What was BØWIE?

I came across this website by chance, while linking to a story that had nothing obviously to do with David Bowie:

https://www.bowiecreators.com/

Based on their own description (which I’ve loosely adapted), BØWIE for Creators was a Swiss-based initiative that empowered queer and feminist entrepreneurs and artists who challenge traditional gender norms through creativity and innovation. Operated by the nonprofit Be You Network, BØWIE offered a six-month incubator, an investment readiness program, and fundraising resources tailored for underrepresented founders. It also ran a queer art gallery and online magazine, all aimed at building a more inclusive creative and entrepreneurial landscape.

Although the platform appeared to be generating new content, Be You Network announced earlier this year that both it and BØWIE had officially shut down. Founded in 2010 as Switzerland’s first youth-led national advocate for LGBTIQ+ rights, Be You ultimately reached over 175,000 people annually. It closed due to funding challenges. Some programs might be ongoing under new stewardship, which might explain the article I came across, and its remaining assets will support ongoing LGBTIQ+ advocacy.

It seems like some pages from the active website for this organization have been taken down, and I didn’t see anything that explains why it is called BØWIE, but the name seems fairly obviously inspired by David Bowie. The logo (see above) seems to incorporate a Blackstar-like symbol, as if to confirm who inspired the name. It’s surely interesting that all this time later he is still remembered enough as a gay icon for his name to be chosen for this purpose.