---
title: "COMPASS"
description: "COMPASS (PostFinance, 2019/20): Green purchases earn cheers that users give to local sustainable start-up projects"
url: "https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/compass-2019-20/"
lang: "en"
---

# COMPASS

**Green purchases earn cheers that users give to local sustainable start-up projects**

_Your guide for a sustainable lifestyle_

- **Corporate partner:** [PostFinance](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/network/partners/postfinance/) (https://www.postfinance.ch/de/ueber-uns/unternehmen/innovationen-pflab.html)
- **Cohort:** [2019/20](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/cohort/2019-20/)
- **Theme:** [Sustainability & resources](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/themes/sustainability-resources/)
- **Type:** Platform
- **Universities:** [University of St. Gallen](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/network/universities/hsg/)
- **Team:** 5 master students
- **Disciplines:** Business Innovation

## Challenge

PostFinance asked how to create value for early adopters of sustainability, so that the offer could reach the mass market within five years.

## What the team learned

Aware people stay stuck in habits; complexity and lack of transparency sap motivation. Early adopters doubt their efforts have impact, while sustainable entrepreneurs struggle to find funding.

## What they built

COMPASS is an app that makes personal sustainability behaviour transparent and suggests alternatives. Users earn cheers at partner shops and give them to sustainable projects. Entrepreneurs submit ideas; investors, corporates or crowdfunders fund the most-cheered ones.

## Impact

PostFinance would lead sustainable behaviour among young people in Switzerland, running a platform that coordinates entrepreneurs' ideas and gives them access to funding.

## Full project text

An application based on an ecosystem that connects individuals with a sustainable mindset with entrepreneurs who want to realise sustainable projects in Switzerland.

### Challenge

People are gaining more awareness around the topic of sustainability; some are trying to adapt behaviours. However, we are often stuck in our habits and the complexity and lack of transparency lower our motivation to take action.  
On the other hand, entrepreneurs willing to launch projects in the area of sustainability might have a hard time to receive funding and to know if there is demand for their product or service in Switzerland.

### Solution

The Compass App will give individuals a personalised guide for a greener consumption and enable them to support  
local sustainable projects.  
Our user gets a holistic view about his behaviour he could not get before - additionally he can have an impact and support project ideas from entrepreneurs by giving the cheers he collected. The entrepreneur will get access to funding and once the project is realized all users can benefit since new alternatives are available and together they impact the whole community.

### Impact

Our solution provides a compass to a more sustainable lifestyle for individual users while it provides a platform to get funding and support to realize sustainable projects to the entrepreneur group.  
To our partner PostFinance, our vision is that they will take a leading role in driving sustainable behaviours for the young generation in Switzerland. They will give individuals an opportunity to understand their behaviour and provide a platform to coordinate sustainable business ideas and support entrepreneurs during their initial steps.

## Who built it.

- Denise Gubser, Business Innovation (University of St. Gallen)
- Léa Montavon, Business Innovation (University of St. Gallen)
- Renato Lipovac, Business Innovation (University of St. Gallen)
- Simeon Pilz, Business Innovation (University of St. Gallen)
- Sina Oberholzer, Business Innovation (University of St. Gallen)

## Video

- The Compass - Design Thinking Project: https://vimeo.com/425999466

## Sources

Summarised by the SUGAR editorial team from the team’s project page and SUGAR Expo booklet.

Open the 2019/20 booklet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HRinlCvEZz5PSpew8VDcZzSIFRCUEvxc/view?usp=sharing