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Based in Morges, with a production unit at Y-Parc in Yverdon-les-Bains, the global biopharmaceutical company Incyte won in the "Foreign company" category. Founded in 2002 in Delaware, U.S., Incyte - which discovers, develops and commercializes novel medicines - has chosen to develop its presence in Europe from the canton of Vaud. The BioPlant located at Y-Parc can manufacture biologically active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for commercial and clinical use and will be focused on producing oncology products, specifically monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
Nexthink, founded at EPFL in 2004 and currently based in Prilly (Switzerland) and Boston (USA), won the Best Swiss Company award. The firm is a global leader in Digital Employee Experience (DEX) software. Its technology allows CIOs to shift from reacting to and resolving IT disruptions to continuously and proactively optimizing their digital assets. With Nexthink’s DEX management hub, system administrators can get up-to-the-minute information on individual employees and how they use specific applications, across all of their company’s workstations, operating systems and sites – even at remote locations. Nexthink has offices in nine countries and employs over 800 people worldwide, including close to 250 in Vaud.
The Special Jury award went to Frontiers Media, a Lausanne-based publisher of open-access scientific journals. Founded in 2007 by two neuroscientists from EPFL, the company aims to make research results widely available in order to speed scientific and technological innovation, further societal progress and support economic growth. Frontiers improves the way research findings are published, reviewed and disseminated by providing free, open access to both data and results. Its publications currently span over 900 disciplines, providing a knowledge base that can help scientists develop responses to the critical challenges humanity is now facing. The company has tripled in size with offices located in Europe, North America and Asia, and has over 300 employees in Lausanne.
The awards were handed out on 25 November by members of the selection panel and the three sponsor organisations. The selection panel was chaired by Philippe Leuba, the head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Innovation and Sport (DEIS), and included Aude Pugin, the chairman of the Vaud Chamber of commerce and industry (CVCI); Rémi Walbaum, the chairman of Innovaud; Dominique Turpin, the dean of external relations at IMD in Lausanne; Marianne Schmid Mast, a professor at HEC Lausanne; and representatives from last year’s three winners – Jean-Yves Raimon, VP International and EU HQ Lead at Intuitive Surgical; Gabriel and Marcel Boschung, co-CEOs of Boschung; and François Randin, CEO of Green Motion.
Awarding local businesses in three categories
The Vaud International Business Awards were introduced in 2014 to recognise companies that have had their headquarters in Vaud for at least three years and have successfully expanded internationally. The companies must also play a role in boosting Vaud’s image abroad and creating jobs at home. Additional selection criteria for the Best Foreign Company award are whether the company’s goods and services are produced locally, how much it helps diversify the Vaud economy, how many of its suppliers are local, and how well it is integrated into the canton. Additional selection criteria for the Best Swiss Company award are how much the company helps train local workers, whether it has any joint R&D programs, and how much of its revenue is generated internationally. And finally, the additional selection criteria for the Special Jury award are how innovative the company is, how big of a role it plays in the local community, and to what extent it works with other local businesses. We would like to take this opportunity to thank 24 heures, which provided press coverage for the awards.
© Innovaud, CVCI and DEIS press release