participate in the Pitch&Enrich workshop
For the Pitch&Enrich Workshop it is necessary to have a proper team. Therefore, you can invite your team members to your project on jointcreate as well as get in touch with jointcreate members and select them as your team members for the workshop. Register and participate in the Pitch&Enrich Workshop. There you will pitch your idea and enrich your idea with support from topic experts and co-create with others.
4. Step: Pitch&Fund workshop
Prepare your enriched project idea for the Pitch&Fund Workshop. The stage will be yours for 5 minutes to convince our jury. The lab team will support with instructions, templates, tools, motivation, coffee and sweets. Please check here the Pitch Scoring Form that will be used by the jury to evaluate your idea.
The jury will announce the winner projects at the end of the Pitch&Fund workshop. To receive your granted seed funding, please download here the Ideation Funding Invoice Details and follow the mentioned instructions. Off you go! The lab team will support you on your further innovation journey if you need this.
5. Step: Recap
After funding, the teams work according to their own requirements. We expect updates on jointcreate and a contribution during our annual UnConference about your project evolution. The Energy lab funding is just the first step, and the lab team will be happy to support your way to enlarging your project!
Become an Energy Lab contributor.
Are you interested in energy innovation? Can you contribute with a specific expertise or skill? Then register and become an Energy Lab expert. All stakeholders are welcome out academia, industry or the public sector.
1. Step: Register
Register on www.jointcreate.com and add the Energy Lab to your organizations. As well sign up for the Energy Lab Newsletter
2. Step
Receive and check new and existing project ideas on the Energy Lab jointcreate site and in your jointcreate newsfeed. As well check our newsletters and LinkedIn posts.
3. Step: Get in touch with project idea owner
Write a message to the project idea owner and discuss your interest and contribution possibilities to solve the problem. The team admin will add you the team.
4. Step: Participate in the Pitch&Enrich workshop
Receive the workshop invitation and participate in the workshop. Help to enrich the project ideas and prepare a convincing pitch afterwards.
5. Step: Become a project team member
After the successful funding you can participate in the project. Don’t forget to talk about IP terms in your project team!
