What happens when creativity, sustainability, and design thinking collide? During the ZHAW entrepreneurship Industry Hack at the Open-i, it led to MERRA — our concept for premium eco-friendly fish jerky.
Together with my incredible teammates David L., Khanh Ho and Adluru Mohan Vamsi, we took on the challenge of reimagining Swiss fish products. Our solution, MERRA, introduces a twist on the classic beef jerky: a premium delicacy made from Eggli, salmon and trout jerky. Every Swiss person knows and loves their Eggli fillet, so we designed our hero product to elevate tradition into a portable, healthy and flavorful snack.
While the sustainable and eco-conscious aspect is a major bonus, our primary vision was to create a product that stands out as a gourmet treat for modern, health-conscious consumers. Using the "second cuts" of fish and packaging it in 100% biodegradable materials, we’re addressing food waste without compromising on quality or taste. 🍃🐟
The journey from ideation to pitching was really exciting. Presenting MERRA on the main stage of the Open-i Conference was a proud moment for our team. Congratulations to all the other teams who developed innovative solutions, especially Valerie Frulio and Jonas Wick, who also represented their teams with fantastic pitches. 🚀✨
This experience wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our coaches: Sandro Graf, PhD and Juliana V Zapata Riveros, who was also our group’s content coach. A special thank you as well to Philipp Schnöll from foodward - shaping the future of food, Clemens Rüttimann Foodhub, Sonja Manuela Maurer and United Against Waste Schweiz for their guidance and insights. 🙏
I’m also very grateful to Corina Helbling (Lösch), Anita Buchli, Kerstin Reiser, Reto Steiner, Stephan Loretan, Gianluca Galeno, Nina Weschenfelder, and everyone involved, for organizing such a fantastic event. Opportunities like this showcase the power of collaboration between students, industry leaders, and experts. 🌟
Beyond the 24-hour design sprint, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the stands at the Open-i Conference, where companies showcased cutting-edge AI, technology, and solutions. I couldn’t resist stopping by the ZHAW Hub to try out their robotics arm with one of the research assistants Paul Fox!
I am incredibly proud of what we achieved and deeply grateful for this unforgettable experience. Thank you ZHAW School of Management and Law, NZZ, and all the partners for making this possible. I look forward to the next opportunity to drive innovation!
#OpenI #ZHAWIndustryHack #DesignThinking #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Sustainability #Networking #NZZConnect
If the concept of MERRA excites you as much as us, feel free to reach out — who knows, maybe one day we’ll be sending out the first samples of Eggli Jerky.