Join Us
Connecting Swiss Designers with the US Industry.
Taking place from Monday, September 27 to Friday, October 1, 2021, the Accelerator program will introduce the selected Swiss designers to the US market, with a focus on the Bay Area ecosystem and design industry. The goal of the program is to build meaningful connections with relevant industry players and create business opportunities. Swissnex’s experience and established network will enable the studios to access key industry experts from the US West Coast and to reach their entrepreneurial goals.
The Program
Swissnex in San Francisco and Pro Helvetia jointly announce the second edition of the Swiss Design Accelerator, offering a selection of young Swiss talents a tailor-made coaching, skill development and matchmaking program in San Francisco.
This program includes:
- One-on-one pre-program coaching with industry experts to define your goals and understand the US business culture
- Business coaching: how to build your business and accelerate it
- Visibility on the US West Coast through events, content and media
- Leveraging design for impact and design for social responsibility
- Mentoring with local experts and visits to relevant design companies
- Workshops on relevant tools for the US market (presenting your studio in the local context, intellectual property)
- A tailor made matchmaking program based on your entrepreneurial goals
- Financial support for travel and accommodation expenses (2’000 CHF per studio)
Participating Design Studios
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BMCO Industrial Design
BMCO
Industrial DesignBased on a belief that design shall be an investment and not an expense, BMCO Industrial Design are always in it for the long run. They thoroughly develop product design strategies and product range plans with and for their clients. They offer tools to then materialize and manifest those strategies as coherent products.
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read on GmbH
read on
GmbHiPhone case + reading glasses = read on
Industrial designer Sandra Kaufmann and artist Monika Fink have been experimenting with glasses in their Zurich studio as an ideal folding object for many years. In the beginning, the goal was to develop sunglasses that were as light as possible and that could be folded to save space. With the idea of the combined unit of smartphone case and reading glasses, the requirements increased, especially with regard to dimensions. -
Victor Moynier
Victor Moynier
Industrial Design OfficeAn Industrial designer with a strong interest in innovation based on a deep understanding of new usages and manufacturing processes. With a range of expertise including industrial design, furniture, UI and space, the studio turns carefully thought scenarios into identifiable products to develop companies’ identity.
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IMAGICLY
IMAGICLY
Meret Wacker, Industrial DesignerAmidst this constant rise of the global stock of robots, robotic education has become more crucial for younger generations. However, existing educational tools are either too expensive or gender-biased, targeting mainly male audiences and reinforcing gender inequality in tech. Therefore, IMAGICLY – an EdTech toy – proposes to address this gap in the market and make robotic education accessible for a broader target audience, conveying gender inclusivity.
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Accelerating Swiss Design in the US with Imagicly
Amidst this constant rise of the global stock of robots, robotic education has become more crucial for younger generations. However, existing educational tools are either too expensive or gender-biased, targeting mainly male audiences and reinforcing gender inequality in tech. Therefore, IMAGICLY – an EdTech toy – proposes to address this gap in the market and make robotic education accessible for a broader target audience, conveying gender inclusivity.
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Accelerating Swiss Design in the US with BMCO
Based on a belief that design shall be an investment and not an expense, BMCO Industrial Design are always in it for the long run. They thoroughly develop product design strategies and product range plans with and for their clients. They offer tools to then materialize and manifest those strategies as coherent products.
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Accelerating Swiss Design in the US with read on
Industrial designer Sandra Kaufmann and artist Monika Fink have been experimenting with glasses in their Zurich studio as an ideal folding object for many years. In the beginning, the goal was to develop sunglasses that were as light as possible and that could be folded to save space. With the idea of the combined unit of smartphone case and reading glasses, the requirements increased, especially with regard to dimensions.
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Accelerating Swiss Design in the US with Victor Moynier
An Industrial designer with a strong interest in innovation based on a deep understanding of new usages and manufacturing processes. With a range of expertise including industrial design, furniture, UI and space, the studio turns carefully thought scenarios into identifiable products to develop companies’ identity.