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Every market is built on a set of rules.
These rules move capital through global financial systems, determine which patients receive life-saving organs, match refugees and families to scarce housing, distribute emergency supplies, allocate spectrum for wireless networks, and increasingly shape AI-driven systems that affect millions.
Market design is the science of building better rules for better markets.
The Zurich Center for Market Design is a research hub at the University of Zurich where ideas meet implementation.
Founded in 2019 by Prof. Dr. Marek Pycia and Prof. Dr. Sven Seuken, we have grown into a thriving community of researchers and practitioners.
We bring together economics, computer science, and beyond, united by a fascination with how the rules of a market shape the outcomes it delivers.
Our goal is simple: to create rules that make markets work better — for people, institutions, and society.
We design, test, and implement new market mechanisms in close collaboration with partners from academia, civil society, policy, and technology. From theoretical models to real-world pilots, our work bridges abstract insights with concrete impact.
Our work is guided by four missions:
Theory, experiments, and computation
We develop theory, experiments, and computational models to study how rules shape markets and how to design them fairer, more efficient, and more transparent.
Courses, seminars, and mentorship
Our members teach cutting-edge market design tools, from foundational theory to applied methods, and mentor the next generation of researchers and practitioners.
Collaboration and implementation
We partner with policymakers, industry, and institutions to design, test, and deploy mechanisms that improve market outcomes in the real world.
Seminars, lectures, and workshops
We help connect the market design community with seminars, lectures, and workshops that spark collaboration and ideas.
Stay connected with the latest developments from our Center.