The Fight for the Planet

Swissnex made a mark at Climate Week NYC 2025 with the Climate Ring, an experimental boxing-themed venue showcasing Swiss contributions to the fight for the planet. From September 25 to 27, more than 70 researchers, innovators, and artists from Switzerland, the US, and beyond stepped into a boxing ring in New York’s East Village to present their work.

Climate Week is known for its mix of serious and non-traditional content – somewhere between the “Davos of climate” and “Burning Man for climate geeks.” This year’s festival was the largest ever, with over 900 events taking place around the city. With the boxing theme, Swissnex created a unique and engaging narrative in order to raise the visibility of Swiss partners, drawing more than 1200 attendees over three days.

The program, inspired by boxing’s message of resilience and adaptation, included twelve events, mirroring the twelve rounds of a championship boxing match. Through a variety of formats, including panels, participatory workshops, physical and augmented reality exhibits, performances, and a walking tour, the events engaged audiences in different aspects of the climate fight, from aviation to food to communication and civic action.

Among the presenters were leading climate researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Geneva, as well as designers from The Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and the Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève). The Swiss innovation ecosystem was well represented in the ring, represented by Climeworks as well as a group of emerging Swiss climatetech companies including the fall 2024 cohort of Climate Collider. The program also featured significant participation from major cultural stakeholders in New York, including Performance Space New York, the Swiss Institute, and Susanne Bartsch, as well as from the official Swiss network in the United States, including the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York and Swiss Business Hub USA.