In future, the Canton of Bern’s location promotion agency will also assess the environmental performance of a company applying for support. It has now included corresponding sustainability elements in its assessment criteria. The other criteria that have been applied up to now remain valid, according to a statement by the cantonal administration. In particular, this applies to the two key criteria of innovation content of the investment project and value creation for the Bernese economy.
In accordance with the new criteria, companies are now asked to fill out an online questionnaire for self-assessment. According to the report, the questions are aimed at important aspects of the circular economy. Companies that achieve less than 25 per cent must take improvement measures before they are eligible for funding. However, the location promotion agency assumes that this value will increase in parallel with the growing demands for sustainability.
The questionnaire is a simple tool for companies to quickly take stock of their measures to promote sustainability and the circular economy, it adds. It is also available to companies that do not apply for financial support from the authority.
The association of location organisations from 14 European cities and regions called Choose Europe is presenting itself for the first time at one of the most important technology conferences in the world, the Collision Conference. It will take place from 26 to 29 June in Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario. As a location marketing agency representing nine cantons as well as the city of Zurich and the Winterthur region, the Greater Zurich Area is also a member of this new initiative. In addition, Amsterdam, Barcelona-Catalonia, Berlin, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Lyon, Oslo, Paris, Riga, Stockholm, Vienna and Warsaw are also members.
According to a media release, the aim of “this unprecedented collaboration” is to “showcase the benefits of working, living and investing in Europe” to a global audience. This cooperation aims to facilitate access to the European market for potential investors and talent. It aims to expand Europe’s market potential and create an environment that promotes investment opportunities and facilitates growth.
“Europe is the frontrunner in sustainability and green change,” Helsinki Partners Managing Director Clarisse Berggårdh is quoted as saying. “However, no one can solve the big global challenges alone. That’s why we, the European investment promotion agencies, are pooling our efforts.” Global competition for foreign direct investment is intense, says GZA Managing Director Sonja Wollkopf Walt “We are ready to tackle future challenges together with our Choose Europa partners. Our shared vision is to establish Europe as a hub for sustainable investment.”
The Canton of Aargau Economic Development Agency offers companies in the canton support in developing resource-saving innovations and products. For this purpose, it has launched the platform for business model innovations. The range of examples, tools and checklists available there can be used by companies free of charge after registration, the location promotion agency informs in a statement.
The platform and services were developed by the Institute for Corporate Management at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland(FHNW) and further developed in cooperation with the Canton of Aargau Location Promotion. The FHNW experts also offer interested companies webinars and workshops via the platform. The kick-off will be on 26 June with a webinar on the topic of resource-conserving business models: a source of long-term success. Registrations for this and already a number of other webinars are open online.
Of the 41 projects supported, 25 are business expansions and 16 are business relocations. Of the 16 relocations, 3 are from Switzerland and 13 from abroad. These include the Japanese company Epson, which has set up in the Marly Innovation Centre, and the Brazilian company Carob House in Fribourg. Among the expansions, the projects of Immomig in Düdingen and Wago Contact in Domdidier are worth mentioning.
Although the WIF devoted considerable resources to it in 2022, the Rolex project is not included in the figures in the annual report. The project will take shape in 2023 with the finalisation of the spatial planning and construction process and the establishment of temporary production and training facilities. This project of exceptional scope and quality will strengthen Fribourg’s industrial base and accelerate the canton’s competences in the fields of automation, robotisation and, more generally, Industry 4.0.
Olivier Curty, State Councillor for the Economy and Vocational Training, told the media conference: “Fribourg companies have demonstrated their resilience over the last few years and months, and neither the global pandemic nor the war in Europe can stop them from investing and creating new jobs. The canton of Fribourg is continuing its economic development successfully and vigorously
WIF Director Jerry Krattiger summarises: “The WIF has had a good year despite the difficult global economic context. After the Council of State defined the bio-economy and Industry 4.0 as the main axes of the cantonal economic development strategy almost three years ago, the Canton of Fribourg has successfully continued its positioning in these areas
New regional policy with 15 new projects Under the 2020-2023 implementation programme of the New Regional Policy (NRP), 15 projects were approved last year, with a contribution of CHF 1.35 million. These projects are divided into the following areas: Community projects (9), programme for mountain regions (3), tourism (2) and new themes (1).
Work has also started on the NIP implementation programme 2024-2027. Industry and tourism remain the two priority themes. New cross-cutting themes include the local economy, sustainable development and digitalisation. In addition to its usual activities to support the creation, establishment and development of businesses and its activities in the field of NRP, the WIF has finalised the last COVID business support package last year.
Basel Area Business & Innovation supported a total of 96 start-ups in 2022. This represents a new record, the location promotion agency of the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft and Jura informs in a statement. Compared to the previous year, 20 more start-ups were supported by Basel Area Business & Innovation.
The number of companies newly established in the Basel Area cantons in 2022 remained stable at 35 compared to 2021. “The Basel Area economic region has had another highly satisfactory year,” Christof Klöpper, CEO of Basel Area Business & Innovation, is quoted as saying in the statement. “Both in terms of newly established companies and company start-ups, we achieved excellent figures in 2022.”
Of the total of 96 newly founded companies, 21 are active in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors. This is followed by services with 18, construction with eleven and ICT with ten start-ups. Many of the start-ups were able to benefit from the location promotion’s venture monitoring programme. In the press release, Basel Area Business & Innovation singles out the cleantech company Kuori. Since its founding in spring 2022, it has already raised around 2.3 million euros in investor funding.
Of the total of 35 settlements, 24 were in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors. In terms of regions of origin, Europe leads the way with 14 companies. This is followed by Asia with seven and the USA with six newly established companies in Switzerland. A total of eight companies from other cantons moved to the Basel Area last year.
With the Dispatch on Location Promotion 2024-2027, the Federal Council is further developing the strategic foundations of federal location promotion. It is pursuing the following five goals with location promotion in the years 2024-2027: Improve the framework conditions for SMEs, strengthen regions, contribute to sustainable development, exploit the opportunities of digitalisation and strengthen the attractiveness of the business and tourism location. Compared to the period 2020-2023, the importance of sustainable development and digitalisation will be upgraded. In addition, location promotion will be geared even more strongly to the needs of the main target groups – SMEs and regions. In order to implement the goals, 23 concrete activities will be defined in the coming years by SECO and the mandated organisations (guarantee cooperatives, Swiss Export Risk Insurance, Swiss Association for Hotel Credit, Switzerland Tourism, Switzerland Global Enterprise). Some of them are implemented in cooperation with the cantons and other partners.
The focal points of location promotion In SME policy, the focus is on expanding EasyGov.swiss, the one-stop shop of the Confederation, cantons and municipalities for businesses. This can make a significant contribution to reducing the administrative burden on businesses. In the period 2024-2027, the scope of EasyGov services is to be further expanded in order to meet the needs of businesses for additional electronic government services. As part of the expansion of EasyGov, it is planned, for example, to be able to offer businesses a bundled process for moving companies (change of address) in the future. Further expansion is also planned in the area of aliens law notifications and permits for businesses.
In tourism policy, the focus is on the further development of investment promotion, sustainable development and the digital transformation of tourism. Another priority for the years 2024-2027 is the implementation of the recovery programme for Swiss tourism to counteract the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The New Regional Policy NRP will enter its third eight-year multi-annual period (2024-2031) in 2024. The existing thematic funding priorities of “industry” and “tourism” will be continued. In addition to digitalisation, sustainable development and the “local economy”, which complements the export orientation of the NRP, will be given particular weight as cross-cutting themes.
Finally, the offer of support for the export industry, for example in relation to trade-related issues, and in particular access for Swiss exporters to large foreign infrastructure projects, will be further developed in line with demand and the “Team Switzerland” approach will be expanded. For example, various associations, federal offices, Switzerland Global Enterprise and Swiss Export Risk Insurance are increasingly conducting joint promotional activities abroad. These are aimed, among others, at general contractors who carry out large infrastructure projects. Further business opportunities are being identified in important markets.
Commitment credits and payment frameworks In order to continue and further develop the instruments of location promotion, the Federal Council is proposing commitment credits and payment frameworks totalling CHF 428.83 million to parliament for the years 2024-2027. For the years 2020-2023, an amount of around CHF 399 million was available. In addition, there is a payment framework for the creation of the Regional Development Fund in the years 2024-2031 amounting to CHF 217.3 million (reduced by CHF 12.7 million compared to the previous period 2016-2023).
Location promotion is implemented using the instruments of SME policy, tourism policy, the New Regional Policy (NRP) and foreign trade promotion.
The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research(EAER) has launched a new advisory platform for companies and other forms of organisation. According to a press release, the platform, which will be available from 16 February, is intended to support users in their search for business locations and funding. In doing so, the advisory tool currently being introduced expands the existing portals on the website of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs(SECO).
The multilingual location promotion guide that has now been announced brings together various promotion projects and is intended to be easily accessible via the internet for interested parties and applicants. The current range comprises 16 promotion instruments with around 50 different offers. The primary target groups are entrepreneurs, authorities at all federal levels and individuals. According to the EAER, the new guide should make Switzerland even more attractive and transparent as a business location. It can be accessed at promotion.guide.
Der Bundesrat entwickelt die strategischen Grundlagen zur Standortförderung des Bundes weiter. Mit seiner Botschaft für die Jahre 2024 bis 2027 verfolgt er laut einer Medienmitteilung fünf Ziele: Rahmenbedingungen für KMU verbessern, Regionen stärken, zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung beitragen, Chancen der Digitalisierung nutzen sowie die Attraktivität des Wirtschafts- und Tourismusstandorts stärken. Diese sind auch Bestandteile der Neuen Regionalpolitik, die 2024 in ihre dritte achtjährige Periode startet. Für die mandatierten Organisationen wurden 23 konkrete Aktivitäten formuliert.
Im Vergleich zur Periode 2020 bis 2023 wird die Bedeutung der nachhaltigen Entwicklung und der Digitalisierung aufgewertet. Ausserdem soll sich die Standortförderung noch stärker an den Bedürfnissen der Hauptzielgruppen, den KMU und den Regionen, ausrichten. So liegt der Schwerpunkt bei der KMU-Politik im Ausbau von EasyGov.swiss, dem Online-Schalter für Unternehmen zur elektronischen Abwicklung von Bewilligungs-, Antrags- und Meldeverfahren an einem einzigen Ort.
Den Fokus in der Tourismuspolitik setzt die Botschaft bei der digitalen Transformation der Branche und der Weiterentwicklung der Tourismusförderung. Zudem will der Bundesrat die Exportorientierung weiterentwickeln. So sollen sich etwa Promotionsauftritte im Ausland an Generalunternehmer mit grossen Infrastrukturprojekten richten.
Für die Instrumente der Standortförderung beantragt der Bundesrat dem Parlament Finanzmittel in Höhe von 428,83 Millionen Franken, rund 40 Millionen mehr als in der ablaufenden Periode. Dagegen soll der Zahlungsrahmen für die Äufnung des Fonds für Regionalentwicklung in den Jahren 2024 bis 2031 gegenüber der Vorperiode um 12,7 Millionen Franken auf 217,3 Millionen Franken reduziert werden.
Alexander Carisch will be the new head of the Dietikon location promotion as of December 1st. According to a media release , Carisch convinced the city council at the September 5 meeting. His innovative spirit, his professional competence and his integrative communication were decisive.
As a former head of urban development and location marketing in the city of Baden and also as head of the location development department in the Canton of Schwyz Economic Office, Carisch has the right experience for the position, according to the statement from the city of Dietikon . Through his previous activities, the newly appointed head of Dietiker Location Promotion is also connected to the Limmattal.
The head of the Dietikon location promotion, Adrian Ebenberger, is retiring after four and a half years in office for reasons of age at the end of 2022.
The Dietikon location promotion submits semi-annual interim reports on activities in the areas of location promotion, economic development and city marketing. The most recently published report from June covering the period from November 2021 to April 2022 highlights the progress made in the Cleantech Hub Dietikon project, which started last autumn 2021, and in the Smart City Dietikon project as particular highlights of this work. Demand for commercial space remains high. There are regularly more rental requests than offers. The number of start-ups and liquidations is said to be relatively constant.
The Zürioberland Promotional Agency ( SZO ) will publish a magazine twice a year from October 2022. The initial edition consists of 5000 copies. The high-quality magazine aims to offer portraits, background reports and handouts on the living and economic region of the Zurich Oberland.
"The magazine strengthens the voice of the region and focuses in particular on the qualities of the Zurich Oberland," Giacinto In-Albon, Head of Business at SZO, is quoted as saying in a press release. According to the publisher SZO, its topics should offer “a counterpoint to the fast-moving and predominantly digital information of today”. The magazine is produced and printed in Wetzikon. A partner in Gossau is responsible for marketing. It is financed through the sale of advertisements. Members receive preferential prices.
The magazine is distributed in the Zurich Oberland region, Winterthur, Lake Zurich, Obersee and in the city of Zurich. It is sent in a targeted manner. It will also be available in high-traffic locations such as hotels, restaurants, shops and medical practices. In addition, every newcomer receives a copy.
Basel Area Business & Innovation , the agency for location promotion and innovation promotion, has reached a new milestone. With LifeMine Therapeutics , the 200th company has now been supported in settling in the Basel area. The biotechnology company has its headquarters in Cambridge in the US state of Massachusetts and is now establishing its European headquarters in the Basel Area, which consists of the three cantons of Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft and Jura.
“Having LifeMine Therapeutics as our 200th customer is very exciting for our team and the region,” said Christof Klöpper, CEO of Basel Area Business & Innovation. “The fact that LifeMine Therapeutics comes from the Boston Area – one of the world’s largest life sciences centers – underscores the opportunities that the Basel Area offers international biotech companies.”
LifeMine develops drugs based on genetically encoded small molecules and will now also drive this work from Basel. “We are very pleased to be able to expand our activities to Basel and settle in a region full of innovative companies,” says co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) WeiQing Zhou. “Basel Area Business & Innovation gave us fantastic support and made the process as smooth as we could have wished for.”
Of the 200 companies supported by Basel Area since 2016, 164 are not from Switzerland. A total of 122 work in the life sciences. In the meantime, however, more and more companies from the production and process technology sectors are deciding to settle in the Basel area.
The interim report on the promotion of the city of Dietikon covers the period from November 2021 to April 2022. According to the press release , it is intended to provide an overview of the activities carried out in the reporting period. As particular highlights of this work, the communication highlights the progress made in the Cleantech Hub Dietikon project, which started last autumn 2021, and in the Smart City Dietikon project.
According to the report , the mayor and location promoter visited 14 companies in the area of economic development and offered them help with various matters. Demand for commercial space remains high. There are regularly more rental requests than offers. We are looking for logistics areas and workshops with truck access and high ceilings. The number of start-ups and liquidations is said to be relatively constant.
According to the report, there are also bottlenecks in the supply of suitable commercial premises at the Cleantech Hub Dietikon. But the project is making progress. A core team has been working intensively on the structure since October. The Cleantech Hub Dietikon association was founded on February 15. There are currently several inquiries from start-ups who would like to rent space in the Cleantech Hub.
Regarding the progress of the Smart City Dietikon project, it is said that the implementation of the first sub-projects has been delayed. An e-mobility charging station at Zelgliplatz, an e-bike charging station at Velohaus and public WiFi at Kirchplatz are already in operation.
There are other reports on the “Mitenand für Dietike” ideas competition, the NetzwerkStadt for an attractive center and on city marketing and on fresh markets and seasonal markets such as the spring market.
Company settlements are increasing again after the Corona dip. The Greater Zurich Area AG (GZA), as the location marketing organization for nine cantons, was able to settle a total of 125 companies in 2021, an increase of 36 companies compared to the first Corona year 2020. According to a statement by the GZA, 42 companies came from the USA (+20 ), 19 from Germany (+4), ten from Italy (+5) and five each from China (-6), Great Britain and Singapore.
Overall, the companies created 582 jobs in the economic area, an increase of 11 percent compared to the previous year. In the next five years there should be a total of 1843 jobs.
The ICT sectors are most strongly represented with 42 companies, followed by the life sciences with 25 companies and the machine industry with 18 and financial services with 13 companies. The life sciences companies created 235 jobs, followed by the ICT companies with 154 jobs.
However, the importance of the companies for the location goes beyond the number of new jobs. “We specifically address those companies that achieve high added value and strengthen the existing ecosystem,” said GZA Managing Director Sonja Wollkopf Walt at a digital media conference.
One of the newly settled companies is Benchling . The American provider of cloud solutions for life sciences wants to create up to 150 jobs in the Circle at Zurich Airport. The Chinese pharmaceutical company Hengrui already has its European headquarters in Basel and is now setting up a research and development site in Zurich.
The German RegTech company targens will sell its software for compliance solutions to banks in Switzerland and Liechtenstein from Schwanden GL. Ruedi Becker, the Swiss head of the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg subsidiary, was able to convince his superiors of the advantages of Glarus together with the GZA.
That pleases the Glarner location promoter Christian Zehnder. So far, Glarus has been strong in manufacturing and food production. “We want to get away from our traditional image,” he said. “When companies settle here, however, we depend on the strong partner GZA, who markets the location internationally.”
Sonja Wollkopf Walt sees it similarly: the settlement of targens strengthens the ecosystem as a whole and sends the signal that the economic area extends beyond Zurich and Zug. “In the Greater Zurich Area there is the ideal location for every company.”
The Greater Zurich Area includes the cantons of Glarus, Graubünden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, Zug and Zurich.
With the “SVSM Dialogue” series of events, the Swiss Association for Location Management SVSM imparts specialist knowledge and connects location managers, business developers, real estate experts, spatial planners and other interested parties. At the upcoming spring event, which will take place on March 31, 2022 from 3 p.m. to 6.30 p.m., practical presentations from Upper Valais, the city of Baden and the Wil region will provide valuable technical input for day-to-day work. At the “SVSM Dialogue on Location Management”, three exciting speakers will use case studies to show practical solutions and strategies and discuss current challenges: Thomas Lütolf, Head of Location Promotion City of Baden, will present the regional economic vision of the Baden North district. Anne Rombach-Jung, managing director of REGIO WIL, talks about the future of WILWEST and Esther Schlumpf, project manager at the Upper Valais regional and economic center, deals with the question of whether governance can be a success factor for regional development.
Be there – on site or via live streaming The “SVSM Dialogue Site Management” is held as a hybrid event: The participants either attend the event on site in the unique ambience of the garden hall of the Villa Boveri in Baden or join the event virtually – the entire event is streamed live and offers thanks to a special Event platform also gives virtual participants the opportunity to interact. After registering online, all participants will receive a personal participation link with which they can log into the event via a browser. The event is free for members of the SVSM. Non-members pay a fee of CHF 50. If a membership is registered during or after the event, this amount will be refunded.
SVSM Awards for innovative projects In addition to the hybrid specialist conferences, the “SVSM Awards” are another focus of the SVSM. These will be awarded again in 2022 after a two-year break due to the pandemic. The awards are aimed at small and large projects – from local to national. The “SVSM Awards” want to make the variety and quality as well as the innovative strength of projects from all over the country visible and thus strengthen the position of the corresponding organizations and initiatives. The “SVSM Awards” are both an incentive and a reward for those involved in the area of location and business development. Projects with a particularly high degree of innovative strength are awarded. Possible examples are location strategies, area developments and corresponding positioning, projects to promote innovation and business clusters, projects to establish or strengthen location brands, promotional activities and campaigns, events that strengthen a location, or organizational development and cooperation models. Applications for the awards are made using an online form. A jury of experts selects the nominated projects from all submissions. The nominees then have the opportunity to present their project to the jury in a virtual session. The announcement of the winning projects and the presentation of the awards will take place as part of the “SVSM Dialogue Economic Promotion” on November 2, 2022.
Further information and online application: https://svsm-standortmanagement.ch/awards
The umbrella organization for location promotions The Swiss Association for Location Management SVSM is a professional association founded in 1998. It enables the interdisciplinary exchange of information and experience, links teaching, research and practice, promotes professionalization in site management and is the contact for questions about site management. The SVSM currently has around 80 members from the areas of location and business development, c, real estate as well as training and further education. Twice a year, the SVSM organizes the hybrid conference “SVSM Dialog”; in spring with a focus on topics related to location promotion, in autumn with a focus on economic development. After a break due to the pandemic, the trade association is again presenting the “SVSM Awards” this year for innovative projects in the area of location management and business development. At the beginning of October, the SVSM – also after a two-year break – once again organizes the popular guided visit to Europe’s largest trade fair for locations and real estate, the Expo Real in Munich.
Further information on the SVSM: https://svsm-standortmanagement.ch
The municipality of Bachenbülach has decided to join the business and location development Zurich Airport Region ( FRZ ). This increases the number of participating cities and municipalities to 14, according to a press release . Most recently, Volketswil joined the FRZ network.
According to the press release, the municipal council considers membership of the FRZ to be “beneficial for the municipality, the population of Bachenbülach and the entire economic region around Zurich Airport”. The community has “grown a lot” in recent years, to 4221 inhabitants.
In addition to the cities and municipalities and their total of 185,000 inhabitants, around 750 companies belong to the FRZ network. They have around 250,000 jobs. The FRZ is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
The Swiss Association for Location Management ( SVSM ) invites you to a specialist conference on Thursday, March 31, as part of the SVSM Dialog event series. According to the media release , the event from 3.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. will take place on site in the Villa Boveri in Baden or virtually via the Veertly platform. At the spring event of the SVSM there are practical presentations from Upper Valais, the city of Baden and the Wil region. Case studies would be used to show practical solutions and strategies and then discuss current challenges. Those who are connected virtually can join the discussion via the interactive platform. The event is free for members of the SVSM, non-members pay a fee of 50 francs.
In addition to the dialogue event, the ordinary general assembly of the SVSM also takes place in the Villa Boveri. Non-members participating in the dialogue are also welcome, according to the association’s statement.
Regarding the program, it is said that the head of location promotion for the city of Baden, Thomas Lütolf, will present the regional economic vision of the Baden Nord city district. Anne Rombach-Jung, Managing Director REGIO WIL, talks about the future of WILWEST. Esther Schlumpf, project manager at the Upper Valais regional and economic center, will address the question of whether governance can be a success factor for regional development.
The new motto “Space leads more” of the Limmatstadt AG location promotion will be adopted by several municipalities in the Limmattal and, according to the media release, will be used as a logo in the communication. Limmatstadt AG operates location promotion in the Limmattal across cantons.
For example, since Thursday the Schlieren website has read: “Schlieren. part of the Limmat city. Room for more.” According to the statement, the large brackets around the statement symbolize the sense of unity in the region and the understanding that the Limmat Valley towns and communities have more power with a common self-image. In this way, the municipalities, together with the Zurich Planning Group Limmattal ( ZPL ), show their commitment to the region. According to the announcement, the appearance was created as a joint effort in workshops with the municipalities and the Baden agency Kommpakt .
According to the press release, the Limmatstadt municipalities of Bergdietikon, Dietikon, Geroldswil, Schlieren, Turgi, Uitikon, Unterengstringen, Urdorf and Weiningen as well as the ZPL maintain service agreements with the Limmatstadt location promotion. Since it was founded in 2014, Limmatstadt AG has been committed to regional awareness, a common living and economic area, increased networking, sustainable development and joint positioning. At the General Assembly in August 2021 in the JED in Schlieren, the new motto “Room for more.” was approved.
Economic area of technologies The economic “core competencies” lie in photonics, textile and material technologies, precision technologies, ICT services and medical technology. Corresponding specialists are also available in large numbers across borders. Their training and further education is guaranteed thanks to the intensive cooperation between industry, vocational and technical colleges and the University of St. Gallen. The ongoing IT education offensive reinforces the already tech-savvy economic atmosphere.
In the economic region there are still very attractive areas and transformation areas, even in very central locations, which are constantly being developed. They offer a lot of potential for projects and company settlements.
Innovation park symbolizes departure In the city of St. Gallen, the economic center of Eastern Switzerland, the University of St. Gallen and the Cantonal Hospital have supraregional appeal. Empa St. Gallen also positions itself through its scientific excellence. On the basis of these three institutions, the application for “Park Ost” to Switzerland Innovation was successful. In addition, the DNA for ICT, health technologies and start-ups is already developed in the urban location and provides an ideal breeding ground for this.
City as a center of business and life The city of St. Gallen is a center that radiates far and wide, not only economically, but also culturally and urbanly. With over 80,000 employees, it is the labor market center in Eastern Switzerland. Impulses such as the new “School of Medicine” (Joint Medical Master) and the “School of Computer Science” at the University of St. Gallen offer close proximity to specialists for companies in these growth sectors.
The start-up innovation network “Startfeld” or the networks for ICT and health provide uncomplicated access to local partners and enable joint development.
The short distances, the compact city and the proximity to the surrounding nature from Säntis to Lake Constance form the basis for the very high quality of life.
Testimonials
Josef Brusa President of the Board of Directors of Brusa Elektronik AG
“Everything is right at the Buchs campus. We were able to establish ourselves here thanks to the good cooperation with the cantonal location promotion, the city and local community of Buchs, the university and Lippuner Immobilien. "
Thomas Harring CEO Leica Geosystems
"Our Heerbrugg innovation factory is the embodiment of Switzerland as a workplace: innovation leadership and high manufacturing quality, which is ensured by well-trained employees and the network of industrial companies and research institutions."
Roger Dudler CEO Frontify
«Frontify offers a workplace of the future in the heart of St. Gallen. We are continuously working to bring our more than 200 employees (around 180 of them in St. Gallen) together and to offer them the ideal basis to be able to work on something big every day. "
Roland Ledergerber Chairman of the Board of Directors of Switzerland Innovation Park Ost AG
“In St. Gallen and at the second location in Buchs, experts from research and business will network and jointly create innovative products. The innovation park should be operational from the end of 2022, and it should reach its full capacity from 2025. "
Portraits and contact details of the heads of location promotion:
Are you looking for an attractive, competitive and innovative location for your company and would you like to develop further or settle in the canton of St. Gallen? We would be happy to support you personally.
Daniel Müller, Head of Location Promotion Canton St. Gallen | Department of Economic Affairs | Office for Economy and Labor Davidstrasse 35, CH-9001 St.Gallen
T +41 58 229 14 07 daniel.mueller@sg.ch www.standort.sg.ch
The promotion of the city of St. Gallen actively contributes to the further development of the business and living location of St. Gallen and to positioning it attractively in the competition for locations.
Samuel Zuberbühler, Head of Location Promotion City of St. Gallen Poststrasse 28, CH-9001 St.Gallen
The airport area in Dübendorf is to develop into a lively urban quarter in the coming years. A center for innovation, research and jobs is to be created. The aviation infrastructure is to be secured as a strategic reserve.
The Zurich Government Council has now submitted a synthesis report to the Cantonal Council, as stated in a communication . This was drawn up by the federal government, the canton, the local authorities and other parties involved. It forms the basis for the further development of the area. It is now to be advised first by a special commission set up by the Cantonal Council.
The government council intends to submit three proposals to the cantonal council by spring 2022. These deal with the creation of planning rights, a revision of the structure plan and a planning loan.
The November issue of the “ Baden aktuell ” magazine makes the city on the Limmat the topic of the month. In an interview, the managing director of the Limmatstadt AG location promotion company, Jasmina Ritz, explains the vision of the Limmatstadt. This is more than just a synonym for Baden and Zurich, she is quoted as saying.
According to Ritz, the term Limmatstadt stands for the entire region along the Limmat. Seen in this way, the Limmat Valley is not located on the edge of two cities, but in their center and forms a whole. Ritz: “This change of perspective is central. The Limmatstadt with its around 20 cities and municipalities has what many other regions do not have: space for more. "
The fact that the Limmat Valley is now becoming the Limmat City is a logical consequence of developments over the past 20 years. One associates the idea of a classic agglomeration with the Limmattal. So industrial location, specialist stores, traffic axis. Jasmina Ritz believes that the reality is different today. With its contrasts and diversity, the region forms a spatial unit, embedded in the Limmatraum and the hills. With the Limmattalbahn, the region is also receiving an urban mode of transport. Ritz: "The Limmattalbahn turns the agglo into an attractive urban region."
The merging of the region is also interesting for Baden. The managing director of location promotion refers to the practice: “The communities in the region are all in the same boat, so it is worth joining forces. It has little weight when the city of Baden knocks in Bern. But if an entire region presents, the pressure increases, ”she is quoted as saying.
Regarding the canton border between Zurich and Aargau, which runs in the middle of the city on the Limmat, she says: "Political borders no longer correspond to the realities of life." The fragmentation of the region prevents greater thinking and action. However, an overall view of the competition between the regions is necessary. This becomes clear in challenges such as traffic solutions. The Limmattalbahn will open in 2022. It creates connections between places, people and workplaces beyond the canton's borders. This train is much more than a means of transport. Ritz: "Where there are rails, there is a city."
At the beginning of this year you took over the management of location promotion. What measures have you taken to settle in well and quickly? Fabian Streiff: An important point for me was networking with cantonal actors, representatives from business and science. Due to the circumstances, this first had to be done virtually. But even more relevant for me was the question of how we can support companies – especially during the pandemic. The companies’ need for information was enormous. Especially in times when instruments such as short-time work and hardship aid were used.
What exactly have you done to support the companies? The Office for Economy and Labor sought an intensive exchange with entrepreneurs early on in order to find out which issues we need to address at national level and which we can solve within the canton. We have also set up a hotline for companies and continuously updated various websites. Now we are looking to the future and addressing the question of how we can positively influence the attractiveness of Zurich as a business location.
What is this plan like? Discussions with Zurich-based companies confirmed that we should focus even more on an attractive innovation location. Innovations are increasingly emerging in networks, which is why strong innovation ecosystems make a significant contribution to the future success of Zurich’s economy. This needs to be strengthened. A central theme are new hybrid forms of work such as home offices or working from co-working spaces. We have to ask ourselves what this means for the location and its development. It is also exciting to see how Zurich can remain an attractive business location for companies. Are there opportunities to improve access to talent and specialists, especially in the context of mobile working? What role can the state play in making a contribution here? These are all open questions – we are already seeing trends, but of course also the consequences of them, such as the discussion about making labor law more flexible.
Is Zurich really losing its attractiveness as a business location? Many companies answer this question with a resounding no. But shifts are becoming apparent. Large companies are forecasting a concentration on individual locations within the next two years. This means that certain properties could become vacant. On the other hand, these could quickly be used again for new forms of work such as co-working spaces. Rural centers are likely to be revitalized thanks to home office options. The business location Zurich is also strengthened by the universities, which do a great job with their successful spin-offs and research work and are right at the top of the rankings. The companies in the canton of Zurich were also able to attract risk capital on a large scale last year, which is very gratifying.
How did this positive development come about despite the pandemic? Zurich has positioned itself well in recent years, especially with a view to digital transformation. Top talent is needed here and can be found at the Zurich location. This is thanks to the universities and the talent pool, which has been able to develop significantly in recent years. At first the banks had a magnetic effect, now it is the large companies from the information and communication technology sector. The interaction of the various industries is very promising for the future. We are also registering positive developments in the area of research. The points mentioned are becoming more and more relevant in the location competition. But other locations don’t sleep and have positioned themselves very well nationally and internationally, which is why the leading position of the Canton of Zurich cannot be taken for granted. It must continue to be strengthened in the area of innovation.
The canton of Zurich is Switzerland’s leading business location. Why? The attractiveness of Zurich is based on various factors. Starting with education, through a highly qualified workforce, to strong sectors from the financial sector and increasingly from the areas of life science technology, cleantech and information and communication technology. This diversity of competencies enables strong ecosystems, which strengthen cross-industry learning and innovation. The quality of life per se also speaks in favor of Zurich as a location.
What are you doing to secure this status in the future? Our new strategy has three focal points: The first is the strong focus on innovation topics in the areas of financial technology, digital health, biotech, cleantech and new mobility. Here we want to create more networking and opportunities for cooperation. The second focus is on cooperation with regional location subsidies in order to strengthen the diversity of the industry. The size of the Canton of Zurich requires networked work in order to do justice to the diversity of the individual regions. In this way, we can also support exciting regional projects, such as was the case with the Bio-Technopark in Schlieren. We are currently also seeing this at the Digital Health Center in Bülach. The third focus is on creating attractive framework conditions, especially in the area of innovation. Here we can work to ensure that the regulations at federal level are adapted for specific innovation topics.
Which regulations are in urgent need of adjustment? With Zurich as a strong innovation location, the focus is currently on the consequences and solutions following the failed framework agreement with the EU. The exclusion from Horizon Europe weighs heavily. Adjustments to labor law due to changed needs must also be checked – such as when working on the move.
Which areas are companies currently looking for the most? From the customer side, we see a need for space in well-developed locations that are integrated into an ecosystem. Connections to universities are being sought more and more. Biotech laboratories are also becoming increasingly important. Schlieren was able to develop enormously in this area. Nevertheless, we are registering a demand here that cannot yet be satisfied nationwide.
What is the problem? In the biotech sector, the space that comes onto the market is occupied again very quickly. More and more investors are needed who are willing to invest in laboratories. Such a project usually takes two years or more to develop. Appropriate foresighted planning is imperative.
How do you see the future for the office buildings in the canton of Zurich in light of the changing work models? We are currently grappling with this question. In general, employers want to become even more attractive. The demands on an office workplace will therefore increase. But whether that means that more space is required for each employee, or whether there will be mergers, we will only see in one or two years. But we believe that co-working will become even more important. However, in a more comprehensive form than today – in the sense of a meeting place where an in-depth exchange with science, the authorities and other actors in the ecosystem can take place. Quasi a co-working plus.
Which locations are most desirable? The city of Zurich and the airport region remain very attractive. At the airport, we are seeing high demand for the newly built The Circle. And the Limmattal has become even more attractive with the Limmattalbahn and the Bio-Technopark. The city of Winterthur and the Zimmerberg region are also popular locations thanks to the ZHAW.
Which companies are interested in The Circle? The Circle not only attracts companies from the information and communication technology sector such as Microsoft or Oracle, but also from the life sciences sector. Digital health is an important topic here. After a difficult start-up phase caused by Corona, the business on the Circle is now picking up, and 85 percent of the space is already rented.
What are the most important source markets for the Canton of Zurich? The USA is still by far the strongest market. Europe, especially Germany, as well as China and Japan are also important. We are now concentrating on Korea and Israel. Companies are increasingly thinking in terms of research and development hubs. For many companies, Zurich is not only an international business location, but also such a hub. Marketing abroad is handled by the Greater Zurich Area location marketing organization for us.
How should Zurich as a business location develop over the next 10 years? It should become even stronger as an innovation location. Zurich has a long history and is well known as a financial center. That is important – also with a view to future settlements in the area of financial technology. Zurich should also distinguish itself in the areas of artificial intelligence and new mobility, such as the development of autonomous systems. We believe in a move away from the traditional Zurich financial center towards a business location that will be very strong in the new topics mentioned and in digitization. The Zurich economy is already well positioned and is resistant to crises – but in the future Zurich should become even more innovative, attractive and thus even stronger.
Hofer Kommunalmanagement AG in Riniken presents three new board members. According to a press release , Otto Müller, mayor of Dietikon until 2018, the former CVP National Councilor Melchior Ehrler and the Limmattal network manager Jürg Hässig are new members of the board of directors. Bruno Hofer, founder of the agency for location promotion, which has also been active in the Limmattal since 2007, becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Hofer is setting a new focus in location development advice, according to the press release. For this purpose, the newly developed method for community management, the systemic community management SysKom, which is now under trademark protection, is being marketed throughout Switzerland. A market analysis has shown that the need for location promotion in Swiss municipalities exists and is growing, Hofer is quoted as saying: "The competition between locations virtually forces us to carry out impact-oriented location promotion."
The methodological approach created by Hofer and his employees in Riniken is described in the media release as a handy method that is intended to help cities, municipalities and regions to experience an upgrade for their location in a simple process, which can also be reflected in rankings. According to Hofer municipal management, the method comprises eight steps from determining the location to spatial planning and location communication. According to the announcement, the end point is location marketing.
The Aargau government council has appointed Verena Rohrer as the new head of the cantonal location promotion agency Aargau Services . She is the successor to Annelise Alig Anderhalden, who accepted a new challenge in the spring. Rohrer will take up her new position on January 1, 2022.
According to a statement from the government council, Rohrer is very well anchored in the canton of Aargau. From 2011 to 2017 she was in charge of the regional Brugg Regio location promotion. In addition, the 40-year-old also has several years of experience in the private sector. For example, she is a member of the executive board of the wholesaler Bio Partner Switzerland based in Seon AG. Rohrer has been Head of Central Services at Caritas Aargau since 2019.
“Due to her knowledge of location promotion, her networking in the canton and her professional experience, Verena Rohrer has the best prerequisites to decisively further develop the location promotion of the canton of Aargau together with the experienced employees of Aargau Services,” said government councilor Dieter Egli (SP), head of the department Economics and Home Affairs, quoted in the communication.
The Aargau Services location promotion contributes to the continuous improvement of the business environment in Aargau. It also supports foreign companies wishing to settle in the canton. As part of the implementation of the new cantonal development model, Aargau Services will, according to its own information, also take on important tasks. The development model envisages further strengthening the business location and linking living and working in the canton more closely.
The city of Zurich accepted the Green City Switzerland award in gold on Thursday evening. As city councilor Richard Wolff said on this occasion, according to a press release , this seal is “both recognition and incentive. We are on the right track and know where we need to improve further ”.
In 2019, the city council commissioned the Green City Zurich service department of the civil engineering and waste disposal department to have the city of Zurich certified with the Green City Switzerland label. It is awarded by the Association of Swiss Urban Gardeners and Horticultural Offices according to uniform criteria. Not only core processes such as planning and construction, care and maintenance, but also management and support processes are assessed. Zurich received 451 out of a possible 500 points.
“This is an excellent result and a role model,” says Markus Weibel from the Label Commission. It shows that it “sets high standards and is made for both urban communities and the largest city in Switzerland”.
The team of experts particularly praised the “very good, long-term planning basis”, in which sustainable topics and biodiversity are given high priority. The binding basis for the near-natural maintenance and management of urban green and open spaces was also praised. In addition, the green spaces would be integrated to reduce heat.
The results of the first working phase of the model city project were noted and discussed by the representatives of the 13 participating municipalities. According to a media release from the city of Baden , the municipalities' figures and data compiled in four working groups were analyzed and assessed. The further procedure in the 2nd project phase was also decided.
The 13 municipalities of the model city include Baden, Birmenstorf, Ehrendingen, Ennetbaden, Fislisbach, Gibstorf, Mägenwil, Mellingen, Neuenhof, Oberrohrdorf, Obersiggenthal, Turgi and Wettingen.
In the discussion on authorities, administration and organization, considerable differences between the municipalities were found, according to the press release. In the area of finance, it was determined, among other things, that the tax income per inhabitant in the model city in 2019 was 14 percent above the Aargau average. It is also assumed that the debt in the model city communities will increase significantly on average in the financial planning period up to 2025 due to high investments.
In the case of health, society and social affairs, simple and immediate reorganization or reorganization are hardly possible due to the complexity. But cooperation is feasible. The analysis of settlement development, spatial planning and mobility showed that the consolidation of the municipalities would not contribute to a cost reduction overall. Increased efficiency is also possible today.
For the second phase of the project, it was decided to continue working on three topics from phase 1. In cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), a “talent pool” is to be developed which enables learners to continue to be employed in one of the 13 model communities after completing their apprenticeship. The other projects are regionalization of tax offices and the development of a joint solution for refugee care. In the second phase, there will be a joint IT infrastructure, model planning for a sub-area of land use planning, and coordination of the development prognoses for the number of pupils as well as school space planning and school buildings.
The Aargau government council has presented the task and financial plan for the years 2022 to 2025. It also provides for measures to increase the attractiveness of the business location, including the settlement of new companies. According to the government's embassy, Aargau and its advantages should be made better known to companies abroad. "That is why additional measures should be examined and implemented in this area in order to increase the density of companies in Aargau in the long term."
When it comes to settling in, the canton wants to concentrate primarily on the sectors in which it is already strong today, namely the life sciences and the energy industry. The focus is on industrial companies and industry-related service providers who rely on a highly qualified workforce. The aim is to locate between twelve and 14 companies each year, including six to eight in the two focus industries. In the past year five companies were relocated, three of them in the focus industries. The acquisition strategy is to be developed next year and applied in a selected market from 2023.
According to the embassy, it will be checked as early as 2022 whether the canton should join an existing cross-cantonal organization of location marketing. The canton was one of the founders of the Greater Zurich Area (GZA) in 1999, but later left it. Today, GZA is the largest location marketing organization with nine German and Italian-speaking member cantons, including the three neighboring cantons of Aargau: Solothurn, Zug and Zurich. Aargau also borders the Basel Area Business & Innovation , to which the two Basel cantons and the Jura belong.
With Lucerne, Nidwalden and Obwalden, the Aargau is only one of four cantons that do not belong to any cross-cantonal organization of location marketing. Western Switzerland is organized in the Greater Geneva Bern area , the four cantons of Eastern Switzerland in the St.GallenBodenseeArea .
Together with the City of Lucerne,the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts is testing the potential of augmented reality (AR) in urban planning. To this end, the university has developed an AR visualization of possible redesign measures in Bahnhofstrasse and Theaterplatz. For example, the projected second row of trees, the new Velostation and the mobile seating including planting could be experienced visually, according to a press release from the university.
The research groups Visual Narrative from the Department of Design & Art and Immersive Realities Research Lab from the Department of Computer Science as well as the Civil Engineering Department of the City of Lucerne were involved in the joint project. It has now been presented to the media. Presentations for the general public will follow on three days in September.
The AR visualization can be used on common tablets. The real environment appears on the display with virtual objects projected over it. Planned structural interventions can be viewed three-dimensionally and spatially. “Users can experience on site how Bahnhofstrasse could be designed and used in the future without any real structural or other interventions being necessary,” project manager Tobias Matter is quoted in the press release.
This would give all decision-makers from different areas the opportunity to take an uncomplicated and active part in the planning. In contrast, plans, models and specialist vocabulary are not immediately understandable for everyone. “The immersive visualization technology of augmented reality can thus be an effective tool to inform the public more transparently about construction and renovation projects, to encourage their participation in the planning and ultimately to create more acceptance for such projects among all those involved,” said Matter .
The design plan for the Obertor area was drawn up in a cooperative process with the participation of interest groups from the old town, representatives from the people's initiative for Obertor, the landowners, the city council and the city administration, the administration of the city of Winterthur informs in a message . According to her, the city council of Winterthur has now approved the design plan. Objections can be raised until October 12th.
Shops, offices and apartments are to be built on the approximately 6,500 square meter area in the old town. The design plan provides for different uses for the individual properties. Shops on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors are planned for the buildings at Obertor 11 and 13. The historical inventory of the building at Obertor 17 is intended to be used to furnish offices. In the court properties Obertor 15 and 17a, the establishment of an innovative mixed use of residential and commercial is planned.
At Badgasse 6, the concept aims to use wellness based on what was once the so-called bathtub mosque, is further explained in the communication. If this turns out to be impractical in practice, renting a health center, for example, will be considered as an alternative. The inner courtyard between Obertor and Badgasse is to be made accessible to the public as a “green island”.
The Institute for Spatial Development (IRAP) of the OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule has published a free step-by-step guide for questions about redensification in small communities. It is intended to support communities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants to prepare their own settlement strategy, according to a media release .
A total of 95 percent of the municipalities in Switzerland have fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. The correspondingly small administrations often do not employ any specialist staff for spatial planning. According to a press release, this means that nobody cares about high-quality settlement densification. Since the revision of the Spatial Planning Act 2014, however, localities have only been allowed to develop within their existing area in order to prevent urban sprawl.
The free guide of the IRAP is intended to give you a start. The paper comprises seven chapters on 40 pages and is intended to answer questions such as "how much growth can our community expect?", "Where in our building zones makes the most sense of densification?" And "how do we launch these projects?".
"With this methodology, qualified spatial planners should be able to work out an interior development strategy for the entire municipality within a maximum of 200 to 300 hours for communities with up to 10,000 inhabitants, and thus for less than CHF 50,000" -Professor Andreas Schneider quoted in the press release.
The complete method manual is available online for download free of charge.
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