Particularly in the decisive early phase of the innovation process, there’s a growing trend toward collaboration with partners. ‘We want new business models to be developed and shaped from the very outset in the interaction between engineering and business disciplines,’ says Angela Beckenbauer, who directs the Center for Business Innovation at ZHAW and played a leading role in developing the new concept. The sooner ideas are tested with simple prototypes, the better the prospects for the success of a solution. The Proof of Concept Lab offers various models of collaboration – from one- to multi-day workshops and seminars with company teams to larger projects for the development of new business models and use of the facilities.

The architecture itself also plays a role in creating an inspiring atmosphere. The corner section of building 118 on Lagerplatz in Winterthur in which the Proof of Concept Lab is located was constructed using recycled materials wherever possible. A ZHAW research and instruction project accompanied the planning and highlighted the enormous carbon-reducing potential of this type of construction. Over three floors, the new structure offers a collaboration space, a prototyping space and multiple workspaces.