Team Lead Infrastructure (Volunteer) - Startup Nights 2027

Start as soon as possible so you can join the current team at Startup Nights 2026 and take over with live context. Startup Nights is the Swiss Startup Association's flagship festival and one of Switzerland's largest startup and innovation events, bringing around 10,000 visitors, 1,000+ founders and 200 exhibiting startups together. For 7-8 October 2027 we move to Zurich, and we are looking for a hands-on volunteer leader to make sure the event stands, runs and holds.

Tasks

* Lead the infrastructure team across stage and power, welcome area, decor and signage, hall layout, setup, permits and security, logistics, and waste management.
* Own the end-to-end plan for setup and teardown, deliveries, materials, signage, access and visitor flows.
* Coordinate interfaces with Messe Zurich, suppliers, authorities, and teams such as Program, F&B and Partnerships.
* Track tasks, dependencies, deadlines, risks and budget, escalating early when decisions are needed.
* Lead on site during setup, event days and teardown, solving problems pragmatically and supporting your team.
* Capture learnings, build repeatable processes and documentation, and strengthen the area for future editions.

Requirements

* Experience in events, production, operations, logistics or facility management, ideally with on-site responsibility.
* Previous team leadership experience in an event, club, student organization, project or similar context.
* Strong coordination skills and the ability to keep many moving parts in view.
* A calm, practical approach when plans change or something goes wrong.
* Proactive communication and willingness to raise risks early.
* Confident communication in German and English.
* Experience with Swiss venues, permits or authorities is a plus.
* Willingness to join the 2026 event to see the setup and handover live is strongly preferred.

Benefits

* Real ownership of a critical festival area and the chance to build its setup at a new venue.
* A proper handover through Startup Nights 2026 (5-6 November, Eulachhallen Winterthur), ideally joining the team on site.
* Direct access to founders, investors, corporates and other key players in the Swiss startup ecosystem.
* A driven team with short decision paths and meaningful responsibility.
* Team weekend and shared team events throughout the year.
* Leadership experience plus a volunteer/work certificate for your CV.
* A chance to help shape the Swiss startup ecosystem through a non-profit initiative.

This is a volunteer leadership role. Commitment varies by phase: regular planning during the year, a higher cadence in the weeks before the event, and full availability during setup, event days and teardown. We are looking for at least the 2027 edition, ideally several editions beyond.

Apply through the JOIN application form and tell us briefly why you want to take on the role and which events, operations or infrastructure projects you have led. We review applications on a rolling basis. If you are a good fit, we will invite you to a short conversation and, where possible, introduce you to the team at Startup Nights 2026.