The Open Geneva Association
Open Geneva is a non-profit association whose mission is to promote and stimulate open innovation in the Greater Geneva area by bringing innovators together, bringing their ideas to life, communicating their projects and supporting their development in the fields of art, science, technology and society.
The main activity of Open Geneva is the organisation of the Open Innovation Festival in Geneva. During this festival, public institutions, universities, research centres, local and multinational companies, associations and citizens organise moments of innovation and sharing, such as workshops, hackathons and conferences.
Open Geneva is...
...events
During the week of the festival, 30 hackathons and workshops took place in several locations in the city of Geneva
...meetings
At the Geneva Solutions conference, the meeting with Ruta Nimkar, who develops fablabs for Terre des hommes, made an impression on us: "What do we need in the refugee camps? Innovation!
...of places
There is nothing like an inspiring place to encourage the creativity of the teams who have imagined the mobility of tomorrow at Idea Square, CERN in the presence of some twenty Akka engineers.
...prototypes
With the sensor, the patient breathes in and out to raise or lower the vessel. It calms him down and at the same time stimulates his breathing exercises.
Open Geneva for Hackathon Science
Reference : Miendlarzewska, E., Anastasaki, A., Gomez Teijeiro, L., Maillart, T. and Ugazio, G., Play and work for greater good: the case of hackathons, accepted to European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS), 2021
History
Open Geneva was created in 2015 by the Geneva Creativity Center in collaboration with theUniversity of Geneva, the HES-SO Geneva, the SITG and the TPG to promote open innovation in order to improve the quality of life in Geneva through the use of open data. During the first edition, several teams of students worked during two weekends on scientific projects and social and technical innovations related to energy, health and mobility. The 2016 edition broadened the profile of its participants and focused on health, in close collaboration with the University Hospitals of Geneva.
In 2017
Open Geneva has become a Festival of Hackathons. Thanks to the support of the Digital Strategy of the University of Geneva, more than 21 initiatives took place from 12 to 14 May, involving schools and research centres, administrations and companies, public and private structures. Around 400 participants of all profiles developed more than 50 innovative projects, some of which are still growing. This spontaneous enthusiasm confirms that there is a real desire for open innovation in Geneva and that it should be supported.
In 2018
For its 2nd edition, the Open Geneva open innovation festival took place from 9 to 15 April 2018 and gathered nearly 800 participants in 31 hackathons and co-creation moments, and around 400 participants in various events, such as conferences, workshops and open doors, as well as an event to close the week and present the outcomes of the challenges (Hack Show) on Sunday 15 April.
In 2019
For this 3rd edition of the innovation festival from 18 to 24 March 2019, 22 hackathons and 8 workshops were organised throughout the city, bringing together nearly 1200 participants . Open Geneva is also a forum for public debates with 3 conferences held during the festival on topics related to digitalization in society (Cyber Nexus), international and humanitarian Geneva (Geneva Solutions) and the sustainable city (Sustainable Cities). The festival was followed by the Innovation Festival on 28 May 2019 at Campus Biotech. The aim is to showcase the results of the hackathons together with our network of acceleration partners, and finally to expand to the French-speaking region of Switzerland and the French Genevois.
In 2020
Due to health and regulatory developments related to the spread of the covid-19 virus, Open Geneva found itself unable to guarantee the framework of the festival, which should have taken place from 19 to 29 March 2020, with a programme of 43 events. Open Geneva proposed a new innovation highlight at the end of the year, with theAutumn of Innovation. Online and hybrid events were introduced!
In 2021
Open Geneva organised its 5th Open Innovation Festival in the Greater Geneva area from 18 to 28 March 2021. Given the health conditions, the Festival took place 100% online with over 30 events on the programme bringing together 1500 people. This festival was a great moment of collective learning, a place for training in the skills that have become essential in the post-covid digital era, namely digital skills. By organising its first 100% online innovation festival, Open Geneva explored new forms of participation in innovation for its community, made available new collaborative tools and trained in new skills.
In 2022
Open Geneva organised the 6th edition of the Greater Geneva Open Innovation Festival from 17 to 27 March. More than 50 events - online, in-person and hybrid - animated the innovation community throughout the city. More than 1000 participants took part in the workshops, hackathons and conferences. The opening of the Festival with the Geneva Trialogue, organised by UNITAR and the University of Geneva, strengthened the Festival's international coverage. In 2022, thanks to a wide range of diversity of formats and audiences and audiences reached, the Festival has become very inclusive and has strengthened its role as an activator of civil society in the innovation process.
What the press says about us
Social networks
Governance
Open Geneva was incorporated as a non-profitassociation in October 2017, with members representing various institutions (academic, private, semi-public, public) among the most dynamic and innovative in Geneva.
Open Geneva is an association committed to gender equality
The members of Open Geneva:
- Fatime Ahmeti, ITU
- Rania Al-Baroudi, Independent Consultant
- Afroditi Anastaski, UNITAR
- Fabio Balli, Breathing Games
- Karen Bahvnani, MCI Group
- Helena Bornet Dit Vorgeat, HUG
- Paul Bristow, Pangloss Labs
- Cécile Catalano, General Hospice
- Justin Cornut, Swiss House of Brands
- Matthieu Crettenand, University of Geneva
- Julia Dallest, Open Geneva
- Oday Darwich, Quantum FutureX
- Didier Faure, Siemens
- Antoine Geissbühler, HUG, University of Geneva
- François Grey, University of Geneva
- Matthew Huebert, Full Stack Developer
- Cyril Jaquet, SRG SSR
- Natalie Joray, Open Geneva
- Antoine Lavanchy, Terre des Hommes
- Thomas Maillart, University of Geneva
- Pierre Mirlesse, Independent Consultant
- Jean-Henry Morin, University of Geneva
- Abir Oreibi, Lift
- Giorgio Pauletto, SIG
- Didier Raboud, University of Geneva
- Maurizio Ranieri, HUG, University of Geneva
- Alexandra Rys, CCIG
- Ségolène Samouiller, University of Geneva
- Mégane Simeon, Open Geneva
- Caroline Widmer, Pulse
- Agathe Chevalier, RTS and Avis d'Experts
The Open Geneva Committee:
- Thomas Maillart (Chairman)
- Afroditi Anastaski (Vice-Chair)
- Justin Cornut (Secretary)
- Cyril Jaquet (Treasurer)
- Helena Bornet Dit Vorgeat
- Caroline Widmer
- Fabio Balli
Coordination:
- Julia Dallest hello@opengeneva.org
- Mégane Siméon
Applications for admission to join the association may be made to the Committee, which shall admit new members on the recommendation of two members and inform the General Assembly.
Know-how
Testimonials from our partners
