Table of Contents
My story with Impact Hub didn't begin in Basel, but during the founding phase of the Philosophicum Basel in 2010 and 2011. During this time, I was deeply engaged with the topic of founding and came across a concept that fascinated me from the very first moment: the Impact Hub. The core idea was revolutionary simple yet visionary – bringing together people dedicated to working on sustainable issues and offering them a shared space where ideas could flourish across organizations.
The Seed of a Passion
What particularly impressed me at the time was the vision of a space where collaborative work – then still a relatively new phenomenon: coworking spaces – promised not just efficiency, but genuine synergies for a better future. It was far more than just shared office space; it was an ecosystem for social change.
The roots of this revolutionary idea lay in London, but when I discovered that a branch of this movement had emerged in Zurich, I wanted to learn more. I reached out to Impact Hub Zurich, and soon a meeting took place that marked my first real encounter with an Impact Hub. I walked through their spaces, learned about their way of working, and felt the special energy that emerges when like-minded people join forces. It was an experience that left a lasting impression and strengthened my conviction that this was a model with enormous potential – a model that I wanted to experience in Basel one day.
2017: My Dream Becomes Reality
Six years later, in 2017, I received news that a team was working on building their own Impact Hub in Basel! I didn't hesitate for a moment, contacted the founding team, and was welcomed with a warmth characteristic of the entire Impact Hub culture.
It didn't take long before I was already involved in concrete projects: Digital Days Basel and tunBasel were on the agenda. It was the starting point for a collaboration that would shape my professional and personal life for the years to come.
What impressed me from the beginning was how the team turned visions into reality. Here, people didn't just talk, they acted. Here, not only ideas emerged, but real projects that moved people and initiated changes.
Milestones of a Special Collaboration
October 2018: Digital Day Conquers Basel
A first highlight of our collaboration was the inaugural Digital Day in Basel in October 2018, initiated and largely organized by Impact Hub. Digital Day, a Switzerland-wide initiative by digitalswitzerland, aims to make the opportunities and challenges of digitalization tangible for society and business.
I vividly remember the energy in the air that day. The foyer of the HGK at Dreispitz transformed into a pulsating center of digital innovation for one day. Companies, startups, research institutions, and the general public came together to explore and discuss digital future topics. It was fascinating to observe how Impact Hub Basel proved its role as a catalyst and networking platform.
February 2019: Robot Fascination at tunBasel
A particularly heartwarming and successful project followed just a few months later: our participation in tunBasel in February 2019. Together with Tea Ganser and the dedicated Impact Hub team, the ICT Scouts, and commissioned by the Botnar Foundation, we immersed children and young people in the exciting world of robots.
tunBasel was a wonderful format that allowed young people to playfully discover science and technology. Our mission was to ignite the spark of enthusiasm for robotics – and it succeeded beyond all expectations. I'll never forget the children's shining eyes when they drew paths for the robots or brought them to life via remote control.
This project perfectly embodied Impact Hub's mission: not just promoting existing ideas, but also inspiring the next generation to shape a sustainable and digital future.
2019 to 2022: Bringing Entrepreneurship to Schools
One of the most sustainable and personally enriching collaborations led me to work with Aprentas over several years, from 2019 to 2022. Our shared goal was to integrate entrepreneurial thinking and action – entrepreneurship – directly into school teaching. In a world changing at an unprecedented pace, the ability to identify problems, develop innovative solutions, and take responsibility has become essential.
As an educator, this project was particularly close to my heart. We not only developed teaching materials but also conducted workshops and supported teachers in authentically integrating entrepreneurial spirit into their teaching. It was never just about writing business plans or juggling numbers, but about establishing a mindset that encourages calculated risk-taking, creativity, and constructive teamwork.
Impact Hub provided the ideal platform for connecting theory and practice. Here, students could not only develop their ideas but also test them in a professional environment and receive feedback from real entrepreneurs. It was impressive to see how young people flourished in this inspiring atmosphere and found the courage to pursue their own visions.
2022: Innovation in the Incubator with Education Architects
The year 2022 brought another significant milestone: Together with the Education Architects team, I had the opportunity to participate in Impact Hub's Incubator program. This was a crucial step in developing my work in personal knowledge management and edupreneurship – topics that are particularly important to me as an education expert.
The Incubator offered a structured yet creative environment where we could sharpen our ideas, validate business models, and learn from experienced mentors. It was a time of intensive reflection and systematic development of our concepts.
The months in the Incubator were challenging and incredibly fruitful at the same time. We were continuously encouraged to question our assumptions, refine our vision, and plan concrete, measurable steps for implementation. Particularly valuable was the intensive exchange with other founding teams in the Incubator. We shared not only successes and setbacks but gave each other honest feedback and motivated each other to persist through difficult phases.
Impact Hub provided far more than just physical spaces – it offered an entire ecosystem of learning, innovation, and mutual support. It demonstrated once again how Impact Hub functioned as an incubator for new ideas and as a springboard for social and sustainable ventures.
More than Co-working: A Philosophy of Collaboration
What made Impact Hub Basel so special over all these years was its unique ability to bring together people with similar values and complementary skills. It was never just a place to work, but a living ecosystem where synergies developed naturally.
The atmosphere was characterized by a special mix of professionalism and warmth, of vision and pragmatism. Here, idealists who wanted to improve the world met practitioners who knew how to turn dreams into reality. This combination created a creative tension that repeatedly led to surprising collaborations and innovative solutions.
A Farewell Full of Gratitude
The news that Impact Hub Basel is now closing its doors fills me with a mixture of melancholy and deep gratitude. Eight years of diverse collaboration are coming to an end – years that have profoundly shaped my professional and personal life.
The experiences I was able to gather during all this time are countless and priceless. It was a time of intensive learning, personal growth, and enriching encounters. I am infinitely grateful for every conversation, every problem solved together, every small and large success we were able to share.
During these years, I not only learned a lot professionally but also met a network of inspiring people who are all committed to making the world better in their own unique ways. Impact Hub Basel was far more than just a collaboration for me – it was a community, an experimental field for innovative educational approaches, and a second home for ideas that wanted to make the world a little better.
A Legacy That Lives On
Even though Impact Hub's physical space no longer exists, the experiences and encounters gathered will stay with me for a lifetime. The principles of co-working, collaboration, and impact thinking are deeply rooted in my work and shape my approach to new projects.
It's a farewell to the place, but not to the legacy. The networks that were created, the friendships that grew, and above all the conviction that collaboration and shared visions can achieve great things – all of this lives on.
When I look back on these eight years today, one thing fills me above all: immense gratitude. Gratitude for the chance to have been part of such a special community. Gratitude for the people I met and from whom I learned so much. And gratitude for the realization that there are places where dreams are not just dreamed, but lived.
Impact Hub Basel has had an unforgettable impact on my life – and that is the most beautiful legacy an institution can leave behind.