Our co-creation workshop brought forth some crucial insights for our future: read on to find out more!
About us
The Prototype Fund supports software developers, hackers, data journalists, creative and politically active people in realising their tech idea from the concept to the first demo. We enable innovative open source projects that strengthen the public good in Switzerland.
- Website
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https://prototypefund.opendata.ch/
External link for Prototype Fund CH
- Industry
- Funds and Trusts
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Headquarters
- Bern, Bern
- Founded
- 2020
- Specialties
- open innovation, open data, open surce, open knowledge, and prototyping
Updates
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Prototype Fund CH reposted this
👉 Responsible AI in government isn't a tech project. It's a leadership decision. AI in public administration is no longer a distant vision — it's already reshaping how Swiss communes and cantons serve their citizens. My Artifact co-founder Montassar BenMrad sat down with Bulletin Communes Romandes (March/April 2026 edition) for a deep-dive on what AI really means for local governments — beyond the hype, grounded in what we see every day on the ground. Some highlights Montassar unpacks: 🔹 How Artifact is supporting the City of Zurich in deploying AI solutions already in production: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘐 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦. 🔹Why mid-sized communes don't need big-city budgets to start benefiting from AI: 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 🔹How to address the very real fear of AI replacing jobs: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰-𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥-𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴 — 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘴𝘦 🔹How AI helps administrations unlock the value buried in their document-heavy workflows: 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘴, 𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 — 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘈𝘐 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 🔹 Montassar's call to action: 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 — 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 🚨 Responsible digital governance isn't about technology first — it's about pragmatic execution, empowered teams, and better decisions for citizens. 🚨 👉 Full interview (in FR) via SPRINGMEDIA SARL: https://lnkd.in/eYvb2_b2 Curious to hear from public sector leaders: where is your commune or canton on its AI journey Paul Meyrat Christian Widmer Martin Lauber Dr. Stefan Ravizza Raphael Karlen Digital Impact Network Matthias Stürmer Afke Schouten swissAI data innovation alliance Tobias Kluge Werner Engels digitalswitzerland Opendata.ch Jérôme Koller Lukas Muggli #ai #digitalgovernance #swissgovtech #artifact #transformation #communesromandes
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Prototype Fund CH reposted this
📚🌱 We are announcing a joint project with the Wikimedia Foundation Policy to safeguard the future of our global knowledge commons. Join us ⤵️ 🇬🇧 English: https://lnkd.in/dQ2NmW78 🇲🇽 Español: https://lnkd.in/dRchwiYr 🇧🇷 Português: https://lnkd.in/d9WSRsXX cc Digital Public Goods Alliance European Commission EU Digital & Tech Open Future Foundation Open Knowledge Brasil Open Knowledge Sweden Open Knowledge Foundation Deutschland e. V. Open Knowledge Finland Open Knowledge Foundation Greece Open Knowledge Ghana Opendata.ch Open Knowledge Belgium Open Burkina Link Digital Jokkolabs Banjul Public Lab Mongolia Open Knowledge Romania Fundapi #CriticalDigitalInfrastructure #OpenKnowledge #DigitalCommons #KnowledgeCommons
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Prototype Fund CH reposted this
We are overjoyed to welcome four powerful women to our Opendata.ch Board! Please join us in welcoming Inji Kim, Sonja Gasser, Julia Mia Stirnemann and Sabine Wildemann. Each of them brings a unique blend of experience, expertise, and professional accomplishment that will shape the future of open data in Switzerland. We look ahead with both optimism and a profound readiness to learn together, and couldn't be more excited to have them by our side. Read on to discover more about each new Board member! 👇 And if you find yourself wishing to join them in sharing your insights and expertise, there is room at the table for you: apply to us with your CV or LinkedIn profile at info@opendata.ch
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Prototype Fund CH reposted this
Have you ever considered what seamless communication can look like across different disabilities? I recently had dinner with disability rights advocate Haben Girma. She is deafblind, I am blind, and we had one of the most natural, engaging conversations I’ve experienced. Using a wireless keyboard connected to her braille display, I typed my side of the conversation, which was translated into tactile braille in real time. She then responded verbally so I could hear her. What stood out most was not the technology, but how quickly it disappeared. The conversation flowed effortlessly. We connected, learned, laughed, and built a new friendship. It was also a reminder that accessibility is not one-size-fits-all. The most effective solutions are often the ones designed by the people who rely on them. As someone who reads braille and sometimes struggles to stay engaged in noisy environments, I found myself thinking about how systems like this could expand access even further. When we design with lived experience at the center, we don’t just make things accessible. We make them better. Accessibility: Haben and Molly sit accross from one another at an event dinner with other guests seen in the background. Molly is typing on a keyboard so she can communicate in braille with Haben and Haben with Molly.
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On March 26, we gathered with representatives from across our ecosystem to run a co-creation workshop for the Prototype Fund. This session reinforced something we believe deeply: the best solutions are built with the people they're meant to serve. This was not a consultation, or a focus group, but an actual collaborative design session where community members asked the powerful questions which can help shape the direction of our work. Participants came in as community members, and left as co-designers. Together, we explored how the Prototype Fund could pivot in the future, and which entry points might get us there. We uncovered insights we couldn't have reached alone, and began shaping approaches that reflect real lived experience, and the hopes and concerns at the heart of our community. The Prototype Fund has invested into this space for the past 5 years with the clear intention of to showcase how technology can be developed with positive social impact in mind from the outset. It is what we teach, and equally, is what we aim to practice. This kind of collaboration is how we stay accountable to that ethos. Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, and trusted us with your perspectives. We share an extra word of thanks with Sophie Tomlinson from the Datasphere Initiative, David Suhr from Consense Philanthropy Consulting, and our Opendata.ch team. This work belongs to all of us. Sign up to our newsletter to follow along as we share what comes next: https://lnkd.in/e7YWi6vX
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Prototype Fund CH reposted this
🇨🇭 WAI Switzerland Spotlight Series Championing Tech for Good, Governance, and Public Value in AI and Innovation: Spotlight on Dr. Verena Kontschieder Switzerland’s AI and innovation ecosystem is rich in research, talent, and ambition. What strengthens it even more are the people who bring purpose and humanity into technology. Dr. Verena Kontschieder is one of those people. As Co-CEO of Opendata.ch and Program Lead of the Prototype Fund CH, Verena works at the intersection of societal innovation, governance, and emerging technology, turning high-level ideas about ethical tech into real-world practice. Her work shows how Tech for Good becomes tangible through human-centric design, public interest technology, and responsible approaches to AI and data. Before joining Opendata.ch or taking on advisory roles for startups such as Plural, Verena built extensive global experience in AI policy and innovation strategy, leading programs focused on governance and digital transformation across the tech sector and international institutions such as the World Economic Forum, European Commission, The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and African Development Bank Group. At Meta, she launched and scaled Open Loop, an award-winning global program that pioneered experimental, human-centric design-led multi-stakeholder approaches to AI governance. Verena’s contribution to the Swiss AI ecosystem transcends leadership roles. She brings strategic clarity to a central question: how can emerging technologies truly serve people and society, alongside market interests? Through her work, Verena strengthens critical connections between: ▫️ Technology and public interest, ensuring digital projects create societal value ▫️ Governance and innovation, building frameworks for responsible AI and data use ▫️ Swiss and international dialogue, contributing to global conversations grounded in shared values Verena’s leadership reminds us that technology’s future is a human story, and building it well requires intention, integrity, and care. WomenInAI #SwissAI #ResponsibleAI #TechForGood #AILeadership #Innovation #Governance #HumanCentricAI
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Excited to share these survey insights with our Prototype Fund and Opendata.ch community:
Our Opendata.ch team has been hard at work analyzing the results of our recently-completed strategy survey - and above all else, we feel immense gratitude. To everyone who completed the survey, thank you for your time and insights! We were so impressed with both the average time taken to complete the survey (over 30 minutes!) and by the evident care expressed in each response. This work is only sustainable when we undertake it as a community, and you are most definitely an important part of that. Our next step is the development of strategic scenarios for Opendata.ch's future. On the 30th of March, 5:30pm at Liip in Zurich, we will be hosting a strategy workshop, during which we will introduce these strategic scenarios. Together, we will workshop the scenarios, exploring each of these possibilities through dynamic discussion and refinement. If you would like to contribute your unique perspectives and expertise, you are welcome to take part! Sign up using this link: https://lnkd.in/eufsNXsC Note: You are equally invited to stay for the second part of this meeting, which will be the formal General Assembly of Opendata.ch. However, those who aren't yet members of our association will not be able to vote. If you would like to become a member, we would gladly receive your registration at https://lnkd.in/eWyY8szX #BetterTogether #OpenByDefault #StrategySession #OpenData
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"Technology's future is rooted in our shared story of what it means to be human. And telling it well takes integrity, care, and a lot of collaboration." Wise words from our Program Manager and Opendata.ch Co-CEO, Verena Kontschieder!
How can emerging technologies truly serve people and society, next to markets? This is a question I strive to answer through my work daily - and one which I am grateful to interrogate further now as a member of Women in AI! As Co-CEO of Opendata.ch and Program Lead of the Prototype Fund CH, I get to explore this through bridging governance, public interest tech, and responsible AI in ways that (hopefully!) create real public value. My path here has led me through AI policy, innovation strategy, and a PhD asking how design practice can actually strengthen policymaking. It convinced me that the most important work in tech isn't just about building, but rather, building with intention. I am driven by strengthening the connections that often get overlooked: → Technology and public interest → Governance and innovation → Swiss and international dialogue, grounded in shared values From local civic tech communities, to forums in Davos and Delhi, I keep coming back to the same belief: technology's future is rooted in our shared story of what it means to be human. And telling it well takes integrity, care, and a lot of collaboration. I feel grateful to count each of you as the incredible community I get to work alongside 🙏 #WomenInAI #SwissAI #ResponsibleAI #TechForGood #AILeadership #Innovation #Governance #HumanCentricAI – I’m Verena, and I talk about the intersection of AI, data and collective human good. Follow along as I share additional insights from my speaking engagements and projects, and listen deeply to what you think about them too. Hala Hibri Anna Sigrist Cathlene Bell Maurice Lanz Oliver Herren Kevin Luginbühl Sophie Tomlinson Morine Amutorine Lorrayne Porciuncula Nkundwe Mwasaga Joséphine von Mitschke-Collande Lukas Hess Francesca Giardina Andreas Kellerhals Mario Cacciatore Charlotte van Ooijen Falce Sabine Wildemann 🤖 Andrea Scheller Christian Gutknecht Dr. Jacqueline Kucera Leonard Creutzburg Jordi Boggiano Olga Baranova Hannes Gassert Maike Gossen Fabian Ligibel Christian Mueller Maya Tharian Maike Thies Michael Wegmüller
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Prototype Fund CH reposted this
Our Opendata.ch team has been hard at work analyzing the results of our recently-completed strategy survey - and above all else, we feel immense gratitude. To everyone who completed the survey, thank you for your time and insights! We were so impressed with both the average time taken to complete the survey (over 30 minutes!) and by the evident care expressed in each response. This work is only sustainable when we undertake it as a community, and you are most definitely an important part of that. Our next step is the development of strategic scenarios for Opendata.ch's future. On the 30th of March, 5:30pm at Liip in Zurich, we will be hosting a strategy workshop, during which we will introduce these strategic scenarios. Together, we will workshop the scenarios, exploring each of these possibilities through dynamic discussion and refinement. If you would like to contribute your unique perspectives and expertise, you are welcome to take part! Sign up using this link: https://lnkd.in/eufsNXsC Note: You are equally invited to stay for the second part of this meeting, which will be the formal General Assembly of Opendata.ch. However, those who aren't yet members of our association will not be able to vote. If you would like to become a member, we would gladly receive your registration at https://lnkd.in/eWyY8szX #BetterTogether #OpenByDefault #StrategySession #OpenData