BackSwiss Alps Knowledge Building and Networking Weekend
On February 27 to March 2 2025 (Thursday to Sunday), we'll bring together 40 members of the VOYAGERS family for our fourth special weekend snow adventure in the Swiss Alps. This immersive three-night experience is designed to foster close friendships among VOYAGERS spanning a diverse range of industries and geographies – including startup founders, investors, researchers, activists, and more. The weekend includes a curated workshop and discussion programme featuring specialists from health tech, climate tech and other multidisciplinary fields. These sessions are designed to keep you ahead of emerging trends and opportunities while inspiring meaningful collaboration. We're running this weekend at cost, staying true to our mission of community building. Don’t miss this chance to connect deeply with like-minded VOYAGERS in an unforgettable Alpine setting. To reserve your place, click on the "Join The Swiss Alps Knowledge Building and Networking Weekend" link near the bottom of this page.
WHAT WILL THE PROGRAMME LOOK LIKE?
This three-day adventure will make the most of the mountainous Gstaad region of western Switzerland, easily reachable by one of Europe’s most stunning train journeys. Here’s a map of the extensive mountain runs — 200km of ski slopes nestled between 1,000 and 3,000 metres above sea level. We’ll conquer slopes together, share stories, play late-night games — all activities designed to build meaningful connections as you make significant new friends. And, of course, we’ll enjoy the best of local food and drink, in some very special locations.
See photos from our past Gstaad ski adventures:
•March 2024 | •March 2023 | •March 2022
Read feedback from our past Gstaad ski adventures:
•March 2024 | •March 2022
We love this location and hotel, and we are returning for the fourth time. Our official schedule starts on Thursday afternoon, with drinks and canapés on the terrace of our cosy base, the super-comfortable HUUS Hotel Gstaad, which has its own spa, pool, gym and ski shop. Later in the evening, we’ll gather for an official welcome dinner at the hotel’s cave-like basement restaurant, where we’ll get to know each other over some traditional Swiss delicacies. As part of every VOYAGERS gathering, we’ll conclude the day with some storytelling and late-evening group games such as Werewolf (which has become a VOYAGERS tradition).
On Friday, we’ll enjoy our first full day of skiing and snowboarding on the local mountains, including a group lunch with panoramic views. We’ll provide your ski pass as well as ski guides (at various skiing levels), who will take care of our group throughout the day. Our group will range from beginners who have never skied to accomplished off-piste experts. In the late afternoon, you’ll be able to unwind at our hotel’s spa, sauna and pool. After some spa time, we’ll head to an organic farm in the nearby village of Château-d’Œx, operated by farmers of the fifth generation – all in a fully sustainable and regenerative way. You’ll learn how to make cheese, take care of the farm animals, have a chance to milk cows, and more.
In the evening, we’ll begin our content programme, with experts leading workshops and discussions on key themes of relevance — such as “How to create great company culture”, “How to think about fundraising”, “How to hire the best talent” (topics to be confirmed). We’ll get to know our new friends even better over dinner at a traditional fondue restaurant. We’re planning an after-dinner bowling tournament over drinks at a nearby alley.
Saturday is another full day of mountain sports on a glacier, followed by spa time. After dinner in a historic building in nearby Saanen, we’ll gather for a party featuring the informal VOYAGERS talent extravaganza (you’re welcome to share any skill, but no pressure if you’re shy).
Our formal agenda will end after our last morning of skiing and a farewell lunch on Sunday at HUUS. You can ski for the rest of the day, continue your adventure yourself, or begin your journey home.
The adventure will bring together VOYAGERS from our climate-tech and health-tech communities, as well as VOYAGERS working in unrelated fields where they’re delivering impact.
Here are some testimonials from our 2022 VOYAGERS adventure in Gstaad, including:
•You have blown my mind by how you curate and create magic between a group of strangers. Thank you for giving more than we could ever return. Everything was perfect. — JD
•A most wonderful trip — immediately useful for my business, personally endlessly rewarding. — AS
The group you brought together was incredibly inspiring, thought-provoking and generous. I’ve made many good friends who I’ll be in touch with for years to come and hopefully one or two investors. You guys are incredible
WHAT’S INCLUDED
We will take care of you from the moment you arrive in Saanen, near Gstaad, on Thursday, until the moment we say farewell on Sunday afternoon. We provide:
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Three nights’ accommodation in the HUUS Hotel in Saanen, near Gstaad
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All meals: breakfasts, lunches and dinners from Thursday’s afternoon welcome cocktail to Sunday’s farewell lunch
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All drinks taken with the group, including wine and beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee
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Mountain (ski) passes for three days to include access to the Glacier 3000 glacier slopes
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Ski guides/instructors for the group, from beginners to off-piste
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All visits, entertainment and other scheduled activities
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Our knowledge-building content programme
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All transport for the duration of the scheduled adventure (you will need to arrange your own travel to and from our hotel in Saanen: we recommend the spectacular train journey)
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The VOYAGERS gift pack (save some luggage space to take it home)
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The VOYAGERS production team‘s services — a team of six, including our official photographer
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Advance curation by the VOYAGERS team, including extended site visits
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A few extra surprises we will announce nearer the event.
FITNESS LEVEL: We welcome skiers and snowboarders of any level. We will arrange ski guides for beginners, intermediate, advanced and off-piste groups. You will need a moderate level of fitness for the slopes.
Please note: We are limited to 50 places, and are likely to be oversubscribed. We will curate the group to ensure a diverse mix of lovely people. We welcome VOYAGERS’ partners who engage with the group as active participants.
CANCELLATION POLICY
We will collect a €500 deposit to hold your place. Our suppliers ask for payment from us in advance, and for firm commitments on numbers. You can cancel your place, for any reason with no questions asked, for a full refund until January 4 2025. Our refund policy is as follows:
•UNTIL JANUARY 4, 2025 (Midnight GMT): Your deposit is refundable in full on your emailed request to david@voyagers.io, NO questions asked.
•UNTIL FEBRUARY 5, 2025 (Midnight GMT): You’ll receive a refund of all fees paid, excluding your forfeited booking deposit, minus a 50% cancellation fee. If you find someone to take your place (subject to the VOYAGERS organisers’ approving this person), we will refund all fees you have paid, including your deposit, once this person has paid the full fee for their participation.
•AFTER FEBRUARY 5, 2025 (Midnight GMT): No refund will be payable to you; but until February 22 2025 if you find someone to take your place (subject to the VOYAGERS organisers’ approving this person), we will refund all fees you have paid, including your deposit, once this person has paid the full fee for their participation.
