Basel's entrepreneurship week ends with a build

From 16 to 22 November, Basel runs its edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Week. Talks, workshops and meetups across the city, all about starting and building things. This year our sprint is part of the official programme.

We are the last weekend of the week. Five days of talking about ideas, then 36 hours of building them.

Why green tech, why Basel

Basel-Stadt has decided to reach net zero by 2037. That is ten years away, and targets alone will not get the city there. It takes tools, prototypes and people who try things.

That is what the weekend is for. The cases come from organisations in the region that want to keep working with the results afterwards. They are revealed at the kickoff on Friday.

You do not need to code

Green tech problems are rarely only technical. Someone has to know how a building is heated, why a material ends up as waste, or what a city can and cannot regulate.

So we are looking for builders from tech, and just as much for people from energy, construction, circular economy, research, design, policy and business. With today's AI tools, almost anyone can ship a working prototype. What makes a team strong is the mix.

The weekend in short

Friday 20 November, 17:00: doors open, cases revealed, teams start building.

Saturday: one long build, with mentors walking between the teams.

Sunday 22 November: pitches, the final in front of the jury, done around 15:00.

It all happens at the FHNW Campus Dreispitz in Basel. Entry is free, food, drinks, showers and a place to sleep are covered. Bring a laptop and a sleeping bag. Open from 16. CHF 5,000 in prizes.

Powered by BaselTech, Basel Circular and Basel 2037.

Apply by 15 November

Applications close on Sunday, 15 November, at 23:59. You can apply alone or as a team.

Apply on the sprintd platform. The full GEW Basel programme is on their calendar.