WHO WE ARE
ABOUT US
We help large organisations become self-sustaining innovators
An increasingly complex world demands radical perspectives, new practices and a flexible culture of innovation that evolves with your needs. There are three reasons to innovate: growth, transformation and sustainability. Spark Works provides you with the human-centred solutions your organisation needs to embrace change, and maintain a competitive advantage.
what defines us
What makes Spark Works the ideal innovation partner?
We tell it like it is

Our multicultural, multi-disciplinary team combines Swiss quality, American speed, and a no-nonsense approach to getting work done. We speak ten languages and stem from a strong heritage of disruptive thinkers and engineers of innovation.

Free from bureaucracy

Tedious administrative processes can grind innovation to a halt. Our flexible team, supported by an extensive network of partners, allows us to work smarter and faster. You get the results you want within the timeframe you need.

Backed by evidence & experience

Our academic partnerships with leading universities give us access to the brightest minds in innovation. We merge academic rigor with industry experience to create evidence-based solutions tailored to your organisation.

Action-oriented enablers

We encourage your team to push the boundaries of what is possible with strategies designed for your people and resources. You never have to wait for us to take initiative. We anticipate your needs and act on them.

Best of both worlds

Spark Works combines the ingenuity of a young startup with the experience of a longstanding corporation. Reap the benefits of agile processes, battle-tested methodologies and industry experts that understand your market. 

our story
It all started with a spark…
Igniting Spark Labs for the innovators of tomorrow 
After completing his PhD in Innovation Management, Alan Cabello set out to create an academic program that would train Switzerland’s future innovation leaders. The result was Spark Labs at ETH Zurich: a program designed to give students the tools, process and mindset they needed to solve complex, real-world problems of external organisations.

Spark Labs quickly grew from a single program to a group conducting education and research activities, driven by three main principles: empathy, agility and collaboration
Building Spark Works as the bridge from academia to industry
At Spark Labs, we saw firsthand how organisations were struggling to navigate innovation. To survive in their respective markets, they were going to need new ways to think, design and build — fast. And so, Spark Works was born.

Spark Works was founded to help large organisations tackle their most pressing business challenges from, “How do we design products people actually need?” to “How do we develop a sustainable innovation strategy?”. Using a human-centric approach to innovation, we have introduced blockchain to the Swiss media landscape, reimagined the future of banking and developed B2B solutions for additive manufacturing technologies.
Building digital ventures from idea to scale
Following our fifth anniversary, Spark Works embarked on its next chapter and became part of the Creative Dock group. As one of Europe’s leading venture builders, Creative Dock has built over 60 businesses and products for over twenty multinational companies across the continent. The acquisition complimented Creative Dock’s strategy to become a global digital player and drive innovation internationally.
Today Spark Works contributes with its expertise in HCD and in-house innovation to strengthen the frontend of Creative Dock’s innovation cycle.
meet our team
our PARTNERS
Plug in to the Spark network
Spark Works’ extensive partner network ensures our clients have access to the academic expertise, industry training and space they need to continuously innovate. 

Creative Dock is Europe’s leading company builder focusing on fast designing, testing, building and scaling of new disruptive business models. More than 450 execution-driven colleagues launched over 65 digital ventures successfully across multiple industries, these include banking, insurance, energy, mobility, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and many more.

Rohrbeck Heger is a leading strategic foresight and innovation management consultancy based in Berlin. They merge both academic expertise as well as years of practical experience. The team creates value out of foresight methodologies, helping organisations to become future-prepared, mitigate threats, grasp emerging opportunities, and create prosperous futures.

Spark Labs is a research lab at ETH Zurich dedicated to advancing Human-Centred Innovation through education, applied research and industry outreach. Under the guidance of the Head of Technology and Innovation Management, Professor Stefano Brusoni, Spark Labs develops insights and tools to mentor future innovators.

Social Impact Initiatives
How we give back
From digitalising parent guidance to mentoring up-and-coming climate innovators, Spark Works uses Human-Centered Design to help governments, NGOs and non-profit organisations increase their positive impact.
EMail us
By clicking “accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. We respect your privacy, here is how.