FIND at GovTech Hackathon 2024: An Inspiring First Experience

Do You Know Hackathons?

Hackathons are intense, time-bound events where participants from diverse backgrounds collaborate to solve complex challenges. Over a day or two, ideas are brainstormed, solutions are prototyped, and innovation takes center stage. The GovTech Hackathon 2024, held on 14 and 15 March 2024, hosted by the Federal Office for Information Technology and Telecommunications in Zollikofen (BE), was a perfect showcase of this spirit. Organized by the Federal Chancellery's DTI Sector and supported by Opendata.ch, the event aimed to enhance connectivity within Swiss public administration and with external stakeholders under the theme "Network Switzerland."

Among the 16 exciting challenges presented, the Swiss Financial Innovation Desk (FIND) brought a unique perspective with its concept "Find Your Money, Find Your Start-up," addressing a critical issue for entrepreneurs and startups: the complexity of accessing funding.

Here to discover all challenges.

FIND at GovTech Hackathon 2024

Navigating the Funding Jungle

Startups and founders in Switzerland often face significant challenges when seeking capital. The process can feel like navigating a dense forest without a map. With its challenge, FIND aimed to explore a solution by proposing a matchmaking platform that could connect startups with potential investors, both public and private.

This platform concept wouldn’t just aim to streamline funding; it could also address the needs of both parties. On one side, founders and startups would benefit from clear, accessible pathways to capital. On the other, investors – whether institutions or individuals – could discover impactful projects to support. By addressing these two perspectives, FIND’s approach would have the potential to foster mutually beneficial partnerships and drive innovation and societal progress.

The motto "Find Your Money, Find Your Startup" encapsulates this vision of a platform that, if developed, could bridge the gap between ideas and resources.

Design Prototype «FIND your Money»

Collaborative Energy at Work

Hackathons are inherently dynamic environments, and the FIND challenge was no exception. Over two days, the FIND team worked collaboratively, bringing creativity and focus to the table as they developed and refined ideas.

The challenge design benefited from input by Simon Perrelet, a Transformation Consultant and Ph.D. candidate in Information Systems at the University of Bern. His expertise contributed to shaping a framework that guided the team in exploring innovative and practical solutions.

Building the Future Beyond the Hackathon

While the GovTech Hackathon has concluded, FIND’s work on this challenge is far from over. The event served as a proof of concept for a platform capable of demystifying funding pathways, empowering startups, and fostering meaningful connections with investors. This initiative aligns seamlessly with FIND’s broader mission to promote financial innovation. By tackling a critical pain point for entrepreneurs, FIND is paving the way for tools that could reshape the Swiss startup ecosystem.

The hackathon has left the FIND team not only energized but also inspired. Building on the momentum of the GovTech Hackathon, FIND is gearing up for its first financial innovation hackathon, SwissHacks, planned for June 2025. This event promises to build on the lessons learned and the enthusiasm sparked by the GovTech Hackathon… Stay tuned!

For more information: https://www.swisshacks.com

Update - November 2024

The FIND your money project is back on FIND's agenda for 2025: it will be one of the challenges at SwissHacks, our flagship event and the first-ever hackathon dedicated to financial innovation, taking place in April 2025 in Zurich. The challenge will be hosted by Innosuisse. Stay tuned!

Design Prototype «FIND your Money»