Impact Club is one of the Impact Hub Ticino programs supporting impact entrepreneurship, and this year it reaches its fifth edition.

The goal of the program is to make Ticino a model of sustainable innovation, where businesses not only grow but also generate value for society and the environment.

Impact Club connects skills, resources, and perspectives to support impact-driven entrepreneurs and transform their ideas into solid and sustainable ventures. We promote business models that combine social and environmental impact with economic sustainability.

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Each year, we select several projects to which we offer networking, mentoring, and tailored growth pathways, based on their stage of development and specific characteristics.

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We offer two support tracks for projects at different stages of development:

1. Idea Validation → designed for those in the very early stages of a project who want to validate their idea before investing significant resources.

2. Impact Design → supports more structured projects in defining action plans, identifying key resources, activities, and KPIs, up to building a solid, coherent theory of change oriented toward value creation.

Impact Club was created and developed with the support of the Migros Pioneer Fund and the Mercator Foundation Switzerland, and continues its activities thanks to the ongoing contribution of a group of individuals, organizations, and families from the region who provide time, resources, and expertise.

Impact Club is dedicated to those who aspire to generate positive and systemic change in the local area, combining social and/or environmental impact with economic sustainability. Impact Club is open to:

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Individuals with impactful entrepreneurial ideas
If you have an innovative idea that could improve the lives of people or the environment, but don’t know how to turn it into reality, Impact Club is here to help you validate your idea.

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Small projects / startups
If you already have an active impact-driven project that you would like to make more effective and future-proof, Impact Club can support you with skills and tools to strengthen your impact logic and strategy.

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Companies developing impactful products or services
If you own or work for a SME (Small Medium Enterprise) interested in exploring new opportunities through innovative and sustainable projects, Impact Club can support you in the process. We’ll help you structure your value proposition, test its market validity, and develop growth and impact strategies.

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Nonprofits wanting to regenerate their impact model

If the nonprofit organization you are part of wants to renew its impact model and strengthen its financial sustainability, Impact Club offers you the right tools and tailored support.

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Does your project or idea not fit into the categories mentioned? Don’t worry, write to us at ticino@impacthub.net, and we’ll be happy to understand how we can help you.

Our programs are designed for both for-profit and nonprofit projects.

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When we talk about nonprofit entrepreneurship, we refer to organizations that, while not driven by profit, choose to adopt an entrepreneurial approach to achieve their impact: they define clear goals, measure results, develop sustainable economic models, and engage with market dynamics.

These organizations do not simply aim to “do good,” but to do so in a way that is effective, strategic, and long-lasting.

Impact Club supports projects that aim to have a positive and systemic impact on the territory, regardless of their specific thematic area.

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Over the years, we have mainly supported projects in the following sectors: education, wellbeing and health, energy, agriculture and food, tourism, recycling and circularity, the built environment, urban regeneration, equity and inclusion.

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So even if your project is in a sector that is not included in this list, you can still apply!

In the startup world, we often talk about unicorns, referring to companies with exponential economic growth goals. Unicorns are fascinating, but they are imaginary animals.

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Zebras, on the other hand, are real animals: they live in groups and protect one another through collaboration. They represent companies that aim to generate a positive social and environmental impact, alongside a fair economic return.

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We believe Ticino is a very fertile ground for the emergence of this kind of enterprise.

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If you feel a bit like a “zebra,” then you are in the right place!
For more information on “zebra” companies → READ HERE

For us, positive impact is an intentional and measurable change generated by organizations that take responsibility for contributing to a better world.

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In our context, we refer to organizations that aim to make Ticino a more cohesive, inclusive, and resilient region in the face of social, environmental, economic, and technological change.

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It means building together a model of sustainable innovation in which businesses not only grow economically but also generate value for society and the environment.

In an era where words like sustainability or social innovation risk becoming empty marketing labels, we feel the need to go beyond definitions. A new narrative of impact is needed: more authentic, more grounded, and more systemic.

Our strategy is based on two key references: Olivier Hamant’s concept of robustness and Ilya Prigogine’s concept of islands of coherence. We work to create, strengthen, and connect local projects that can become islands of coherence: entities capable of staying true to their values, even in unstable contexts, and of positively influencing the system they are part of. These islands are interconnected, dynamic, and become concrete examples of change.
We believe that authentic impact arises from a dynamic balance: between systemic vision and local action, between transformative ambition and grounding in the community. It is precisely from this creative tension that our projects take shape.

To evaluate and support impact, we use the five dimensions of the Impact Management Project, analyzing the potential (and risks) of each project. We help teams define their outcomes metrics – tangible and meaningful results – and minimize negative impacts, including unintentional ones, through simple, accessible, and concrete materiality analysis tools.

Generally, direct financial investments in projects are not foreseen.

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Each team selected to take part in one of the Impact Club programs receives mentorship, services, and various non-monetary support valued between CHF 1'500 and CHF 6'000.

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In the past, some individuals or organizations within the Impact Hub Ticino ecosystem have also chosen to provide financial support in the form of impact loans and donations to projects with significant impact potential.

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In any case, if your project demonstrates solidity, coherence, and potential, we can assess together the possibility of tailored support for building a fundraising strategy and preparing for dialogue with potential funding entities.

Impact Club programs are funded by a group of individuals, families, and local organizations that are committed to the sustainable development of the region.

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Teams are still required to contribute financially, as a guarantee of seriousness and of their willingness to engage constructively in the program.

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The contribution to participate in the Idea Validation program is CHF 540 (excluding VAT), while the contribution to participate in the Impact Design program is CHF 980 (excluding VAT).