BRIDGE

Bridge is our 9-week pro bono consulting program where Master’s students, PhD candidates, and postdocs from diverse fields team up to solve real-world business challenges faced by startups and NGOs.

Participants sharpen their consulting skills and work directly with clients.

Clients benefit from a dedicated, carefully selected project team that brings fresh, research-backed perspectives and actionable recommendations — free of charge.

We’ve Consulted For

Key Facts

Current edition: Spring 2026 (running until May)

Next edition: Fall 2026

Planned Kick-off: March 9 2026

Duration: 9 weeks

Estimated workload:

6-8 hours / week (consultants)

8-10 hours / week (team leader or project manager)

Application Portal for Participants

Bridge is currently running.

The application window for the Fall 2026 edition will open in August 2026.

For Clients

  • Reach out to GCC board member Marco La Fortezza at marco.lafortezza@graduateconsultingclub.org.

  • As one of our core organizational aims to to provide real-world consulting experience for Swiss students, we prefer to work with Swiss startups (spin-offs of ETH Zürich, EPFL, etc), large companies with significant presence in Switzerland, and NGOs. However, we are willing to take on any interesting project which serves to give students consulting expereince. Please reach out to Marco La Fortezza at marco.lafortezza@graduateconsultingclub.org to discuss your needs.

  • No monetary compensation is expected from the client for the pro bono consulting services. However, depending on the client's preference, we could organize networking/social event with the participants of the Bridge program and ask for reimbursement for such an event.

How It Works

Clients reach out to be considered for a Bridge project.

Participants apply through our application portal at the beginning of each semester.

At the beginning of the program, participants attend a bootcamp week filled with workshops to develop essential consulting skills and meet the client at the kickoff event to establish the project objectives.

The remaining 8 weeks are divided into multiple phases, with short-term deliverables presented at client meetings scheduled at the end of each phase.

Most team meetings and client check-ins are held online, except for the kickoff event at the beginning of the program and the final presentation.

Bridge emphasizes learning through practice, allowing participants to acquire valuable problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills while working collaboratively within a team. Team leaders and project managers receive support and mentorship from GCC alumni and an oversight committee, empowering them to develop their leadership capabilities.

Team Structure

Bridge is supported by a structured leadership setup, ensuring high-quality project execution and close collaboration with the client throughout the engagement.

Overall, Bridge provides participants with an unparalleled opportunity to gain practical consulting experience and make a positive impact by contributing to the success of startups and NGOs!

Your Questions Answered

  • If you attended or are affiliated with a Swiss university and have an interest in solving a real-world business problem for one of our clients, we invite you to join the Bridge program. We particularly encourage students with a non-business background to apply and expand their knowledge.

    To sign up for Bridge, you need to have requested membership from the Graduate Consulting Club. You can do so on our membership page. As soon as you create the account, you can use the links above to submit your application.

  • In general the Bridge program starts on the Monday of the third week of each semester, and lasts 8 to 9 weeks. Specific dates for the next edition can be found above, on this page.

  • The program mostly takes place on ETH Zurich campus (for the kickoff/wrap up/Apéro/workshops). Virtual participation is possible in principle, but is not recommended as collaboration and networking are a major part of the Bridge experience.

  • No previous consulting experience is required to participate in Bridge. The program is a learning experience and an introduction to consulting for all members, regardless of their past experiences. However, we do encourage our previous Bridge participants to apply for a leadership position to enhance their consulting experience.

  • Participants will be selected based on experience, motivation, and commitment. While we may consider preferences for a particular project/role and notable skills/experiences for the staffing of our teams, we foremost want to offer a learning platform to our participants. Previous Bridge participants with a recommendation from their Team leader/Project managers have priority for leadership positions.

  • The teams will be composed based on experience, background, and project preferences. While we try to account for applicants’ preferences wherever possible, we cannot guarantee them. This also holds true for combinations of applicants who wish to work together on the same team.


  • Every project team consists of up to 20 people, which are further broken down into teams of approx. 5 people.

    The project manager oversees the entire project, steers the team of 15 - 20 consultants, and acts as the liaison between team leaders and the client. Consulting experience advantageous.

    Team leader leads a small team of approx. 5 people, distributes the individual tasks and acts as the liaison between the consultants and the project manager. Leadership experience is advantageous.

    Consultants conduct research, analyze data, and synthesise results in teams of 4-5. This role is not client-facing and is perfect for participants who would like to experience working on a consulting project with lower responsibilities.

    If you are interested in both consultant and leadership roles, please apply for a leadership position only. We will evaluate you for both positions.

  • The organization of Bridge is coordinated by the head of consulting services, in conjunction with the other members of the Graduate Consulting Club’s board. The core oversight team also includes the President of the GCC and, often, one other board member.