FAQ

The Basics

  1. What is the Prototype Fund Switzerland?

Conceptualized since 2019 and implemented since 2020, the Prototype Fund Switzerland has been supporting public-interest, data-driven and AI-driven projects, grounded in open source.

For our 2026 funding round, our focus is on supporting Responsible & Sustainable AI projects.

The Prototype Fund Switzerland is led by Opendata.ch, and has been funded since inception by the Mercator Foundation Switzerland. In our 2026 edition, it is co-implemented with the Swiss Centre for Responsible AI (SCRAI) and WWF Switzerland One Planet Lab and partnering with a variety of additional relevant actors Swiss-wide and globally.

  1. What does the Prototype Fund Switzerland offer? 

We offer: 

  • up to CHF 50,000 in funding per team, depending on proposal quality.
  • a 4-month prototyping phase in which you follow a jointly workshopped and agreed-upon responsibility and sustainability journey 
  • access to a prestigious partner network and thriving implementation team, including personalized prototyping experiences with selected expert inputs during the prototyping phase
  • the opportunity to distil and share your unique prototyping insights from your individual building journey for technology governance and policy implications in the field of responsible and sustainable AI (both as individuals and as a cohort) at scale
  • support for you to amplify your prototyped solution to challenge partners for broader institutionalized impact 
  1. What is a Prototype? 

In our program, we define a Prototype as an early functional version of an AI-/data-led solution which fulfills the basic requirements defined by each Challenge Area. 

If you do not see your idea fitting into the thematic Challenge Areas, feel free to propose your idea for our “Wildcard” challenge.

A prototype ready for submission will answer, amongst other questions:

  • Does my idea for a data-/proposed AI-led solution make sense? 
  • Does my idea feasibly respond to any of  this year’s Challenge Areas? If so, how and why? 
  • If it does not, and I wish to apply to the Wildcard Challenge, am I prepared to explain my idea’s unique relevance to this year’s theme?
  • Can I clearly explain how my idea can be built and scaled with responsibility and sustainability in mind? 

Once we finish the prototyping phase, you should be equipped to refine your prototype towards a minimum viable product (MVP). – At least, that should be one of our joint aims.

The prototype must include open source elements, either in its entirety or partially.

  1. What is a Challenge Owner? 

In the 2026 Prototype Fund edition, we partner with Challenge Owners. These partners propose and frame, together with the Prototype Fund team, a specific Challenge Area for which solutions can be proposed. One applicant prototype will be chosen to tackle each of the five Challenge Areas.

The sole exception is the Wildcard challenge, for which we welcome your unique view into the topic of Responsible and Sustainable AI, and what solutions you see which lie beyond the scope of the Challenge Areas proposed.

In a workshop at the beginning of the program, you will further iterate your prototyping roadmap with the Challenge Owners and our team at the Prototype Fund and co-implementers Swiss Centre for Responsible AI (SCRAI) and WWF Switzerland One Planet Lab .

  1. What is Responsible AI?

Responsible AI may refer to a variety of elements. For our purposes, we define it as the development of AI systems that remain accountable and intelligible to people. 

It rests on three core principles: 

  • Transparency: disclosing how a system functions and what purpose it serves
  • Accountability: clear responsibility when a system fails, along with means of redress
  • Governance: defined rules and oversight over how the system is developed and used. 

We build on the responsibility framework developed by our co-implementation partners from the Swiss Centre for Responsible AI. For a deeper understanding of how we define responsible & sustainable AI, read our selection criteria. 

Throughout your prototyping journey, these considerations will be integrated into your development journey. 

From this, we will derive insights from your experience in including responsibility and sustainability into your proposals and prototyping, which will be shared in subsequent reports of learnings (e.g., trade-offs between sustainability and responsibility, resource constraints in including responsibility, etc).

  1. What is Sustainable AI?

Sustainable AI refers to technology designed for positive long-term societal and environmental impact. 

From the environmental perspective, this draws on the principle of digital sufficiency, using only the resources and energy genuinely necessary when building AI-/data-driven solutions and inquiring into the realm of “how much is enough or adequate”. At the same time, we recognise that sufficiency works alongside efficiency and consistency criteria, and that gains should not be cancelled out by rebound effects. 

From the societal perspective, this means solutions that create long-term value and relevance, rather than serving only short-term ends.

We build on the sustainability framework developed by our co-implementation partners from the WWF Switzerland One Planet Lab. 

 For a deeper understanding of how we define responsible & sustainable AI, read our selection criteria. 

A central interest of ours for this round is to build a better understanding of how to interlace the concepts of Responsible and Sustainable AI. Your prototyping journey and solution, both individually and across the Challenge Areas, allows us to derive additional insights which can support technology, policy building and governance discussions in Switzerland and beyond.

Applications

  1.  Who can apply?

Anyone with an innovative idea that aligns with the overall program theme and seeks to prototype into one of this year’s Challenge Areas can apply.

By “an innovative idea”, we mean that your proposed solution: 

  • is conceptualized and/or built from scratch OR
  • is a distinctive iteration of something existing (e.g. an extension or add-on to your business model, product or service offering, or tech solution such as a model, AI feature, etc) OR
  • is an existing tool, approach, or solution that you seek to diversify for application in, e.g., a different context (and hence need to adapt or twist aka pivot)

To receive funding, you will need a legal entity (e.g., association, sole proprietorship, or LLC) with its own bank account after approval. 

You must be over 18 years old, and provide a valid work permit in Switzerland. 

We cannot assist you with questions about legal forms and staffing once your project is accepted. Please bear this in mind for you and your team when you apply.

Public institutions and universities are not eligible to apply. However, researchers or employees of a university or public institution may apply as part of a team that seeks to prototype and apply under an appropriate legal entity (as referenced above).

  1. What if my project is not “AI”?

Do you think your project addresses one of our challenges? Then we encourage you to apply! Highly relevant potential solutions can exist without explicitly needing an AI component. 

We are here to showcase what real-world impact towards responsible and sustainable AI at scale can look like, and that is what we prioritize. Tell us how you want to achieve that in your application, either in the context of a Challenge Area, or through the Wildcard Challenge.

  1. How can I apply?

You will be able to apply through our dedicated Prototype Fund application portal. The link to the application portal will be communicated prior to the official start of the application period on 21 July 2026.

Find our application portal her:

https://prototypefund-app.opendata.ch/auth/login

You must have a valid work permit in Switzerland and be over 18 years old. Swiss nationality is not required. 

To receive funding, you will need a legal entity (e.g., association, sole proprietorship, or LLC) with its own bank account after approval. 

Public institutions and universities are not eligible to apply. However, researchers or employees of a university or public institution may apply as part of a team.

  1. When can I apply?

Applications will open on 21 July (12pm CET) and close on 6 September (midnight). Our program timeline is available here. We recommend applying early to allow maximizing your time if you need to clarify any outstanding questions about your submission (with the Prototype Fund team or otherwise). – You can send messages for clarification through the dedicated application portal.

  1. Can I apply​ to multiple challenges at once? 

If you have multiple prototypes in mind, feel free to send us multiple applications. You will receive funding for up to one prototype in this edition.

  1. What if my prototype fits the overall theme of Responsibility or Sustainability but not a dedicated challenge?

If you have an idea that fits well with our 2026 edition’s theme, but seems to not address any of this year’s Challenge Areas, apply to our Wildcard Challenge. We’d love to explore how the prototype you have in mind can enable a world of Responsible and Sustainable AI.

  1. Can I apply with an already existing project?

Does your project apply existing elements (e.g., code base, libraries, interfaces) in new contexts or make them accessible to new target groups?

If so, then yes! Make sure your submitted project is clearly distinguishable and demonstrates a sufficient level of novelty, such as planning to expand or improve an existing project with a new module, or expanding into a new context.

In any case, you must clearly specify what you aim to work on during the four-month prototyping period.

  1. Which language can I submit my application in?

We will review applications in English.

  1. Do I have to engage in each Prototype Fund event during the prototyping phase

Yes. Once selected as a prototyping team in our 2026 cohort, it is mandatory for at least 2-3 team members to attend each of our events during the prototyping phase. In our kick-off workshop, we will co-create your prototyping journey for the next four months. 

Additionally, we have regular assessments and check-ins in which we want to hear from your experience, inform the industry with interim insights, and abstract learnings for your reporting. Such events will also allow you to iterate your product or solution further and obtain regular feedback.

Assessments are either written (thus for you to take care of individually, online), in-person, or may take on the format of an interview or cohort gathering. 

Note that travel costs must be covered through the funding we provide to your project; they cannot be billed to us as additional expenses.

We expect active participation by your team throughout your prototyping journey.

Selection

  1. Who selects the projects?

Projects for this year’s cohort will be selected by a jury whose expertise spans across digital, data- and AI-development, governance and public administration, responsible AI and AI policy, both in Switzerland and globally. Our jury members will be presented via our homepage and our main social media channels. 

  1. What are the selection criteria?

The jury is selecting applications based on six selection criteria: 

  • Fairness & Bias
  • Transparency & Explainability
  • Privacy & Security
  • Accountability & Governance
  • Safety & Robustness
  • Public-interest technology & societal impact 
  • Environmental sustainability & sufficiency 
  1. How many projects are being selected? 

We plan to select one prototype for each Challenge Area and plan to work with five Challenge Areas. However, we retain the privilege to add further prototypes, e.g. through a Wildcard, and where we deem it adds to our overall program learnings and the Responsible and Sustainable AI.

  1. Do we have funding for all challenges?

We recognize that the topic of this year’s funding cycle spans immense breadth. Although we are pursuing a variety of Challenge Area and Wildcard options, we will ultimately focus on 5 projects, subject to change in partnerships.

  1. My question has not been covered.

Email us with your question, and our team will be sure to handle your inquiry.