Yesterday, the Swiss Association for Location Management, the umbrella organization for location and economic development agencies, presented this year’s awards for innovative projects. The Canton of Zurich’s Economic Development Agency received one of the coveted awards for its “Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence” project, as did the Zürioberland Economic Development Agency for its “Echt regional” project. GZA Managing Director Sonja Wollkopf Walt was named Site Manager of the Year.
At the hybrid symposium "SVSM Dialogue on Business Promotion", location and business promoters from all over Switzerland met in Olten. The occasion was, on the one hand, the professional exchange and networking and, on the other, the presentation of the annual SVSM Awards. These awards have been presented since 2007 by the Swiss Association for Location Management SVSM, the umbrella organization of Swiss business and location promotion agencies. With this award, the umbrella organization honors targeted, effective and innovative projects in the areas of location marketing, location development and business promotion.
12 applications, five nominees, two awards
For this year's awards, 12 applications were received from all over Switzerland. An expert jury evaluated these based on defined criteria and nominated five projects for the 2023 awards:
The participants in Olten eagerly awaited the announcement by jury president and SVSM board member Katharina Hopp as to which of the nominated projects would actually receive an award. "The decision was not easy for the jury this year either," said Hopp in advance. Even a nomination for the award is an honor and recognition. The coveted trophies were finally presented to Raphael von Thiessen from the Canton of Zurich Location Promotion Agency and Sabrina Honegger from the Zürioberland Location Promotion Agency.
Award for innovation sandbox artificial intelligence
The "Artificial Intelligence Innovation Sandbox" project of the Canton of Zurich's Economic Development Agency is a test environment for the implementation of AI projects. The Sandbox is designed to promote responsible innovation by allowing the administration and participating organizations to work closely on regulatory issues and to enable the use of novel data sources. At the award ceremony, jury president Katharina Hopp praised the clear strategic approach and emphasized that projects such as the Sandbox are urgently needed, as Switzerland is lagging far behind internationally, particularly in the regulatory aspect of artificial intelligence. The jury also considered the fact that a cantonal office is networking with companies in order to jointly promote Switzerland as a high-tech location to be remarkable.
Award for "Echt regional" platform
The second award went to Standortförderung Zürioberland for its "Echt regional" project. This is an IT system for the simple certification of regional products. Until now, this has involved a great deal of effort, which has deterred some producers from applying for certification. The new platform, which several regional brands have already joined, simplifies the process and can be expanded as required. "Although the Zürioberland location promotion agency has taken the initiative, it has not created an isolated solution, but a forward-looking platform with great potential," said jury president Hopp at the award ceremony. The strengths of Swiss regional products would be brought into focus with this digital showcase.
Sonja Wollkopf Walt is location manager of the year
Every year at the SVSM Awards ceremony, the umbrella organization also honors a deserving personality as Site Manager of the Year. After Christoph Lang, Samih Sawiris and Bruno Marazzi, for example, received the award in previous years, this year the jury decided to honor one of its own: Sonja Wollkopf Walt, Managing Director of the Greater Zurich Area, received the award for Location Manager of the Year 2023 in Olten. In his laudatory speech, Ambassador Eric Jakob, Head of the Directorate for Site Promotion SECO and jury member of the SVSM Awards, described Wollkopf Walt as a "pioneer and inspiration for national site promotion". It has repositioned the Greater Zurich Area in difficult times and enabled growth thanks to a new approach - away from geography and towards the marketing of ecosystems that know no cantonal borders. "In an interview a few years ago, when asked about your career plans, you said that you wanted to work internationally and make a difference. You have succeeded in this: Your great achievements and successes are widely recognized - today's award is testament to this."