ETH Zurich Foundation, Talents 2024
Talents 2024

Funding talent for science, industry and society

ETH Zurich Foundation, Talents 2024

Günther Dissertori

Rector

ETH Zurich Foundation, Talents 2024

Vanessa Wood

Vice President for Knowledge Transfer and Corporate Relations

Many thanks!

Lucky are those who are naturally talented! But the figures who feature in this report, all recipients of your funding, are marked by more than just talent: some have faced the rigours of a highly competitive selection process to secure an Excellence Scholarship. Others from less privileged backgrounds have been driven by their clear goals and academic qualifications to apply for a needs-based scholarship. And others, armed with their research findings – and the backing of a Pioneer Fellowship – have launched themselves into the turbulent world of entrepreneurship. In short, these talented individuals are ambitious and ready to work hard for their visions.

And it has paid off: Mattias Ivarsson, for instance, was able to sell his ETH spin-off, Inositec, and is already CEO of a further company. Plus, he now donates to the programmes from which he once benefited. Georgette Weingärtner, a bright young cryptographer aiming to help make cyberspace a safer place, was thrilled to be awarded a scholarship. And Samuel Zumthurm was able – thanks in part to you, dear donors – to pursue his passions at ETH and now conducts nutritional research at Agroscope on questions that affect us all.

Many exciting life stories, technological advances and scientific developments begin at ETH – and, as a donor or partner, you help make this happen. For that we thank you most sincerely!

from left: David Mzee, former Excellence Scholar, Stefan Villiger and Reto Togni, Pioneer Fellows.
© ETH Foundation / Valeriano Di Domenico

Effortlessly efficient

Pioneer Fellows Stefan Villiger and Reto Togni are convinced that much more can be done to improve the mechanics and design of wheelchairs. Taking part in their mission is former Excellence Scholar David Mzee – as test subject and sparring partner.         read more

Young entrepreneurs currently receiving funding

Success since the launch in 2010
Fellowships awarded
130
companies founded by Fellows
80
Has various family and personal connections to ETH: donor Tonia Weibel.
© Sarah Ley, www.leyfotografie.com

Fuelling a spirit of inquiry

As an educator, counsellor and member of the Meilen school council, Tonia Weibel has a wealth of experience in fostering people and their talents. And now, as a donor to the Centre for Students and Entrepreneurs, her commitment extends to ETH too.         read more

© ETH Foundation / Valeriano Di Domenico

From riddles to cryptography

Even as a child, Georgette Weingärtner loved to solve complex puzzles. Now dedicating her attention to cryptography, the ETH Excellence Scholar’s goal is to help make cyberspace a safer place.         read more

697
outstanding students from 67 countries have received funding
are from Switzerland
220
from Europe
504
graduate as top of their year
(over two-thirds rank among the top 10 percent of their year)
40%
Mattias Ivarsson was supported both as an Excellence Scholar and as a Pioneer Fellow.
© ETH Zürich / Markus Bertschi

Funding cycle

With a Founder’s Pledge, young entrepreneurs make a nonbinding promise to the ETH Foundation to engage in philanthropic activities that support future generations at their alma mater. ETH alumnus Mattias Ivarsson explains why he, too, is committed to fostering a sustainable startup ecosystem.         read more

Now a doctoral student at Agroscope, the federal competence centre for agricultural research: Samuel Zumthurm.
© ETH Foundation / Valeriano Di Domenico

Discovering a whole world at ETH

It is with gratitude that Samuel Zumthurm looks back on his university years and the benefit of an ETH scholarship. It was a period of expansion – not only for him personally but for his scientific interests too.         read more

Now a doctoral student at Agroscope, the federal competence centre for agricultural research: Samuel Zumthurm.
© ETH Foundation / Valeriano Di Domenico

Many thanks!

Talented young scientists at ETH Zurich receive substantial backing from dedicated private individuals and partners. We would also like to thank all those supporters not mentioned by name and who, together, have enabled great things to happen.

Companies
  • Adnovum Informatik
  • Ammann Group
  • Atomikos
  • Avaloq
  • Basler & Hofmann
  • BKW
  • Carigest SA
  • E2A
  • Franke
  • Glencore
  • Hardturm AG
  • headcount AG
  • Heer und Co.
  • Huawei Technologies
  • Isler & Pedrazzini
  • Jörg Lienert AG
  • LexisNexis
  • Marti Group
  • Partners Group AG
  • Pfizer (Suisse)
  • Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG
  • Plexim
  • QuantCo
  • Sensirion
  • Shell
  • UBS Switzerland
  • walzer.tech consulting
Organisations and foundations
  • Adrian Weiss Stiftung
  • Anna Caroline Stiftung
  • Asuera Stiftung
  • Bärbel und Paul Geissbühler Stiftung
  • Baugarten Stiftung
  • Bernina Initiative
  • Bühlmann-Kühni Stiftung
  • CARUS - Catherine und Rudolf Schmid Stiftung
  • Clariant Foundation
  • Dachstiftung ACCENTUS
  • Dätwyler Stiftung
  • DGFI Foundation
  • Die Kommission für Immobilien des VSETH
  • Egon-und-Ingrid-Hug-Stiftung
  • EPFZ-GEP Chapter Geneva
  • Ernst Göhner Foundation
  • ETH juniors
  • ETH Zürich - D-ITET
  • Fondation Alcea
  • Fondation Dimitris N. Chorafas
  • GABU - Stiftung
  • Gamil-Stiftung
  • Gebauer Stiftung
  • Gemeinnützige Stiftung Basler & Hofmann
  • Georg und Bertha Schwyzer-Winiker Stiftung
  • Green Leaves Education Foundation
  • Hauser-Stiftung
  • Helmut Fischer und Anni Walther Stiftung
  • Hirschmann-Stiftung
  • Husson Halabi Yassir Stiftung
  • IMG Stiftung
  • Josef P. und Nelly Spiess-Mohn-Stiftung
  • Kiwanis Club Weinfelden
  • Klostermann-Stiftung
  • Linda Roethlisberger / TRILOGOS Fonds
  • Max und Else Noldin Stiftung
  • Monique Dornonville de la Cour - Stiftung
  • Nederlandse Vereniging van Zürichse Ingenieurs
  • Novartis Foundation
  • Palmary Foundation
  • Patrons Club Zürich
  • PSYCHE Vreni & Lukas Richterich Foundation
  • SCS Swiss Child Support Foundation
  • Starr International Foundation
  • Stavros Niarchos Foundation
  • SWF Stiftung für wissenschaftliche Forschung
  • Swiss Re Foundation
  • Truus und Gerrit van Riemsdijk Stiftung
  • UBS Philanthropy Foundation
  • Verein der Mathematik-
  • Veronika und Hugo Bohny Stiftung
  • Werner Steiger Stiftung
  • Z Zurich Foundation
Alumni and private donors
  • Adrian Mäder
  • Andrea Ullmann-Bremi
  • Clemens Leopold
  • Daniela Bosshardt
  • Dorothy and John Nagulendran
  • Dr Felix and Melanie Mayer
  • Dr Gabriela Baitella-Eberle
  • Dr Hanspeter Fässler
  • Dr Hartmut Rudmann
  • Dr Markus Rauh (d.)
  • Dr Mattias Ivarsson
  • Dr oec. publ. Jürg W. Ziegler
  • Dr Reto Baitella
  • Dr Severin Hacker
  • Dr Sigrid Viehweg Schmid
  • Dr Stefano Musso
  • Dr Torsten Wintergerste
  • Dr Urs Mäder
  • Dr Urs Saner
  • Dr Werner Witz
  • Ekkehard Hilti
  • Erica Rickenbacher Weidmann
  • Ernst Bärtschi
  • Evelyne Pflugi
  • Fred Kindle
  • Georg Wacker
  • Gerhard E. Schmid
  • Gottlieb Knoch
  • Hans Wiedemar
  • Jakob Neuburger
  • Jean-Pierre Krause
  • Joel Roos
  • Jürg Brandenberger
  • Jürgen Hilti
  • Manfred Hunziker
  • Nicolas von Schumacher
  • Peter Hunziker
  • Peter Scartazzini
  • Peter Trauffer
  • Petra König
  • Philippe Sarasin
  • Professor Jérôme and Corinne Faist
  • Professor Michael Teuber
  • Professor Roland Siegwart
  • Professor Wilhelm Gruissem
  • Randolf Hanslin
  • Robert Kessler
  • Rudolf Hauser
  • Rudolf Stüssi (Senior)
  • Simone Boehringer
  • Stefan Andreas Maximilian Schwarz
  • Suzanne Gertrud Schmidt-Bernhard
  • Thomas Angehrn
  • Thomas W. Hauser
  • Tonia Weibel
  • Walter Fust
  • Walter Knabenhans
  • Werner Bosshard
In remembrance
  • Dr Beat Keller (d.)
  • Dr Erich Stuhlträger (d.)
  • Emil Halter (d.)
  • Georg Gyssler (d.)
  • Georg Wieler (d.)
  • Hans Item Fonds
  • Hans Ulrich Würgler (d.)
  • Margrit Anliker-Rüedi (d.)
  • Reto Jenatsch (d.)
  • Robert Bleibler (d.)
  • Spickenreuther Fonds
  • The Marc A. Kolpin and Gina Kolpin Excellence Scholarship Fund
  • Ursula Himmel-Glarner Fonds zur Unterstützung herausragender Master-Studentinnen
  • Yvonne Lang-Chardonnens (d.)
❤️

The joy of giving back

former Excellence Scholars
80
former Pioneer Fellows are now ETH donors.
13
“Throughout my career, I’ve consistently received funding from philanthropic sources, for which I’m deeply grateful. By giving chances to talented robotics researchers in my lab and regularly creating jobs with new startups, I’m now able to give society something back. ”


Professor Marco Hutter heads the Robotic Systems Lab at ETH Zurich. A former Excellence Scholar, Pioneer Fellow and Branco Weiss Fellow, he was also the winner of this year’s Rössler Prize. Marco Hutter is co-founder of the quadrupedal robot company ANYbotics and seven other spin-offs and is head of the AI Institute in Zurich.

Many thanks to a further 7000+ donors and partners.

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