(Article en anglais)
Canton Vaud, in the heart of Europe, has emerged as a global hub of research and innovation over the past 20 years. Many breakthrough technologies have been developed here, such as the Nespresso coffee machine, Logitech mouse, Scala programming language and Solar Impulse, the solar-powered plane.
This region – one of the wealthiest in Europe – hosts the headquarters of many multinationals, along with large numbers of SMEs, scale-ups and start-ups. And since 2013, 233 foreign companies have chosen to set up shop here with the help of Innovaud, the agency for the promotion of innovation.
What attracts foreign companies to Vaud is not just the region’s high quality of life and large pool of skilled workers, but its entire innovation ecosystem – a public-private initiative built on relationships of trust. Companies can team up with universities and research centres, benefit from seven technoparks and enjoy a dynamic R&D environment fuelled by cross- disciplinary collaboration.
This region is known globally for its technology clusters in food and nutrition, digital trust, healthcare, drones, robotics and sports. Teams of deeptech innovators work in AI, machine learning, aerospace, energy efficiency, environmental protection, micro and nanotechnology, and digital systems, with research cutting across 16 key disciplines.
Canton Vaud has the highest start-up density in Switzerland, according to a recent study, and in 2019 regional start-ups attracted CHF 455.7 million in funding. It is home to 27 scale-ups – innovative, high-growth companies that include Nexthink and SOPHIA GENETICS – and leads Switzerland in digital healthcare investment. Vaud’s performance in this year’s TOP 100 once again reflects the strength of its innovation ecosystem with 25 Vaud-based companies on the list.
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