MITdesignX Le Rosey
IMPACT ACCELERATOR
Rolle, Switzerland
The MITdesignX Le Rosey program supports ideas with real impact - and the teams motivated to turn those ideas into viable, sustainable ventures.
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#GovTech #SmartCities #MedTech #BioTech #AgTech #WearableTech #EdTech #FoodTech #CleanTech #ClimateTech #Robotics #SmartBuildings #SmartMobility #AIForGood #PrivacyTech #FemTech #TechForGood #SocialEntrepreneurship #SustainableFashion #Renewables #SpaceTech #SmartContracts #FoodTech
and more.
In this age of great challenges and great opportunities, the need for startups seeking to have real, positive impact has never been more urgent.
Sixteen early-stage startups will join our second cohort in Autumn 2026. They will address product-market fit, solution design, MVP, and go-to-market challenges.
THE CURRICULUM
FOUR PHASES TO BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR YOUR VENTURE AND A PATH TO SCALABILITY
MITdesignX accelerates ventures through a robust and proven curriculum. Whether you are just emerging from ideation, building your prototypes and MVP, or already at the revenue stage, this curriculum, taught by MIT faculty and staff over four two-day workshops, will take you methodically through every important question and decision you need to make as an early-stage venture.
The material is delivered in an interactive workshop setting, and challenges you to test assumptions, speak to customers, back-up decisions with facts and science, and use your imagination and experiment with new ideas and scenarios that might lead to better outcomes.
The MITdesignX curriculum will create a sound foundation for your business plan, product design, communication strategy, hiring strategies, marketing campaigns, and fundraising strategies.
LE ROSEY
Founded in 1880, Le Rosey seeks to offer future leaders from around the world an education based on respect and curiosity, and which sets out to develop all their intellectual, human, entrepreneurial, sporting and artistic qualities.
The school’s motto “Actis Virtus” encourages students to demonstrate their values through their actions, rather than merely their words. Student engagement with impact-focused startups allows Roséens to deepen their commitments to changing the world for the better.
MIT DESIGN X GLOBAL IMPACT
+300
New startups launched in five continents
>100m
People impacted by MITdesignX ventures
1300+
Jobs created by MITdesignX startups
+$1b
Valuation of new startups
since 2017
MIT DESIGN X
MITdesignX is part of the MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD). Since 2016, we have run a leading accelerator program at MIT, supporting students and faculty as they transform ideas and research into viable businesses and organizations.
Led by Prof. Svafa Gronfeldt and Gilad Rosenzweig, MITdesignX has created a global partnership network of accelerator programs in key cities and with leading organizations and institutions around the world.
MITdesignX has helped launch over 300 new ventures in the fields of construction, water management, energy, housing, mobility, health, education, and design through programs in Cambridge, Venice, Mexico City, Reykjavik, Hong Kong, Dubai and Le Rosey.
EXCLUSIVE SUPPORT
CURRICULUM
MITdesignX created a powerful four-phase curriculum that strengthens startups and founders from their earliest ideas, through solution development, go-to-market strategies and deployment.
Participants receive access to the MITdesignX Playbook - a startup manual built on the experience of ventures.
MENTORSHIP
Each startup is matched with up to two mentors with expertise and passion for their projects. Mentors come from various industries, and include venture founders, subject matter experts, and leaders from government and industry. Many are MIT alumni or connected to our MIT tech and business eco-system.
INTERNS
Startups in the MITdesignX Le Rosey accelerator will have the support of student interns from the upper grades at Rosey. These students will bring additional linguistic, cultural, and demographic knowledge to the startup teams.
ECOSYSTEM
The MITdesignX Le Rosey program seeks to help our startups build relationships and partnerships for funding and pilot projects in Switzerland and around the world.
THE DETAILS
LOCATION
Institut Le Rosey
Château du Rosey
1180 Rolle
Switzerland
DATES
Workshop 1: 19-20 September
Workshop 2: 10-11 October
Workshop 3: 31 October - 1 November
Workshop 4: 14-15 November
Pitch day: 27 November
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
We’re looking for early-stage startups that want to change the world. While there are no hard “early stage” criteria for selection, we’re looking for ventures still addressing product-market fit, solution design, MVP, and go-to-market challenges.
Teams must participate in all four workshops and the pitch day in Rolle. Remote participation is not supported.
Le Rosey is supporting 100% of the costs of the MITdesignX Le Rosey accelerator program. There is no cost to startups to participate in the program, and no equity taken by Le Rosey or MIT.
APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED.
OUR SECOND COHORT WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
Please contact designx@mit.edu
ORGANIZERS
