19. March 2026
(CONNECT) FE+MALE Think Tank held its first BFBI Biennale conference at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute in Zurich on March 17, presenting the Biennale Awards for gender equality and equity in entrepreneurship. As part of the Beat the Funding Bias Initiative (BFBI), an expert jury chaired by Frédéric Lauchenauer, President of Business Angels Switzerland, selected three winners: IKEA Switzerland, the International Trade Centre (ITC), and investment firm iGravity.
“Hundred applications and a sold-out conference show there are pioneers in this country. We want to make them visible and drive change,” said FE+MALE President Patricia Montesinos. BFBI aims to raise awareness of unconscious bias – one of the reasons why only around 7 per cent of female-led startups secure funding, causing investors to miss out on high-potential opportunities.
The award for Modern Leadership & Culture went to IKEA Switzerland. “This encourages us to stay the course,” said Diversity Manager Ina Rhöös, who accepted the award alongside HR Manager Stefano Santinelli. The Geneva-based ITC – supported by the World Trade Organization and the United Nations – received the award for Decision-Making & Value Chains. Program Officer Judith Fessehaie noted that ITC supports 10,000 women entrepreneurs across 90 countries. Zurich-based impact investor iGravity received the award for Catalyst Capital & Community Impact, accepted by board member Heidi Foppa.
A central element of the conference was a condensed masterclass, one of the formats FE+MALE offers to organizations. The interactive, hands-on session explored how unconscious biases shape perception and ways to overcome them. “We never see the full picture and tend to look for similarities—that drives decisions,” said trainer Bruna Toubia. And to tackle biases, co-trainer Lidia Zabala added, we firstly need to be aware: “Moving from awareness to action is key to unlock success.”
Diplomat Isabelle Gomez Truedsson of Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs presented an update on the country’s progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “On Goal 5 – gender equality – we are not on track to meet the 2030 target,” she said. At the current pace, it would take an estimated 286 years to ensure full legal protection against discrimination. Switzerland currently ranks 26th out of 167 countries; the next report will be published in June.
Experts also addressed the economic importance of gender equality and ways to counter unconscious bias. Economist Dr. Mara Catherine Harvey said: “Gender equality is ‘survival of the fittest’ when it comes to a country’s ability to grow.” Experts including Lorenzo Ambrosini of the Ticino-based innovation foundation Agire and Simon Enderli, head of Bern Economic Development, explained how they integrate the topic in practice.
To define next steps, FE+MALE invited participants to vote on potential priority initiatives. Among the outcomes: plans to connect startups and investors through a new format and to raise awareness of unconscious bias in schools.
BFBI brings together more than 50 organizations and leaders from academia, business, and government, including the Gebert Rüf Foundation, the Ernst Göhner Foundation, and Bern Economic Development Agency. “Anyone who wants to join us is very welcome,” said Montesinos. ce/yvh
