Graduate Consulting Club

What Graduate Consulting Club does

Graduate Consulting Club (GCC) is a student-led, non-profit consulting organization founded in 2016 at ETH Zürich, the University of Basel, and the University of Zürich, operating under the VSETH student association umbrella in Zürich, Switzerland. Its stated mission is to bridge the gap between academia and the consulting industry by providing consulting skill development, practical project experience, and access to consulting employers to Swiss Bachelor's, Master's, PhD students, and postdocs. The organization runs four interconnected service lines: the Bridge program (a 9-week pro bono consulting engagement where graduate students solve real-world challenges for startups and NGOs), Case Workshops (weekly case interview practice at ETH Zürich and University of Basel), Case Competitions (team-based consulting challenges), and Partner Events (networking sessions co-organized with consulting firms).

GCC serves two distinct customer bases. The primary member base comprises 800+ students across Swiss universities who join free of charge via website application and event attendance. The secondary base consists of more than 18 startups and NGOs (including Novigenix, Insolight, Scailyte, Carvolution, Yamo, Deep Breath, BLP, and others) that receive pro bono consulting through the Bridge program. On the partner side, GCC maintains relationships with 20+ consulting and professional services firms, including McKinsey, BCG, Bain, PwC, Roland Berger, KPMG, CRA, EY, Kearney, Oliver Wyman, Deloitte, and Glide, with Glide providing a defined career pathway for top Bridge performers into MedTech and BioTech strategy consulting.

The business model is non-commercial: there are no membership fees, no service fees from client startups or NGOs, and no equity, funding rounds, or external investors disclosed. Revenue inflows, if any, come from unstated partner sponsorships and VSETH administrative support. The organization is staffed by a board of seven (President, Vice President, and heads of Operations and Finance, Partner Relations, Consulting Services, Communication and Marketing, and Internal Events), supported by a committee and an active alumni network, with leadership rotating annually. Geographic operations are confined to Switzerland, with no membership eligibility for students outside Swiss universities.

Name

Graduate Consulting Club

Legal name

Graduate Consulting Club

Website

https://graduateconsultingclub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Graduate Consulting Club is a student-led, Swiss nonprofit founded in 2016 that runs a 9-week pro bono consulting program (Bridge), weekly case workshops, case competitions, and partner events for 800+ graduate and PhD students from ETH Zürich, the University of Basel, and the University of Zürich, in collaboration with 20+ consulting firms and startup/NGO clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education & Professional Development Consulting Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning, Training & Corporate Education Consulting (BPAHAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Graduate & Professional School Preparation (EDALABAI), Alumni, Peer & Community Networking Programs (EDAMAKAM)

Keywords

• Pro bono consulting
• Case interview preparation
• Student consulting club
• Consulting workshops
• Consulting competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: No revenue streams. The organization is a student-led non-profit that offers free membership to students. Services are provided pro bono to member students and pro bono to client organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Graduate Consulting Club is a student-led, non-profit community at three Swiss universities that provides free consulting-skills development to over 800 student members through four service lines: the Bridge Program (a 9-week pro bono consulting engagement for startups and NGOs), weekly Case Workshops, Case Competitions, and Partner Events with major consulting firms. All services and membership are offered free of charge to students, with pro bono consulting delivered to client organizations.

Product overview

Graduate Consulting Club (GCC) is a student-led organization offering four interconnected service lines: the Bridge Program (a 9-week pro bono consulting experience), Case Workshops (weekly practice sessions for case interviews), Case Competitions (team-based consulting challenges), and Partner Events (networking opportunities with consulting firms). The services are designed to bridge academia and the consulting industry, providing consulting skills development, real-world project experience, and industry connections for Swiss university students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridge: 9-week pro bono consulting program where Master's students, PhD candidates, and postdocs team up to solve real-world business challenges faced by startups and NGOs.
• Case Workshops
• Case Competitions
• Partner Events

Products and services

• Bridge Program A 9-week pro bono consulting program in which Master's students, PhD candidates, and postdocs from diverse fields are organized into teams to solve real-world business challenges faced by startups and NGOs. Teams attend a bootcamp week, work with clients through structured phases, and deliver final presentations. Top performers are considered for full-time positions at partner strategy consultancy Glide.
• Case Workshops Weekly case interview practice workshops held at ETH Zürich and University of Basel throughout the semester. Sessions include introductory tips from GCC members or alumni, followed by paired practice of two cases with role rotation between interviewer and interviewee. Open to GCC members free of charge.
• Case Competitions Team-based competitions in which GCC members apply analytical and problem-solving skills to real-world business challenges, develop structured, data-driven solutions, and present recommendations to industry professionals.
• Partner Events Jointly organized events held throughout the semester with GCC's 20+ partner consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, PwC, Roland Berger, KPMG, EY, Deloitte, Oliver Wyman, Kearney, CRA, and others). Provide GCC members with networking, firm exposure, and recruiting opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 800 members trained and connected
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• GlideflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategy consultancy that works with early-stage MedTech and BioTech ventures. Top Bridge performers are considered for full-time positions at Glide. Partnership provides career pathway for GCC members.
• McKinsey & CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor consulting firm partner. GCC members have access to networking events, case workshops, and potential recruitment opportunities through this partnership.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor consulting firm partner providing event sponsorship, case workshops, and student recruitment opportunities.
• Bain & CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor consulting firm partner collaborating on case competitions and recruitment events.
• PwCmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm partner providing industry exposure and networking for GCC members.
• Roland BergermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategy consulting firm partner collaborating with GCC on member events.
• KPMGmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm partner providing case workshops and recruitment events.
• Charles River Associates (CRA)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerEconomic and financial consulting firm partner in GCC events.
• Ernst & Young (EY)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm partner in GCC networking events.
• KearneymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerManagement consulting firm partner collaborating with GCC.
• Blue MatterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConsulting firm partner in GCC events.
• Oliver WymanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerManagement consulting firm partner providing member engagement opportunities.
• DeloittemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm partner in GCC events and case competitions.
• ETH ZürichflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding university partner where GCC was originally established in 2016. Provides primary venue for events and primary source of student members.
• University of BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding university partner. Hosts case workshops and serves as source of student members.
• University of ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding university partner contributing student members to the GCC community.
• VSETHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial student organization umbrella providing administrative support and mailing address for GCC.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Stanford GSB Consulting Club: Student-led consulting club at Stanford GSB with case workshops and firm-sponsored events; directly comparable elite-MBA peer to GCC's graduate-student base.
• 180 Degrees Consulting: Global student-led pro bono consulting nonprofit with university chapters; directly comparable to GCC's Bridge program model of graduate students delivering pro bono consulting to startups and NGOs.
• Wharton Consulting Club: Major student-run consulting organization at the Wharton School, with case workshops, competitions, and firm partnerships that mirror GCC's four service-line structure.
• INSEAD Consulting Club: Student-led consulting organization at a top European business school, running case workshops, competitions, and recruitment events with the same MBB/Big Four partner set as GCC.
• Kellogg Consulting Club: Student consulting organization at Northwestern Kellogg running case prep, treks, and competitions targeting the same recruiting outcomes from top consulting firms.
• London Business School Consulting Club: Largest student-run consulting club at LBS, offering case prep, competitions, and firm-sponsored events targeting similar partner-firm recruitment outcomes.
• HEC Paris Consulting Club: Student consulting society at HEC Paris running case workshops, competitions, and firm-sponsored events with overlapping MBB partner set.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Consulting Group (BCG): Core partner firm that runs its own university recruiting programs and Bridge-style social impact work; relevant incumbent comparator that overlaps GCC's training and pro bono delivery.
• McKinsey & Company: Core GCC partner and global consulting incumbent with its own campus recruiting, case prep programs, and pro bono social impact initiatives that intersect GCC's value proposition.

Emerging players

• Net Impact: Global nonprofit with student and professional chapters focused on using business skills for social impact; partial overlap with GCC's pro bono consulting mission for NGOs and startups.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/graduate-consulting-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Graduate Consulting Club