News
Ever wondered what Impact Hub Zürich has to offer? Join us for the fifth edition of our annual Open Hub Day and discover the vibrant community we have built.
We’re a diverse and inclusive community of entrepreneurs, startups, techies, politicians, creatives, activists, artists, and change-seekers. Together, we share a wealth of knowledge and experience in Circular Economy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Sustainability, Digitalization, and more. We believe that tackling the world’s grand challenges requires collaboration and the creation of spaces where we can come together and work towards common goals.
At the Open Hub Day, expect engaging workshops, talks & presentations, a bustling marketplace, various networking opportunities, and of course, the finest coffee in town at Café Auer & Co.
We’ll wrap up the day with live music, delicious food, and refreshing drinks.
Mark your calendars and become part of something bigger.
Let’s innovate and celebrate together! 🎉
News
Success stories and pioneering work: how generative AI is inspiring the business world
The specialist book by Sophie Hundertmark and Dr. Daniela Suter “Generative AI for companies” will be presented to the public on June 26, 2024. Take part in the discussion and the subsequent networking event.
A brief input on the opportunities and risks of generative AI for Swiss companies will be followed by a panel discussion with representatives from business and politics, moderated by Sophie Hundertmark and Daniela Suter. During the discussion, all guests are welcome to contribute their questions and input on the topic of “Generative AI in companies”.
The evening ends with a cozy aperitif.
Employees in management positions and project managers in particular are invited. But anyone else who is interested in the topic of AI or would like to make valuable contacts with like-minded people or sparring partners is also cordially invited to register.
We look forward to seeing you!
Daniela Suter and Sophie Hundertmark
Our speakers:
Dr. iur. Nicole Vögeli GalliAttorney-at-law and Certified Specialist SBA Employment Law, Head of Social Law & Lecturer at the ZHAW School of Management and Law, Partner, Küng & Vögeli Attorneys-at-Law.
Matthias Niklowitz: Journalist at Handelzeitung.ch and Head of Research at e-foresight, Swisscom’s next-gen banking think tank in Zurich.
More to follow shortly…
We would like to thank our partners and sponsors for making this event possible.
“We work in and with the Microsoft Cloud. We advise you in the areas of collaboration, data science, AI and automation, support and implement your projects and train your employees in the new technologies.” Matthias Falland (co-founder and guest author of the book).
As a media partner we have CMM360 the platform for Customer Relations Stars and CX & Service Champions.
Karl der Grosse – Our location for the evening
News
Zurich – LatticeFlow AI, specialist for project solutions with artificial intelligence (AI), joins the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium. The decision is intended to help make methods and uses of AI safer and minimize risks.
LatticeFlow AI, a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH), has announced that it has joined the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC). According to a press release, the company wants to work with other consortium members to help design methods, benchmarks and test environments in such a way that the use of artificial intelligence becomes more secure and exposes companies to fewer risks. The search for such secure solutions is based on the fact that AI programs that work on real data pose a major challenge to business security and can generate risks in business-critical processes.
The AISIC consortium was therefore founded with the intention of enabling the secure and trustworthy development and use of AI and developing standards for this. LatticeFlow AI made one such contribution with a technical AI assessment for Migros Bank.
"Joining AISIC will allow us to accelerate and expand our impact by aligning our efforts to ensure AI trust and safety with global AI leaders, businesses and governments," Petar Tsankov, co-founder and CEO of LatticeFlow AI, is quoted as saying in the announcement. ce/ww
LatticeFlow AI joins the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium. Symbolic image: denflinkegrafiker/Pixabay
Startups
Avelo develops a breath collector to improve the diagnosis of Tuberculosis and respiratory infections causing pneumonia, the world’s 4th leading cause of death. Doctors use this non-invasive sampling tool to painlessly collect a patient’s breath sample from the respiratory tract and analyze it with existing PCR tests for fast and accurate diagnosis. This improves patient outcomes, saves healthcare costs, and avoids unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. Avelo invented the breath collector with broad utility in mind, comparable to other sample collection technologies such as blood tubes.
Rütistrasse 16
8952 Schlieren
Support
Zühlke is a global innovation service provider. We create new ideas and business models for our customers. Based on the latest technologies, we create and transform services and products – from the initial vision through development, production and delivery to operation.
Zürcherstrasse 39j
8952 Schlieren
We have unique multidisciplinary expertise in Strategy and Business Innovation, Digital Solutions and Application Services, and Device and Systems Engineering. Our outstanding solutions and years of experience bring tangible business value to our customers and make us a reliable partner on the road to a sustainable and competitive future. Zühlke was founded in Switzerland in 1968 and is owned by partners. Our 1300 employees work in Bulgaria, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Serbia, Singapore as well as in Vietnam and serve customers from a wide range of industries. In addition, Zühlke Venture Capital Service offers financing for start-ups in the high-tech sector.
Universities
feminno offers all female scientists (from life sciences, natural sciences, medicine, health, psychology and tech) the opportunity to bridge research from an academic perspective with innovation, entrepreneurship and industry. Open to researchers of all Swiss Universities, the ETH domain and the Universities of Applied Sciences.
Tannenstrasse 3, c/o ETH Zurich, CLA E 32.2
8092 Zürich
Voices
What does innovation mean to David Taylor? We asked the co-founder of the cleantech start-up Unbound Potential.
Voices
Mario Jenni, co-founder and CEO of Bio-Technopark Schlieren, provides insights into the added value of Inno-Hubs and explains why Innovation Zurich plays an important role.
Voices
Christina Kehl, co-founder and board member of SWISS FINTECH, tells us in the video what innovation means to her and how innovation can come about.
News
As part of the InnovationSandbox for AI, IBM Research and pixmap gmbh have implemented a pilot project at the military airfield in Dübendorf to assess the potential of AI-based inspections. A drone created high-quality images of the runway in order to automatically detect damage with the help of AI models.
The findings will be used to drive forward the use of AI in the inspection and maintenance of other infrastructure elements. The image material is made available to other innovation players. With this project, the cooperation between the administration, the military, research and the private sector is contributing to the further development of the international AI location in the Zurich metropolitan area.
News
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.
Voices
A combination of artificial intelligence and traditional methods is intended to make everyday school life easier for teachers and maximize the learning success of students. Herby wants to make it possible to correct a worksheet in seconds with the use of artificial intelligence.
The Innovation Sandbox for AI clarifies the legal basis for automated correction of handwritten learning content. Because these are often unclear to providers, teachers, and parents.
In the video, Marco Cocuzza and Raphael von Thiessen explain the lessons learned from the Innovation Sandbox project and how Herby will now evolve.
News
Shot of a young businesswoman having a discussion with her colleague in a modern office
News
Surplus food can now be traded on Circunis. Farms can offer their surplus produce on the platform or search specifically for the Swiss fruit and vegetables they need. The B2B marketplace of the Zurich-based association Mehr als zwei is the first to create a nationwide basis for ensuring that food remains in the cycle instead of ending up in the bin. In this way, Circunis wants to contribute to the national goal of halving food waste by 2030.
"Most companies want to operate more sustainably," CEO and co-founder Olivia Menzi is quoted as saying in a press release. "Circunis now offers the necessary network - and it's very quick and easy." Initial success stories from the pilot phase have shown that the sale and purchase of surplus food is not only sustainable and therefore sensible, but also economically worthwhile. Circunis cites criteria such as additional revenue instead of disposal costs, freed-up storage space, time savings and attractive purchasing conditions.
The implementation of the project is made possible by the Migros Pioneer Fund and the Seedling Foundation. The annual fee for using the B2B marketplace is based on the company's turnover and starts at CHF 250. New participants receive a 50 percent discount on the first annual fee until the end of September 2024. ce/mm
The team behind Circunis from left to right: Fiona Wicki, Olivia Menzi, Corina Koster, Micha Krautwasser, and Karin Friedli. Image: Circunis
News
Frozen Swiss vegetables, fruit and pulses are just some of the more than 60 tons of foodstuffs that are listed on the Circunis B2B marketplace at launch. Companies can not only record their surpluses, but also search specifically for the food they need. This makes it easy to see and trade food surpluses throughout Switzerland. Trade takes place directly from farm to farm. Circunis serves as a bridge builder and connects producers, food processors, system and care gastronomy as well as wholesalers.
"Most businesses want to operate more sustainably. Circunis now offers the necessary network for this - and it's very quick and easy," emphasizes co-founder Olivia Menzi.
Sustainable and economic benefits for participants
Initial success stories from the pilot phase show that the sale or purchase of surplus food not only makes sustainable sense, but is also economically worthwhile: additional income instead of disposal costs, freed-up storage space, time savings and attractive purchasing conditions.
Circunis participants have full access to the B2B marketplace circunis.ch and benefit from an easily accessible and Switzerland-wide network. The annual fee is based on the company's turnover and starts at CHF 250/year.
Important basis for a Swiss-wide cycle
Today, around 40% of all food worldwide is overproduced and ends up as waste. Switzerland has set itself the goal of halving its food surpluses by 2030. The new B2B marketplace of the Mehr als zwei association is the first to create a basis for establishing a Swiss-wide cycle for dealing with surpluses. The implementation of the project is made possible by the Migros Pioneer Fund and Seedling Foundation.
→ Find out more now at circunis.ch and contribute to a sustainable Swiss food industry together. New participants receive a 50% discount on the first annual fee until the end of September 2024.
News
The Swiss Umbrella Organization for Business Succession (CHDU) has entered into partnerships with three other players in the field of business succession. According to a press release, the aim is to expand its offering for entrepreneurs who want to pass on their company or, conversely, take over a company.
The consulting firm Tfy, based in Arosa GR, supports companies in becoming fit for the future and succession. This includes analysis as well as strategy development in the area of sustainability.
Purpose Switzerland offers both proven and alternative models for solving succession issues. The experts in the network advise on the implementation of a suitable succession solution.
The Smallholders' Association has been offering a contact point for non-family farm succession since 2014. This simplifies the search process both for those who want to sell a farm and for those looking for one.
Together with EXPERTsuisse, the CHDU already offers a series of seminars for consultants who are involved in the succession of companies. An introductory seminar is now followed by three in-depth seminars. The first, on May 22, is dedicated to basic legal tools. This is followed by seminars on communication and on the process of searching for transferees.
The CHDU was founded in 2021. It advocates the appropriate discussion of SME succession in politics and research as well as the professionalization of succession consulting and offers SMEs practical support. ce/stk
The Swiss Association for Business Succession is expanding its range of services and training offerings. Symbolic image: StartupStockPhotos/Pixabay
News
News
Cargologic modernizes the material flow computer for its automated shuttle warehouse in Kloten during ongoing operations. According to a press release, the subsidiary of the German logistics group Rhenus is investing a good year's time and around 1.5 million Swiss francs in the project.
This is "like open-heart surgery", Marco Gredig, Managing Director of Cargologic, is quoted as saying. "As a result, we can no longer take the system out of operation for testing purposes - a changeover to new software must therefore take place immediately," says Reto Nüesch Erismann, Executive Vice President Technics & Applications. This is to be achieved by means of a complex project for which the Swiss air freight handler has entered into a partnership with the software company LplusR from Parkstein in Bavaria, which specializes in the modernization of high-availability warehouse systems.
The core of the overall package is a digital twin with which LplusR virtualizes and emulates the shuttle warehouse with 8,500 pallet spaces down to the hardware level. "This is the only way we are independent of old documentation and can reliably test the system, minimize risks and guarantee successful, immediate commissioning," explains Gunther Lukas, Managing Director and project manager at LplusR.
Cargologic wants to bring its system landscape up to the state of the art and simplify it. This should further optimize the performance of the overall system, ensure complete transparency across all shipments and offer employees a significantly improved user interface. In addition, mobile devices allow for more efficient maintenance and troubleshooting, which increases the overall reliability of the system. ce/mm
Cargologic is modernizing the material flow controller for its automated shuttle warehouse. Image: Excerpt from Cargologic video
Innovation Hubs
Switzerland Innovation Park Central - Connecting Great Minds
We promote cooperation between companies, start-ups and universities for innovations in the building and energy sector. Together with our partners, we create an ecosystem that accelerates the translation of research results into marketable products and services. We offer space in an inspiring environment, labs, project funding, innovation support, a digital co-creation platform and inspiring events within a strong community.
Suurstoffi 18b
6343 Rotkreuz
Innovation Hubs
Technopark Zurich creates a stimulating environment and promotes innovations in the market.
As a visible result, new jobs are created that strengthen the economic cycle. The successful mix of different industries and disciplines, universities, research institutions, start-ups and established companies as well as careful tenant selection, contribute to the fact that the "Technopark" brand is now a widely recognised quality label.
Technoparkstrasse 1
8005 Zürich
Innovation Hubs
Digital Winterthur is an organization that focuses on promoting digitalization, technology and innovation in the Winterthur region. By organizing regular events, projects and partnerships, Digital Winterthur creates a platform for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience in the digital field. The organization brings together members, experts and the general population of Winterthur to promote digital development in the city. The focus is on creating an innovation hub that promotes collaboration and helps to position Winterthur as a place for advanced digital technologies. Digital Winterthur could also play a role in the integration of technologies in various areas, from business and education to environmental and urban development.
Klosterstrasse 34
8406 Winterthur