EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT INCUBE

FAQ's

For Applicants

You will be matched with other motivated people and placed in a glass cube for four days, where you will be trying to solve a challenge and find an innovative and interdisciplinary solution to it. At the end of the fourth day, you will present your solution to a jury and have the chance to win a lot of fame and nice prizes.

When and where will the event take place?

The event will start on Thursday, 26th September 2019 in the evening and will end on Monday, 30th September in the evening. The locations will be two glass boxes distributed in hot-spots of the city of Zurich as well as two in Lausanne and Boston. New for this year’s edition is the Cube in Singapore. There will also be a 2 day pre event retreat during the weekend of the 13th -15th September, in our top secret location, where you’ll learn the crucial skills you’ll need in the cube.

For MIT and Singapore participants: the event will start in the night from the 25th to the 26th of September. Your availability for the pre-event is required from the 12th of September in the afternoon to the 16th of September in the evening to allow time for air travel.

What are the challenges to solve?

Each cube will have a different challenge to tackle and to come up with a innovative solution that could potentially result in a startup.

Why glass?

Because we want you to interact with the people passing by. The glass stands also for transparency of new technologies with the public. Your work will hopefully inspire the people or at least ignite some thoughts.

Am I allowed to leave the cube?

As mentioned before, you will have 24 hour access to showers and toilets which are not part of the cube, but rather in the vicinity of the cube. Therefore, you are of course allowed to leave the cube. However, we want you to do all the work inside of the cube and you are also going to sleep there. The cube will be your office and bedroom for those four days!

Can I choose which cube I go to?

For Swiss participants:

Our focus is to ensure to create interdisciplinary teams and therefore you might be placed at any location. So it is wise to keep your schedule all free for those four days! Transport to the cube within Switzerland will be covered.

For Boston and Singapore participants:

Only one team will be created for each location, thus no choice is offered.

What is the team size?

Each cube will be the workplace of 5 participants but there are always more people around in case you need some help.

Who can apply?

All students (BA, MA) and PhDs are welcome to apply! If you are eager to experience a new, crazy challenge and have an entrepreneurial and open-minded spirit, then you are exactly who we are looking for.
For Boston participants, you must be an undergraduate, graduate or PhD student enrolled at MIT.

What do I need to bring with me?

We just need your time and commitment for the whole four days. Also, you should bring your own computer with charger, as well as some replacement clothes but please do not bring your whole closet in order to keep the cube tidy.

Why should I participate?

It will be an incredible experience with a lot of learning, fun, interesting teammates and the chance to be in contact with relevant industry partners. Also, you will get the potential for project incubation and support as follow-up – hopefully turning the ideas into startups!

Can I just come and watch the event?

Of course! Everyone is welcome to come and see from the outside what the teams are doing. You are also welcome to join the closing ceremony, more information will follow on this website.