October 14, 2015 8:39 am, Daniel Bangser
https://tech.co/hackers-innovators-make-switzerland-headquarters-2015-10
Conferences
Hackers and Innovators Make Switzerland Their Headquarters Innovation leaders from markets all around the world are flocking to Switzerland. Driving this move is the desire to live and work among a community of people developing the products and services of the future. The fact that Switzerland consistently ranks at the top of the Global Innovation Index speaks to the country’s overall focus on supporting a forward-looking, innovative ecosystem of companies. The country has earned a reputation for growing startups quickly due to is ability to simplify the setup process. Just consider Switzerland’s reduced tax rate for startups, the country’s generous network of business angels, incubators, and organizations all aimed at inspiring and boosting entrepreneurial ideas and talents.
Proof that Switzerland is a strong incubator for technology companies: • Large technology companies are expanding their footprint to Switzerland including Google (which has its largest office outside of the US in Zurich), Microsoft, Uber, IBM, Yahoo, Siemens, Bosch, Skullcandy, Disney Research Lab, and many others. • More than 300 startups and organizations in the fields of science, technology, and economics are now located in the Technopark complex in Zurich.
• Zurich has more than a third of the startups in the Swiss Switzerland has also strengthened its reputation Start-up Monitor, an independent database which tracks in innovation and ICT via an increasing number of and shares start-up performance data. renowned conferences and events. Here is a look at three of the main gatherings taking (or having taken) • Zug has become known as “Crypto Valley” because place this fall: many of the world’s leading cryptocurrency innovators are located in this area. • HackZurich (Oct. 2-4, 2015) – Imagine 500 hackers locked in a room for 40 hours over 3 days in Zurich. Some • Switzerland is home to many of the world’s best acadeof the world’s greatest innovators spoke to the group in- mic and research institutions, such as the Swiss Federal cluding: Facebook, Cheezburger and Dacadoo. This was Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and Empa. such a high-profile event that more than 1,200 programmers from around the world applied to participate. • Many of the world’s renowned institutions are located in Switzerland, including European Organization for Nuc• Nipconf (Oct. 30, 2015) – A global technology confe- lear Research (CERN), the Swiss National Supercompurence held at the Swiss Tech Convention Center in Laus- ting Center, the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligenanne focused on providing content by and for enthusiasts ce Research, and The Swiss Center for Electronics and of innovation. This year’s theme, “From Matter to Spirit ex- Microtechnology. amines the convex between the physical and virtual/data worlds which is increasingly mixed. Speakers from IBM, It may be quite some time before Switzerland begins to riBlueBotics and SigFox will inspire attendees with their val Silicon Valley, given most of its startups focus on medknowledge and experience. tech, fintech, and life sciences and less on broader consumer-oriented businesses, which get more public attention. • Swiss Innovation Forum (November 19, 2015) – In However, like many world famous technology hubs, Switaddition to high-profile speakers, more than 1,000 partici- zerland has attracted innovative businesses that are tapants are expected to attend and take part in seminars at king advantage of its strong talent pool and ICT-friendly the Basel Congress Center. For its 10th anniversary, the business environment to expand their businesses quickly. Swiss Innovation Forum will touch on various hot topics If the hackers and innovators could have their way, Switincluding humanoid robots and 3D-printed houses. zerland could become the beacon of technology innovation within the next decade.