Sandbox

It was precisely this composition that made the format so appealing: Perspectives from clinical practice, HealthTech entrepreneurship, language AI and cantonal innovation promotion came together on stage. The evening thus showed in an exemplary manner that the AI sandbox is not an initiative for a single sector, but a platform on which AI applications are tested under real conditions, classified in regulatory terms and further developed in the interplay of technology, administration and practice.

Raphael von Thiessen and the sandbox perspective

Raphael von Thiessen, who heads the Innovation Sandbox for AI at the Canton of Zurich, played a key role. The Innovation Sandbox describes itself as a test environment in which players can implement AI projects within a clearly defined framework if technological, regulatory or data-related uncertainties would otherwise slow down innovation. The Sandbox aims to promote responsible AI innovation, build expertise in AI regulation and strengthen the interdisciplinary ecosystem in the Zurich area.

The fact that Raphael von Thiessen was present on the panel lent the event an important level of classification. It stood not only for the perspective of the Division of Business and Economic Development, but also for the question of how individual pilot projects can generate systematic findings for administration, business and research.

Gábor Márk Somfai and the Digital Eye Clinic

Gábor Márk Somfai, a representative of clinical practice who works as a senior physician at the Zollikerberg Eye Center and the Eye Clinic of Zurich City Hospital, was on stage. The Digital Eye Clinic project he represents stands for AI-supported diagnostics and the question of how image-based procedures can be reliably integrated into medical processes.

This project in particular illustrates how AI can be used in highly sensitive medical contexts without the requirements for validation, responsibility and trust becoming less important. During the live podcast, he made it clear that medical innovation is not only measured by technological performance, but also by how well it fits into everyday clinical practice.

Michelle Plüss and medical documentation

With MPAssist, Michelle Plüss contributed the perspective of a HealthTech start-up that deals with AI-supported medical documentation. The official event profile describes its contribution as an approach that relieves doctors, automates medical reports and at the same time increases quality and efficiency.

The focus was therefore on a field of application that is particularly tangible for many institutions: administrative relief in the healthcare sector. At the same time, this field in particular shows how closely productivity, data protection, professional secrecy and regulatory issues are intertwined as soon as AI works with sensitive health data.

Paula Reichenberg and machine translation

Paula Reichenberg represented the field of machine translation with NEUR.ON and spoke about the use of modern translation models in specialized contexts. The event profile emphasizes that quality, context and ethics are crucial if language barriers are to be overcome with AI.

It is important for the classification of the evening that this project is not assigned to the medical field, but to the legal or specialized institutional environment. It was precisely this difference that made it clear how broadly the sandbox is designed: it includes not only HealthTech, but also applications in which language, precision and institutional responsibility are at the forefront.

Three projects, one common logic

The three projects presented differed significantly in their technical logic: clinical diagnostics, medical documentation and machine translation in a legally sensitive context. Nevertheless, they were united by a common basic question: How can AI be developed and used under real conditions in such a way that it creates concrete benefits and at the same time meets the requirements of security, transparency and responsibility?

This is where the strength of the Innovation Sandbox becomes apparent. It is not just a showcase initiative for futuristic use cases, but a framework in which companies, research and the public sector work together to transform AI from an idea into viable practice.

More than just a technology event

The AI Talk Live podcast was therefore much more than a discussion about tools or trends. He showed that a productive approach to AI begins where different roles come together: a moderator who structures the debate in an understandable way, a sandbox manager who sets out the institutional framework, and guests who report on their specific projects.

With Stephan Lendi as host, Raphael von Thiessen as the voice of the Innovation Sandbox and Gábor Márk Somfai, Michelle Plüss and Paula Reichenberg as project representatives, a format was created that made the breadth of the Zurich AI ecosystem visible. It was precisely this combination that sent out the message of the evening: AI will become socially relevant if it is designed in an interdisciplinary, responsible and practical way.

Due to rapid technological progress, the framework conditions of AI technologies are often unclear for companies, research and administration. For this reason, the Canton of Zurich's Division of Business and Economic Development, together with partners from the administration, research and business sectors, launched the "Innovation Sandbox".

This is a test environment for the implementation of AI projects. By working closely with the administration and participating organizations on regulatory issues and enabling the use of novel data sources, responsible innovation will be encouraged. The video with Ronovatec and Lonomy, which are developing autonomous farming systems, shows exactly what this can look like.

The Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence (AI) gives various organisations, including start-ups, SMEs, large companies and research institutions, access to regulatory know-how and new data sources. In return, all findings and results are shared publicly.

Different from many approaches adopted in other countries, the Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence (AI) goes a step further as the selected projects are not just being reviewed, but also being put into practice.

The goal is to promote responsible innovation based on legal and ethical criteria and to support the spread of AI in public administration, business and research.

Current Projects

Organisations specialised in AI had the opportunity to submit specific projects between March and June 2022. A total of 21 AI projects were submitted. The portfolio of project proposals reflects the high relevance of AI as a cross-cutting technology that transforms all sectors. The projects submitted were evaluated based on consistent and transparent criteria. Five projects were selected and are currently being implemented.

Regulating autonomous rsystems: guidelines for manufacturers

A growing number of autonomous systems such as self-driving tractors or lawn mowers will potentially be used in public spaces. In many cases, the general regulatory environment in areas such as standardization, admission to public roads or data protection are not clear to manufacturers. This project is focused on developing comprehensive guidelines that provide manufacturers with an overview of the most relevant factors.

Infrastructure maintenance using drones: technological feasibility of runway inspections

Maintenance of infrastructure, such as bridges, roads or pylons, is often carried out by human staff. Many of the tasks involved are time-consuming and, in some cases, dangerous. This project is centred on creating high-resolution drone images to detect cracks and damage on airport runways.

Automated corrections: legal bases for AI apps in education

Education is increasingly supported by AI, including at elementary level. The basic legal parameters , e.g. in the domain of data protection, are to some extent unclear to providers, teachers, parents and pupils. This project focuses on clarifying the legal bases for use of image recognition for the automated correction of handwritten schoolwork .

Smart parking in cities: best practices for privacy by design

Parking management is a highly significant challenge for many cities and municipalities. Relevant data on utilization and occupancy of parking spaces is often lacking, which hinders informed decision-making on traffic planning or the introduction of parking guidance systems. AI-based image recognition can create the necessary data basis for this. In this project, privacy-by-design measures are being developed for the responsible use of camera systems in public spaces.

Machine translations: recommendations for public administration

Many public administration offices deal with multiple languages in their daily work. The potential for machine translations is significant. As their work often involves sensitive information and use of specific technical terminology, the question arises as to whether generic and publicly accessible translation tools may and should be used. This project focuses oncoming up with recommendations for the use of machine translation. The case studies stem from the Commercial Register Office and the Integration Office.

Outlook

The current pilot phase of the Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence (AI) will run until April 2024. The knowledge and insights gained from all of the selected AI projects will be made publicly available until then. The results will contribute to building competencies and facilitating knowledge transfer within public administration. The aim is to promote the innovation capabilities of AI organisations by clarifying regulatory questions and tapping into new data sources. Furthermore, suggestions for areas of action will be made if regulatory gaps are found within the specific projects.

(CONNECT) UZH is locating its new Center for the Future of Personal Mobility at the Institute of Business Administration. According to the press release, the focus will be on the effects of transport and climate policy, new drive technologies, innovative mobility concepts, digital networking and the infrastructure for charging and refueling.

To this end, the research center will collaborate with experts from subjects such as geography, psychology and ethics and, in particular, with the various digitalization initiatives at UZH. "UZH has recognized the great need for research in this important and innovative market and has developed an interdisciplinary research agenda for it," says Dean Harald Gall. According to Rector Michael Schaepman, UZH is thus making a contribution to the future of private mobility.

The center for the future of individual mobility can be realized thanks to a donation of 12.7 million Swiss francs from the Zurich-based car dealership and mobility company Emil Frey Holding AG. "We are delighted to be promoting innovative mobility solutions with the research center," says Walter Frey, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "It is important to us to broaden the discussion about individual transportation in a fact-based and well-founded way." ce/mm

(CONNECT) The sponsors of the Winterthur Cluster Initiative can look back on an "extremely successful year 2025", according to their press release. In an economically challenging environment, the initiative has "established itself as a central hub for innovation and growth in the region". The initiators - the Chamber of Commerce and Employers' Association Winterthur (HAW), Technopark Winterthur and House of Winterthur - are delighted with the stable networks and consistent cooperation between business, educational institutions and research facilities. This was reflected in "valuable synergies" at events and joint projects.

The cluster initiative was launched in 2020 and covers three sectors: energy, healthcare and machinery. They are intended to strengthen the innovation activities of the participating companies through the active exchange of knowledge and experience and targeted development projects, thereby securing prosperity in the region.

Emission-free aviation, the digital product passport and green hydrogen were among the topics discussed at various well-attended events in 2025. In addition, "groundbreaking advances" in axial flux motors and the potential of solid-state batteries for electromobility were presented at the Startup Nights.

The fifth award ceremony for the best student work of the year, which is endowed with 10,000 francs, is described as a highlight of the year. It is awarded by the Johann Jacob Rieter Foundation of the Winterthur spinning technology company Rieter and the HAW.

In 2026, those responsible for the three clusters are planning to coordinate their programs even more closely. The aim is to make optimum use of interfaces and promote cross-thematic innovations. ce/mm

The Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI) aims to bring research and practice closer together. To achieve this, as mentioned in a press release, the renowned think tank with a 60-year corporate history is expanding its portfolio. In addition to its traditional trend research, it is now also focusing on the fields of innovation consulting and leadership development. These two areas are headed by women who have joined the GDI management team.

Since December 1, 2023, Susan Shaw has been responsible for innovation consulting as the Head of Strategic Services. The social scientist has a background in market research and was most recently Managing Director of GIM Suisse. She is quoted as saying, "with Strategic Services, we explore what the insights from the think tank mean for individual industries, companies, and their target audiences".

Tanja Ineichen heads the new Leadership & Transformation division. She reportedly has extensive retail experience. At the Migros Group, she has built up and managed leadership development initiatives for over 15 years. "Future shapers in top management are the driving forces of innovation in the company," says Ineichen. They are accompanied in their personal development and assisted in shaping their teams and organizations.

"Especially in times of increasing dynamics of change, like today, both the exploration of a possible future and the implementation of concrete innovations are all the more crucial for society and for companies," says CEO Johannes Bauer. "We research the future and shape it together with companies." ce/mm

Patrick Griss, CEO Ventures and Partner at the Schlieren-based innovation service provider Zühlke, has published a playbook for DeepTech companies together with the Bern-based publishing house Stämpfli. The "DeepTech Playbook" is aimed at companies, especially start-ups, that want to tackle the challenges of the transition from science to business, according to a press release. It provides a clear strategic roadmap for each phase of the translation of scientific findings into a marketable product. The focus is on hypothesis-based decision-making, timely risk identification and finding appropriate solutions.

The script is also provided with a terminology chapter for seamless communication between the parties involved. The aim is to improve cooperation between specialists from different disciplines and avoid costly misunderstandings.

Author Patrick Griss has many years of experience in the DeepTech sector. Zühlke's CEO Ventures & Partner has worked on projects from invention to industrialization in more than 40 DeepTech companies over a period of 25 years. Based on his experience, he has developed a catalog of tools for future companies in these areas and presented them in this script. ce/ww

Thanks to artificial intelligence, the financial industry is facing the most productive decade "since the replacement of the typewriter", writes the HWZ in a press release. It aims to enable specialists and managers to "smartly and efficiently tap into the diverse potential of AI in combination with traditional approaches". To this end, the HWZ will be offering the CAS AI in Finance starting in the fall.

In the part-time continuing education course, students can learn the skills to use artificial intelligence in all areas of banking and insurance. On the one hand, technical expertise is imparted, for example on generative and classic AI, data analysis and its visualization as well as process automation. On the other hand, the 16-day program trains participants to make strategic decisions.

In addition to the CAS AI in Finance, the HWZ also offers a range of other courses on the use of artificial intelligence. "Our AI training is structured as a modular step-by-step concept," says Patrick Comboeuf, Head of the CAS AI in Finance HWZ program, in the press release. "From the CAS to the Master's degree (MAS) in Digital Excellence HWZ, participants shape their own career path in the financial industry." ce/hs

(CONNECT) Veloplus AG is expanding its range of self-developed children's bikes with two mountain bike models. The FLiZZi-MTB 20-inch and the FLiZZi-MTB 24-inch are characterised by a lightweight aluminium frame, child-friendly ergonomics and details such as easy-to-operate gearshifts, Veloplus explains in a press release. The bicycle and bicycle accessories supplier is presenting its two new products for children at Cycle Week in Zurich until May 25.

Like the other children's bikes in the FLiZZi range developed by Veloplus, the new mountain bikes are not simply a scaled-down version of an adult bike, but are specially designed for the anatomy and needs of children. The 20-inch FLiZZi-MTB therefore does not have a suspension fork, for example, as this is “hardly functional for the target group's body weight and makes the bike unnecessarily heavy”, explains Veloplus. The damping is provided by voluminous tires instead. The FLiZZi MTB 24 inch has an 80 millimeter air suspension fork in the front frame for damping. Like all FLiZZi bikes, the new children's mountain bikes are equipped with extra-long saddle rails and a special flip-flop stem to adapt the bike to the child's growth. ce/hs

(CONNECT) Tipi technologies has been acquired by EngFlow. According to a press release from both companies, they are combining the advantages of their respective technologies in CMake. This is a cross-platform programming tool for the development and creation of software that has become the de facto standard for code in the C++ programming language. According to co-founder Damien Buhl, Tipi's brand and team will be retained: "We are creating new jobs by hiring additional C++ specialists here in Zurich and worldwide."

EngFlow, based in Austin, Texas, is recognized as a leader in accelerating the software creation or build process. The company was founded by engineers who developed the open source project Bazel.

Founded in 2021, the Zurich-based start-up tipi technologies claims to be developing a compiler-as-a-service based on artificial intelligence that understands the programming languages C and C++ and creates software without scripts "at unprecedented speed". With tipi, developers can test and create instantly across platforms and seamlessly add cloud CPU cores when needed.

By combining their respective technologies, tipi and EngFlow are said to bring "all the benefits of Bazel's remote execution and caching to CMake without having to fundamentally redesign the build system".

EngFlow had led tipi's seed investment round in 2022. The two have since worked together on a CMake Remote Build (CMake RE) execution solution for the C and C++ community. They also recently developed HermeticFetchContent, which, according to EngFlow CEO Helen Altshuler, "makes the CMake RE build functions even more accessible".

All of these new products and functions will be presented at the C++ Meetup in Zurich on March 14, 2025. It will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. in the tipi offices in the Zurich incubator Bluelion. ce/mm

(CONNECT) With the support of Venture Kick, PeelPack can advance the transition from pilot projects to industrial series production. According to a press release, the young food tech company from Zurich is receiving seed funding of 150,000 Swiss francs from start-up promoter Venture Kick in Schlieren.

PeelPack develops biodegradable packaging for fresh produce made from biopolymers. These biopolymers are obtained from potato peelings. Unlike many existing environmentally friendly materials, PeelPack's development also meets the requirements for durability and compostability. It therefore offers "a powerful alternative without compromising on functionality".

Venture Kick puts the volume of the global market for fresh produce packaging at around 6 billion dollars. Within just a few months, PeelPack was able to win over producers, packers and retailers for over 20 pilot projects in Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands. This early market momentum has reportedly aroused the interest of industrial partners who are currently evaluating extrusion and thermoforming processes. According to Venture Kick, further applications are already in development.

The fresh capital will enable the start-up to produce initial larger quantities, establish further production partnerships and validate additional processing technologies. "The collaboration with Venture Kick was a real advantage for us," PeelPack CEO Slava Drigloff is quoted as saying. "The community not only provides funding, but also challenges and supports founders who implement at high speed. Being part of Venture Kick opens doors and connects us with people who are committed to our success." ce/mm