Event:
«Innovation-based competitiveness of the Greater Zurich Area»
Impressions of the event by Irène Fiechter
What are typical features of innovative
companies from key industries of the Greater Zurich Area? How
can innovation-based competitiveness be used to attract foreign
investors? These and further questions were at the center of the
attention during a panel discussion with the title
«Innovation-based competitiveness of the Greater Zurich Area».
After the event, which took place on March 16th at Papiersaal,
Zürich, the crowd stayed for spirited discussion and cocktails.
Ernst & Young experts Roger Amhof and Curdin Derungs introduced
the topic to an audience of about 200 representatives from the
local and international economy, academia as well as politics
and administration, and presented the key findings of their
study «Innovation-based competitiveness of the Greater Zurich
Area». The panelists Prof Dr Roman Boutellier, vice president
and professor for Technology and Innovation at ETH Zurich, Dr
Gery Colombo, co-founder and CEO of med-tech company Hocoma AG,
Dr. Richard Dratva, co-founder and chief strategy officer of IT
company Crealogix, as well as Curdin Derungs, then discussed the
findings of the study and took questions from the audience. The
evening was hosted and moderated by Sonja Wollkopf Walt, CEO of
the Greater Zurich Area AG.
According to the study the three sectors ICT, med-tech and high
precision mechanics within chemicals, rubbers and plastics are
particular strongholds of innovation and competitiveness in the
business location Greater Zurich Area. The speakers also agreed
that in an international comparison the Greater Zurich Area
leads the location pack thanks to its high density of highly
specialized know-how in technological sectors. The panel
considered accessibility and availability of professional
networks in close geographic proximity as a particular advantage
of the Greater Zurich Area. Those networks are crucial when it
comes to increase innovation and competitiveness of value-added
industries, as they enable knowledge exchange, know-how transfer
and transparency of regulatory and governmental structures.
The panel concluded with the recommendation to raise awareness
about these location factors within the business location
Greater Zurich Area and to sharpen its profile in the eyes of
foreign investors as a leading innovative and competitive
international business location.
