Innnovation Cycle 2022

At the turn of the year, the Innovation Booster presents the annual work topic and publishes the call for project ideas. This call is addressed to researchers, users of health and social services and service providers.

Call for project ideas 2022

Takes place in calendar week 11 and includes decentralised events on the annual theme, networking, social innovation, information events on the Innovation Booster as well as final presentation of the projects from the previous annual cycle.

Social Innovation Week 2022

With the "Social Innovation Forum" the kick-off phase comes to an end. The forum is a one-day national event during the first week of May aimed at networking, furthering the project ideas and - at the end of the day - the awarding of up to 24 ideation cheques.

Social Innovation Forum 2022

Successful Innovation Teams receive lump sum of CHF 1’000.

How the Innovation Teams can use this money:

• Small workshop after the Social Innovation Forum
• Travel expenses

Good to know: Innovation Teams decide themselves what they want to do with the money.

Early/mid-June: programme & venue are communicated directly to the innovation teams.

Brief description of the steps taken so far and planned for the discovery phase.

Innovation teams (or members of the team) give a presentation taking into account the feedback received during and after the Social Innovation Forum and the sheet of questions from the Panel that they will receive beforehand.

This phase is not competitive – up to 24 Discovery Cheques will be awarded worth CHF 4’000 CHF.

Good to know: the Panel is the Innovation Booster’s evaluation body; its chair and members represent research, social and health services, users, managers from the field of practice, administration and authorities.

Innovation Teams receive CHF 4’000 lump sum payment, which they can use to gather relevant knowledge and identify the problem/need behind their project idea. This includes the formulation of the problem (Design Challenge).

Beneficiaries will be asked to attest to the good use of the money and upon request be able to provide proof of the expenses (hours of work, organization of events, etc., but no overheads).

For non-members, a third- party contribution of 10% is required (see financial conditions).

How the Innovation Teams can use this money:

• Participatory workshops
• Needs assessments; online surveys and questionnaires
• Focus groups, expert interviews, ethnographic observations
• Literature review

Good to know: money received from the Ideation Cheque may also be used in this phase.

For the 2022 cycle, the Pitch will take place on 22.9.2022. The detailed programme is still to be confirmed.

Innovation Teams prepare and organize independently the project pitch using the recommendations received from the Panel and, should they need and want it, advise from the Innovation Booster. The aim is to formulate the Design Challenge and draft a project outline which details the following aspects:

• Report on the outcome of the discovery phase
• Description of the Design Challenge
• Plans for the testing phase, including budget
• Project description taking into account feasibility and viability, the potential (who will benefit from it and to what degree/measure?) as well as rough cost-benefit calculation

This phase is competitive – 14 to 16 Testing Cheques will be awarded worth up to CHF 10’000.

If an Innovation Team is not awarded a Testing Cheque, the Innovation Teams may a) consider further steps and b) apply a second time for a Discovery Cheque or c) terminate the idea.

Good to know: the Design Challenge sums up starting point and the direction or the focus that the Innovation Team wants to take to pursue with the project idea.

Innovation Teams receive a needs-based payment of up to CHF 10’000 depending on the budget asked for. Beneficiaries will be asked to attest to the good use of the money and upon request be able to provide proof of the expenses (hours of work, organization of events, etc., but no overheads).

For non-members, a third- party contribution of 10% is required (see also financial conditions).

How the Innovation Teams can use this money:

• Co-creative workshops
• Design sprint
• Feedback loops
• Prototyping workshops
• Usability testing

The final presentation of the 2022 cycle will take place on 14.3.2023. The venue and programme will be confirmed at a later date.

Innovation Teams iteratively test and adapt of the idea to the implementation conditions by creating prototypes such as, for example, programme sketches, storyboards, storytelling, mock-ups or wireframes.

The result of the testing phase is a structured description of the project idea which includes:

• Test performance
• Innovation potential of the final proposition; its desirability, feasibility (also in legal terms) and viability
• Considerations on the (strategic) embedding in the practical context.
• Prospects for follow-up funding and implementation plan (e.g. Innosuisse projects, mandates etc.)

Innovation Teams present this structured description at the Final Date. The Panel provides final feedback recommending the Innovation Teams to pursue, redirect or terminate the project idea.

→ Advice and support through the Innovation Booster and the Leading House

The Innovation Booster’s ultimate goal is to pave the way to fully funded projects such as Innosuisse projects or mandates from foundations, institutions or public authorities. Therefore, advice will be offered on funding options and the next steps to undertake.