Annual Report 2016
Inspiring
Partnerships
Dear reader,
The world of education, research and innovation is international in essence: Mobility of talent, research collaboration and exchange of expertise naturally transgress borders and continents. It is a process of give and take, of sharing knowledge and ideas, to which Switzerland is fully committed to and recognized for. The swissnex Network illustrates this commitment by supporting the international outreach of Swiss stakeholders in the field of education, research and innovation and strengthening CH’s image a world-leader in this domain.
Currently, the swissnex Network, which is run by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) in collaboration with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), has been set up in nearly 30 locations. In addition to our five swissnex locations and their outposts, there are twenty Science and Technology Counselors (STCs) and Science and Technology Offices (STOs) in Swiss embassies around the world. In order to enhance the visibility of the network, this year’s edition of the Annual Report includes a glimpse into the activities of a selected number of STC and STO locations.
The theme of “Inspiring partnerships” is at the core of this year’s swissnex network Annual Report. For instance, in San Francisco, swissnex gathered researchers, entrepreneurs and other creative thinkers, together under one roof with the Consulate General, at the newly opened Pier 17 creating a vibrant environment, which led to many new connections and to an exchange of ideas. In China, the strategic partnership between the Canton of Vaud and swissnex Shanghai resulted in an expanded presence and diversified collaboration of the Canton’s higher education institution. Lastly, the Science and Technology Office in Tokyo has attracted the media’s attention in Japan with the Cybathlon, which is an international competition organized in Zurich featuring the latest technologies to assist individuals with physical disabilities.
In order to inspire its partners, the swissnex Network aims to cross inter- and transdisciplinary boundaries and to help discover new ways of looking at a problem. This is why the network has such a diverse spectrum of partners, from higher education institutions, to start-ups, government agencies, foundations and other Swiss organizations abroad – all sharing the same goal to enhance Switzerland’s presence abroad as well as its capability to shape the future by fostering innovation and talents.
I hope you will enjoy our selection of articles, slideshows and videos and take a glimpse at what the swissnex Network has been working on and achieved in 2016. Let yourself be inspired!
Yours sincerely,
Mauro Dell’Ambrogio, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation
State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation
Switzerland
Highlights
Choose a filter from the list below to explore our 2016 Highlights
Review by Pascal Marmier
ChinaPascal Marmier, CEO of swissnex China until the end of 2016, hands over the baton to his successor, Felix Moesner.
China
Review by Felix Moesner
Boston & New YorkFelix Moesner, CEO of swissnex Boston, recounts the highlights of 2016 and takes an outlook on the planned activities in 2017.
Boston & New York
Review by Christian Simm
San FranciscoIn 2016 swissnex San Francisco entered a new era by moving into its new location at Pier 17, under one roof with the Swiss Consulate, the Swiss Business Hub, and Switzerland Tourism. Inside its premises, swissnex San Francisco now has the space to host up to fifty “Residents,” – other organizations interested in joining our...
San Francisco
Review by Gioia Deucher
BrazilThe youngest member of the swissnex family is starting to grow up and we are looking back on a trajectory of steady transformation into an actor of local and international relevance in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. This is the basis for swissnex Brazil in 2017: we can now play the role of connector,...
Brazil
Balz Strasser
India2016 was the year of big ambitions. And big ambitions are often followed by bigger challenges. Challenges that inspire us to reach beyond our goals. From venturing into unexplored avenues such as Spacetech and Fintech to diving deeper into established sectors like Medtech, swissnex India succeeded in connecting some dots, which once seemed unachievable. Among...
India
London: Tech City welcomed Swiss Start-Ups
STCs / STOs
The CTI Market Entry Camp UK provided visiting startups with a temporary workspace at London’s famous incubator «The Trampery»….
Tokyo: Cybathlon Pep Rally
STCs / STOs
On Tuesday, June 28 2016, more than 100 people found their way to FabCafe Tokyo in Shibuya to participate in the Cybathlon Pep Rally. The event was organized by the S&T Office Tokyo to introduce the three participating teams from Japan and to inform the Japanese public about the Cybathlon scheduled to to take place three months later in Zurich…
Intro video Yves Daccord
San Francisco
On December 8, 2016, swissnex San Francisco introduced some of the most interesting minds in Silicon Valley to Yves Daccord, Director General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). In private meetings and in a public presentation, we connected Daccord to humanitarian innovators and leaders of corporations to fuel new ideas and potential collaborations..
Medtech and Healthcare Startup Tour India 2016
India
In September 2016, swissnex India welcomed Swiss Medtech and Healthcare entrepreneurs and investors for a multi-city immersion into the Bangalore and New Delhi ecosystem. The delegates got the chance to visit world-class research institutions, met with potential local partners and pitched their ideas to a plenum of Indian entrepreneurs and investors…
Space Week in India
India
Connecting Swiss space organizations with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)…
China online learning platform
China
In 2016, swissnex China had a major achievement in transforming its knowledge and expertise into digital format, creating an online learning platform covering various topics from fintech and healthcare, to higher education…
Washington: Promoting Switzerland’s dual education system
STCs / STOs
The Office of Science, Technology, and Higher Education (OSTHE) at the Swiss Embassy in Washington D.C. had an exciting year in 2016. Aside from work in other science fields and the support of scholarship programs, the office was involved in promoting awareness of the Swiss Apprenticeship Model…
Tokyo: Swiss Art & Design Universities re-imported by Japanese Graduates
STCs / STOs
Six Swiss art and design universities were showcased at the successful Re-Importation exhibition by seven up-and-coming Japanese designers who studied outside of Japan, including four graduates freshly out of ECAL (École cantonale d’art de Lausanne). Almost 500 guests, mostly prospective students, journalists covering the relevant fields and prominent designers visited the six-day event in November 2016 in the center of Tokyo…
Seoul: STO Highlights 2016
STCs / STOs
The President of the Swiss Confederation, Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, who was a special guest, opened the symposium. A total of 18 speakers, from both Switzerland and Korea, took part in the Symposium to share meaningful information about digital health…
Moscow: Alumni Event at the Swiss Embassy
STCs / STOs
On the 4th of July 2016, Ambassador Pierre Helg hosted a reception at his residence for the Winners of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships – 2016 and Alumni of this program…
Paris: Launching the Innovation Award at the Swiss Embassy
STCs / STOs
In 2016, the economy, finance and science section of the Embassy in Paris organized several events in the fields of education, science and innovation…
London: Swiss Reception in Liverpool helps universities build global links
STCs / STOs
The last few years have highlighted the importance of international partnerships for Swiss universities – as well as the effort required to negotiate such partnerships….
Brussels: The European research program Horizon H2020
STCs / STOs
For the Swiss research area, 2016 has been a difficult yet rewarding year. The consequences of the vote on the free movement of people that took place on February 9 2014 created uncertainty regarding our participation in the European research program Horizon 2020. On December 16 2016, however, the Swiss Parliament adopted a new law on the…
Exploring synergies under one roof
San Francisco
The Swiss and San Francisco community celebrated the launch of the shared waterfront hub for Swiss innovation: a place for international collaboration among diplomats, academics, creatives, and entrepreneurs…
Givaudan Testimonials
San Francisco
Swissnex San Francisco has worked with Givaudan since early 2016, scouting market and technology trends and potential partners for their core businesses: flavor and fragrance…
Sundance New Frontiers
San Francisco
The New Frontiers exhibition at the Sundance film festival highlights the best in new storytelling technologies, from interactive experiences and performances to a whole new generation of films…
Pier to Pier Networking
San Francisco
Pier to Pier is a loose coalition created by swissnex San Francisco after our grand opening on the San Francisco waterfront. The network brings Switzerland closer to the Bay Area through alliances with institutions on the Embarcadero, including the Exploratorium, Autodesk, and IDEO…
Three years with the CTI to make India a preferred startup destination
India
The Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI) has been the backbone of Entrepreneurship and Innovation initiatives at swissnex India. In 2013, when we set out to put India on the map for Swiss startups, the CTI lent us a strong hand in fostering innovation and connecting Swiss and Indian innovation communities…
The Gaming fever continues
India
Every year, swissnex India hosts a gaming night to showcase Swiss creativity and innovation in gaming to Indian game lovers…
Robo-Revolution 2016 – A deep dive into underwater robotics
India
swissnex India and the Autonomous Systems Lab of the ETH Zurich have a long-standing partnership in showcasing Swiss excellence in the field of artificial intelligence…
A Success Story of the Canton of Vaud in China
China
The Sino-Swiss relationship in higher education made great progress in 2016, thanks to the efforts of both countries. Innovation and the University of Applied Science (UAS) were the major driving forces…
First Swiss UAS Delegation on Healthcare in East Asia
China STCs / STOs
On the topic of “Healthy Ageing”, a delegation of experts from various Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Switzerland went on a study trip to China, Japan and Korea, to discover the local healthcare systems, their challenges and trends…
Venture leaders China 2016 – Getting A Glimpse of Opportunities in China
China
On Tuesday 25 October 2016, ten selected Swiss high-tech entrepreneurs landed in Beijing. They were totally ready for the 3rd edition of the venture leaders China program, organized by venturelab and swissnex China…
SWISS POST DELEGATION DISCOVERS E-COMMERCE…
China STCs / STOs
An executive level delegation of Swiss Post headed by its CEO Ms. Susanne Ruoff visited Shanghai (organized by swissnex China), Seoul (organized by the Science & Technology Office Seoul, Embassy of Switzerland in the Republic of Korea) and Tokyo (organized by the Science & Technology Office Tokyo, Embassy of Switzerland in Japan)…
State Visit and Sino-Swiss Economic Forum in Shanghai
China
The Swiss President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann paid a state visit to China from April 7 – 9, 2016. After meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, the two sides agreed on an ”innovative strategic partnership” with two Memoranda of Understanding signed in the field of innovation: one is between Switzerland Innovation Park and TusPark…
House of Switzerland
Brazil
Imagine a family enjoying Swiss sausages and an augmented-reality trip to the Jungfraujoch while having their phones charged with power generated by a wind-turbine developed by ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich) students. This all happened at the House of Switzerland during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016…
Universities of Applied Sciences: Study Tour
Brazil
One week of immersion in the world of the arts and social innovation for sustainability in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In 2016, swissnex Brazil organized a first-of-a-kind study tour in collaboration with swissuniversities. It primarily gathered delegates from universities of the arts, but also from the fields of life sciences and entrepreneurship. By…
Academia-Industry Training (AIT): Third Edition
Brazil
Scientrepreneurs, which we endearingly call them (scientists + entrepreneurs), might still be rare, but they are definitely a growing “species” among researchers. Scientrepreneurs are multiplying in Brazil, just like in Switzerland, thanks to programs such as the Academia-Industry Training (AIT), an initiative of the Leading House EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne) and swissnex Brazil…
Urban Farmers at the House of Switzerland
Brazil
“A corporate outlaw and a technology maverick”. That is how Urban Farmers describes itself. Inspired by the idea of a “fresh revolution” to meet the demand for large-scale healthy food production inside big cities, this Swiss start-up founded in 2011 operates urban farms on rooftops. In 2016, Brazil joined this revolutionary harvest…
Mapping Party & Resilient Cities – Smart Citizens
Brazil
Bottom-up innovation with an open-data approach – two essential concepts that can be applied to the design of better cities for people. The Mapping Party in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro turned out to be the epitome of those concepts for swissnex Brazil in 2016…
ZHAW Mini Sabbaticals
Boston & New York
Since its beginnings in 2013, the partnership with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) has brought 112 academics and researchers on “mini sabbaticals” to the various swissnex locations. In 2016, swissnex Boston…
NY Outpost
Boston & New York
swissnex New York is an outpost of swissnex Boston. Located in the heart of the financial district, swissnex New York takes advantage of the burgeoning tech scene there, also known as Silicon Alley…
University of Basel delegation visit
Boston & New York
In 2016 swissnex Boston was honored to receive a University of Basel delegation comprising President Andrea Schenker-Wicki, Executive Director Christoph Tschumi, Head of Marketing Matthias Geering, and Adjunct to the President Stefano Nigsch…
Cellulo Robots
Boston & New York
The Cambridge Science Festival is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math. Every April, more than 15,000 local kids and their parents flock to dozens of venues in Cambridge that feature interactive demos and opportunities for fun and learning. 2016 marked the festival’s tenth anniversary …
BIAN in Montréal
Boston & New York
In 2016, with support from swissnex Boston, the International Digital Art Biennial of Montréal (BIAN) featured Switzerland as its guest country: nine Swiss artists and collectives were showcased….
Aerotain
Boston & New York
Skye, developed by Swiss startup and ETH Zurich spinoff AEROTAIN, is a flying machine that can take virtually any shape.
It flies a bit like a miniature blimp or a giant beach ball, making a friendlier impression than a typical drone – and it is quieter, almost silent. It records and streams live aerial videos and images of large crowds at venues such as arenas and ….
Facts & Figures
More than 300 Events
More than 110 Swiss partners
63.5 employees (FTE)*
28 locations
More than 21 000 Facebook friends
More than 20 000 Twitter followers
Financial Statements (pdf):
Funding of Swissnex Network
The overall costs in 2016 amounted to CHF 12.61m and covers all expenses of the entire swissnex Network, including the swissnex locations, the Science and Technology Counselors (STC) and Offices (STO) and related project expenses at the swissnex Headquarters, housed within the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). These expenses are either funded by SERI, or by public or private partners. The overall costs include all expenses for operations, salaries, infrastructure, travel and projects, including in-kind services.
Funding of Swissnex locations
In 2016, the total costs of the five swissnex locations and their outposts amount to CHF 10.42m. SERI provided the swissnex locations with a funding of 5.69m. In addition, public and private partners supported and co-funded the swissnex activities with 4.72 Mio.
partners
