Smart challenge
Encourage movement and physical activity every day
Call for Proposals
The SMART Challenge 2026 is calling for project proposals to identify concrete, innovative solutions grounded in real-world realities.
Objective: to facilitate the transition to action and integrate physical activity into daily life in a sustainable way.
Despite growing awareness of the benefits of physical activity and the availability of existing infrastructure, a significant portion of the population remains largely inactive.
The challenge today is not just to offer options, but to make physical activity more accessible, more appealing, and easier to incorporate into daily life.
Objective
The SMART Challenge 2026 aims to identify and support projects capable of addressing this reality in a concrete, rapid, and relevant way.
To meet this challenge, two key challenges have been identified:
Challenge 1 — Getting people moving again in their daily lives
Sustainably integrate physical activity into people’s daily lives by adapting to lifestyles, enhancing the attractiveness of activities, and removing barriers to engagement.
Particular attention will be given to approaches that:
- Offer accessible, flexible, and non-restrictive forms of movement;
- Leverage behavioral, social, or cultural drivers that encourage people to take action.
Challenge 2 — Transforming spaces into places for movement
Transform underused existing spaces into attractive, accessible places for movement that are genuinely used by the population.
Particular attention will be given to projects that:
- Encourage regular and sustainable use;
- Build on real practices and local dynamics.
Who is this call for projects for?
This call is open to students, academic institutions, companies, startups, entrepreneurs, as well as health professionals (APA specialists, coaches, physical trainers) and, more broadly, to anyone wishing to propose a high-impact solution to promote daily physical activity.
Key benefits
A prize of up to CHF 20,000 in the form of financial support and tailored guidance to turn the idea into a concrete project.
Networking opportunities with relevant partners and experts
Priority access to a testing environment
Regional visibility through communications related to the SMART Challenge
Timeline and rules
The SMART Challenge 2026 follows the timeline below:
April 21, 2026: Applications open
June 9, 2026: Pitch session in front of the jury and selection of projects
Late June 2026: Announcement of the winners
From early July 2026: Project development and support phase
Submit your application by May 31, 2026
Do you have an innovative idea?
Submit a project and actively contribute to advancing physical activity in our communities.