150+
Participants, experts, coaches and volunteers
4
Climate challenges that need new ideas
ZURICH
Impact Hub, Kraftwerk Zurich
Selnaustr. 25, 8001 Zurich
Climathon is a 32h Climate – Ideation format and invites citizen to engage in climate innovation. Together with our partners, we aim to connect and inspire people to drive the transition towards a more sustainable economy.
Climathon 2024 was a big success! We look forward to gathering bright minds around climate topics again in 2025.
Agenda 2024
> CHF 220’000 of funding for ideas
Impact Hub Zurich has organized Climathon Zurich as a yearly climate event for many years.
Since 2022, 17 winning teams have received a total funding of CHF 110’000 by the City of Zurich directly at our Climathon Closing Ceremony.
After Climathon, > 10 other teams have been funded by partners from the Impact Hub Zurich ecosystem with a total of another > CHF 110’000 and consecutive incubator programs.
We look forward to 2025!
Climate challenges & ideas
The challenges for 2024 span different sectors, encouraging our participants to develop impactful ideas.
The City of Zurich aims for net-zero emissions by 2040, which will require technological, political, and societal changes. Culture and art can make a significant impact in society. The challenge is to use creative expressions to raise awareness, promote sustainable behavioural change, and foster a collective commitment to climate action. The goal is to develop innovative and cultural initiatives and engage diverse communities.
Flying is the biggest source of travel-related greenhouse gas emissions of Zurich’s citizens. Situated in the centre of Western Europe, along the Alpine Rhine Corridor, which connects 770 million people, Zurich has great potential to lead the way in promoting land-based travel. How can we make land-based travel more attractive, sustainable, and practical for daily transportation, ultimately making flying less the new normal?
Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of heatwaves since the 1950s, posing significant challenges to cities and their inhabitants. This Climathon challenge invites participants to develop innovative, citizen-focused solutions that help Zurich’s residents respond and adapt to extreme heat. We seek practical, easy-to-implement ideas that empower individuals and communities to take action and build resilience.
Change makers within companies hold the potential to dramatically advance net zero targets. Employees, as central figures in organisations, can serve as catalysts for meaningful sustainability initiatives that align with both corporate and environmental objectives. Your mission is to generate ideas that inspire and empower employees to take the lead in driving sustainability efforts within their organisations.
The 32h Climate-Hackathon in Zurich is a unique experience that is not to be missed. Watch our video to feel the vibes and
to learn more about the process of collectively taking climate action
Participating at the Climathon was one of my highlights of the past year. So many inspirational conversations, so much passion and incredibly good food. What do you need more?»
Individual Participant
The Zurich Climathon was a place for us to validate our idea in front of a community of innovators and gain visibility which had a great impact for us. «
Startup Team
The climathon experience is highly dynamic. Motivated participants give their very best to generate climate solutions to the most pressing problems. As an expert, it’s inspiring to be part of their journey.«
Expert
Climathon perfectly encapsulates what we so desperately need: a feeling of agency and being part of the solution as literally everybody can contribute to solving the climate crisis and every action counts»
Team Coach
OPPORTUNITY
Join us as partner
Every year, Impact Hub Zurich brings together 150+ Zurich impact-driven citizens to tackle local climate challenges. The event is perfect low-barrier opportunity to access climate topics and creates a lot of visibility. Join us as event partner!
Organiser
Main Partner
Event Partner
Sponsoring Partner
Network Partner
Meet the team
Lara Mogge
Program, Concept & Partnership Lead
Eva Aschwanden
Eventmanagement & Communication Lead
Magdalena Auer
Participant & Volunteer Coordinator
Extended team
Silvia Burgdorf
Co-Lead Climathon Partnership City of Zurich
Clea Henzen
Co-Lead Climathon Partnership City of Zurich
More about the Climathon event
Climathon is a worldwide movement of people who actively combat climate change and is held in cities around the world. In Zurich, Climathon is organised by Impact Hub Zurich in collaboration with the City of Zurich and Climate-KIC.
During 32h, participants have the chance to meet inspiring people, work on climate challenges and share their ideas to inspire others. Either they create a new idea from scratch or they co-create and boost an existing climate project.
Thanks to our Impact Hub network and our collaboration with our partner the City of Zurich, we have great coaches, experts and a lot of experience to support everyone during the Climathon journey.
What awaits participants at Climathon?
At Climathon, participants are on a journey from climate challenge to climate solution. Although each Climathon is a new inspiring experience with new challenges to tackle, the event itself is always built upon the following three elements.
PLENUM SESSIONS & NETWORKING
We open and close Climathon with ceremonies in plenum.
Climathon kicks off with an exciting Opening Ceremony on Day 1, setting the goals and mood and providing inspiration from amazing speakers.
On day 2, we come back together for the Festival of Ideas, where all teams pitch their ideas and we celebrate these. Afterwards, at the Closing Ceremony, the winning teams are announced.
In between there is plenty of time to connect with other changemakers.
TEAM WORK
After the opening ceremony, participants have time to decide on the climate challenge they want to work on and to find their team in our facilitated team building session.
Having selected a challenge and fellow team members, participants are ready to dive into and freely design their team work sessions.
There are subject matter experts in areas such as food waste and coaches at their disposal to help with knowledge as well as with the overall process.
WORKSHOPS
During the team work, there is the option to visit workshops. Our workshop leaders coach on topics like «How to Pitch» or «How to Prototype».
Recharging batteries during Climathon is crucial. Therefore, we include recreational elements such as a guided yoga flow or mediation in the program, too.
Climathon – a global movement
The Climathon was founded in 2015 in the run-up to the historic Paris climate agreement and has grown enormously since then.
It takes place every year in a growing number of cities around the world. In 2021 the Climathon was held in 145 cities around the globe.
The Climathon Zurich is taking place for the 7th time already and offers citizens the opportunity to become active for the climate and initiate systemic changes.
6500+ participants
145 cities
600+ ideas
6 continents
Terms and Conditions of participating at Climathon Zurich
All Climathon participants grant the Climathon Zurich Organiser, its subsidiaries, agents and partner companies, a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, adapt, modify, publish, distribute, publicly perform, create a derivative work from, and publicly display the submission. Of course, all participants maintain the ownership and property rights of the work that they created during Climathon (e.g. source code).