*Insert Title for Our Work in the Ecosystem"
We firmly believe entrepreneurs drive societal change and prosperity in our world. However, Europe is falling behind economically on a global scale, and we believe only way to combat this trend is by creating more new ventures powered by entrepreneurs. Since Europe has is a major gap between being a student and entrepreneur building products for real customers, we believe we can contribute to the quality of life and prosperity of future generations by building a program that closes that gap by drawing students into entrepreneurship, creating equitable access to entrepreneurial resources and doubling down on those that demonstrate tangible proof that they’re on the track to success
The Challenge
Talented students in both commercial and technical disciplines show strong entrepreneurial potential, yet they face structural barriers and cultural hurdles in the European ecosystem that often prevent them from moving beyond ideas. Most university programs still operate in single-discipline silos, limiting cross-disciplinary collaboration, while entrepreneurial education at school ranks among the weakest of all framework conditions. Insights from conversations with hundreds of students and ventures, pilot projects, and leading entrepreneurs in Central Europe confirm that without early opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and test ideas in practice, Europe risks losing its next generation of founders before they even get started.
The Challenge
Talented students in both commercial and technical disciplines show strong entrepreneurial potential, yet they face structural barriers and cultural hurdles in the European ecosystem that often prevent them from moving beyond ideas. Most university programs still operate in single-discipline silos, limiting cross-disciplinary collaboration, while entrepreneurial education at school ranks among the weakest of all framework conditions. Insights from conversations with hundreds of students and ventures, pilot projects, and leading entrepreneurs in Central Europe confirm that without early opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and test ideas in practice, Europe risks losing its next generation of founders before they even get started.
St.Gallen, Switzerland
2006
Our Approach
We are working to create serendipitous environments where students can learn how to be entrepreneurs through real-world practical experiences rather than theory exercises. We expose students to concrete challenges incl. validating a problem with real customers, building early prototypes, or securing a first paying client. At key moments, we support with targeted questions & inputs to help guide decision-making and we connect them directly to relevant mentors, industry experts, potential partners, and potential clients. This structured exposure ensures they face the realities of entrepreneurship in an environment designed to accelerate their individual development and causes entrepreneurial serendipity at scale.
What we do
We work are pursuing a dual approach in which we create programs for students as well as as working to create opportunities with student organizations and the broader ecosystem. All formats we offer are aimed fostering learning through practical application. In combination with existing ecosystem offerings our programs are able to spark students’ interest, enable them to build strong cross-disciplinary relationships and support them to build ventures based on validated problems. We are building the first structured approach in Switzerland where students can develop competencies necessary to start, build, scale and lead commercially viable ventures. As part of this we are creating the first structural link between student bodies at large of the University of St. Gallen and ETH Zurich.
35%
Improved onboarding process
25%
Increase in user retention
84%
Increase in time spent on website
Process
Research & Analysis: We conducted user interviews, surveys, and analyzed in-app analytics to understand the pain points and user needs. We also studied competitor apps and industry trends to gather insights
Information Architecture: Based on the research findings, we restructured the app's navigation and content, prioritizing features and information according to user needs.
Wireframing & Prototyping: We designed low-fidelity wireframes to visualize the new layout and navigation, iteratively refining them based on user feedback. Afterward, we built a high-fidelity, interactive prototype to test the design.
Usability Testing: We conducted usability tests with a diverse group of users to validate the design and identify areas for improvement. Based on the feedback, we made necessary adjustments to the design.
Visual Design & Style Guide: We developed a cohesive visual language, including color schemes, typography, and iconography, ensuring consistency throughout the app. We also created a style guide to maintain design consistency in future updates.
“ With our new visual branding and language in place, the new Shopify brand clearly captures the essence of our current and target customer base, our employees, and our values. ”
Tobias Lütke
CEO, Co-founder | Shopify
Conclusion
The modernization of the subscription management platform successfully addressed the core usability issues and improved the overall user experience. By focusing on simplifying the interface and optimizing workflows, we were able to create a more efficient and enjoyable platform for users. The significant improvements in user engagement, satisfaction, and subscription rates underscore the importance of user-centric design in achieving business success.