Syntezia Open 2024

AI advisory

AI advisory

Syntezia Open 2025 — Arts
Innovation Meets Social Art Experimentation & Scientific Popularisation
The 2025 edition took place in Geneva on 10 June 2025, in the middle of the United Nations district, as part of the European Maritime Day 2025 programme.
The edition brought together innovation, social art experimentation and scientific popularisation, with a particular focus on water, the blue economy, biodiversity, regenerative and symbiotic approaches.
WATER, HEALTH & BLUE FUTURES
The edition addressed the problem of water pollution caused by persistent pollutants, exploring their causes and their consequences for human health.
Participants were also invited to consider how a more reasoned use of water, soil and air, combined with more sober and responsible consumption, could contribute to a sustainable, desirable and blue future.

ART, SCIENCE AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE
A particular focus of the 2025 edition was the collaboration between Syntezia Open and the Institute for Art and Innovation (IFAI).
Through the lens of socially engaged art, the programme presented artistic responses to ocean-related challenges and featured works from the Social Art Award 2025, under the theme Planetary Healing – Blue Tribes for Ocean Health.
The programme brought together perspectives from art, science, policy and activism, exploring how creative approaches can contribute to systemic change and public engagement around ocean-related challenges.

A DAY OF CO-CREATION
The programme included:
An outdoor escape game in Geneva.
Co-creation workshops around ocean modelling and observation, coastal communities and OneBlueHealth.
Collaborative virtual sessions with international partners.
Innovation games addressing gender equality and climate change.
Co-development from ideas toward project funding.
Opportunities to find teammates and identify relevant open calls.

CHALLENGE-BASED INNOVATION
Participants explored challenges at the intersection of art, science and policymaking, including how the ocean can act as a mirror for wider systemic challenges such as climate change, social equity and biodiversity loss.
The objective was to explore how artistic creation and narrative can influence public discussion and policy responses to ocean-related challenges.
The edition also explored challenges related to the blue economy, circular construction, food and drink, future events, circular fashion, mechanical industries, healthcare and water pollution.
FROM IDEAS TO PROJECTS
As with previous Syntezia Open editions, the format was designed to leave participants with more than inspiration.
Through co-creation, design fiction, matchmaking, community building and mediation circles, participants could develop creative teams, publications and sustainable innovation projects.
What results have we obtained in previous editions?
Carbon-free and active mobility
This was the theme of the 2022 edition, which took place in Geneva, and which allowed us to welcome the participants to the Geneva hotel school, for a day of pragmatic actions, which allowed us to generate around thirty innovative ideas and submit 5 complete files of radical innovations to seek funding.
We encouraged participants to take measures to come to our event in carbon-free mobility, and we were pleased to note that the parking lot remained empty throughout the event.
We want to keep the same approach for all future editions of syntezia open.
Meetings and exchanges between partners and participants
Feedback on the experience of previous Syntezia Opens tells us that participants appreciated being able to meet new people, network, and initiate a constructive dialogue on real issues. Consortia were created or strengthened during our times of informal dialogue, and allowed the teams formed to participate in calls for projects with the systems of Switzerland and the European Union to be able to carry out their feasibility studies, the validation of their value proposition, their prototype or their tests prior to placing their solution on the market.
Singular and original content, a new media that is emerging
During syntezia open, we share testimonials from innovative project leaders who have created businesses. We also conducted interviews that we broadcast in the All Inclusive SDGs podcast.
A gendered and balanced budget
We operate with parity in our organizational team and with a gendered budget.
We also measure the participation of women and men to ensure we have diversity in gender, background, experience, achievement and discipline.
Our carbon footprint under control
We measure our carbon footprint and we do our best to minimize the carbon footprint of our eco-responsible Syntezia Open event, and to raise awareness among participants about eco-friendly actions at every opportunity.
Zero waste, zero waste
No food was thrown away during the 2022 edition.
No leftovers, no waste!
We now know that it is possible and we intend to do it again!
Short circuits and local currency
By introducing Lake Geneva into the circuit at every opportunity, we are working on our scale to promote the local economy of the Lake Geneva region.
Bees, butterflies and little birds!
Because the protection of all forms of biodiversity is important to us, we have worked to disseminate flowers that bees, butterflies and birds love.
Innovative ideas, teams
This day resulted in several ideas being generated, and several of the teams were formed during our event.
Funding request submissions
Some teams have chosen to submit funding requests to see their projects financed and sustained.