what was, what is, what might still become
Some of you have been following the project since the very beginning, others have joined somewhere along the way — or you might be a newbie around here. Either way, welcome to unboxing cycles! It’s a great pleasure to have you here.
As we transition into new movements within the project, I wanted to introduce you to what we’re all about and provide some context about what was, what is, and what might still become.
unboxing cycles is a Swiss association founded in 2023, dedicated to raising awareness about female health and supporting individuals on their journey of self-discovery — harnessing the natural cycle as a compass. We combine art, exchange, and education as guiding tools.
If you want to know more about why the project was created, you can read about it here.
At the beginning, there was a bold idea. A 360-degree approach, consisting of:
an artistic exhibition, creating a space for awareness across genders and generations
a book, serving as a discovery guide for menstruators
and a digital hub, connecting experts with users — a platform offering knowledge ranging from the basics about the menstrual cycle, menarche, perimenopause, and menopause, to expert interviews, research studies, personal stories, a forum for shared learnings, a curated shop, and much more.
An encyclepedia for female health.
The vision was bold. Perhaps a little too bold.
2024 was a year to test the grounds — and a reality check.
Entrepreneurship courses, networking events, spreading the word, pitching the idea again and again — formulating, reformulating, receiving feedback, adapting to unforeseen happenings, and grasping the realities of everything the vision entailed.
We launched a crowdfunding campaign (which, being all-or-nothing, didn’t reach its financial goal but was a true success in terms of learning and growth), experimented with different co-founders (which didn’t last), and faced multiple rejections from grants and funding applications.
Despite all the challenges and frustrations, the motivation to persist and find new ways continued.
One aspect that undoubtedly blossomed was the artistic journey.
Throughout the year, I accompanied 12 women from diverse backgrounds across Switzerland — our "focus group" — living different realities. To facilitate the understanding of the menstrual cycle, many compare the four phases (inner seasons) to the year’s seasons (outer seasons). Thus, for each outer season, we created an image that represents that respective phase of each woman. Through one-on-one conversations each quarter, we explored their feelings and realities, transforming their stories into images taken out in nature.
Of the 12 journeys, 10 were completed, resulting in a series of 40 images now ready to be exhibited.
In parallel, we hosted a few events for both the focus group and the public, creating opportunities to test ideas, foster connection, and link individuals with professionals who could better support them in understanding their cycles.
This brings us to where we stand now. Through everything built along the way, the focus naturally shifted a bit. Instead of investing all our energy into seeking perfect partners or funding, we started moving with what we already have and staying true to our mission without waiting for external support.
Thus, 2025 began with a meeting with a few focus group participants to discuss next steps. From that, a core team of 5+ individuals emerged — each contributing how and when they can, aligned with their own personal visions, missions, and goals.
We’re not entirely sure where our plans will lead. Still, we’re staying curious, using this new phase as an experimental arena — while staying rooted in our association’s mission:
Raising awareness about female health, supporting individuals on their journey of self-discovery, harnessing the natural cycle as a compass, and combining art, exchange, and education as guiding tools.
Our bold vision—of hosting exhibitions, creating books, offering events and retreats, building the digital hub, and maybe one day even having a physical space for exchange—remains. But we’re going slower, one step at a time.
Our search for partners and funding continues. Support will be needed to achieve more and reach a wider audience. However, we don’t want to let that hinder us from moving forward. Instead, we’re striving to start with what we have.
If you know someone or something that could help us move our mission forward, please reach out.
If you would like to contribute in any way — or simply say hi — we’d love to hear from you.
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We look forward to everything yet to come!