January 13, 2026 | Boston & New York

In 2026, Swissnex is expanding its successful academic networking series Connect Lunches to the U.S. East Coast. Originally launched by Swissnex in San Francisco, the initiative has proven to be a powerful format for convening Swiss-affiliated scholars, researchers, students, and professionals through informal, place-based gatherings designed to foster meaningful connections and collaboration.

Building on this momentum, Swissnex is now bringing the Connect Lunches model to the East Coast, where dense academic ecosystems in Boston, New York, and beyond offer fertile ground for cross-disciplinary exchange. Beginning with a lunch in New Haven on February 4, the East Coast rollout will leverage Swissnex’s long-standing presence and partnerships in these regions, while also developing networks and fostering communities in regions without a permanent Swissnex presence.

First introduced by Swissnex in San Francisco in 2023, the Connect Lunches began as a way to map where Swiss academics and innovators were located across the Bay Area and to create spaces for conversation beyond traditional networking events. What started as small, exploratory lunches quickly grew into a thriving community platform, expanding across Northern and Southern California and engaging participants from a wide range of disciplines and institutions. The series demonstrated a strong appetite for recurring, low-threshold encounters that enable dialogue and foster long-term engagement.

On the East Coast, Connect Lunches will complement Swissnex’s existing programming in academia and innovation by providing a regular, community-driven touchpoint. The lunches are designed to be intentionally small and conversational, enabling participants to share ongoing work, identify common interests, and explore potential collaborations in an informal setting. Over time, these gatherings aim to strengthen local Swiss-affiliated communities and deepen their connection to the broader Swissnex network.

If you are a Swiss-affiliated student or academic interested in bringing a Connect Lunch to your university, reach out to [email protected].