If there is one place in the world that embodies the emergence of the Blockchain industry, it is undeniably the Greater Zurich Area with its ‘Crypto Valley’.
At the time of writing this article, buzz words like blockchain, distributed ledger technology, cryptocurrency, Bitcoin and other ICO’s (Initial Coin Offerings) are making the headlines. However, the Crypto Valley and many of its companies have been around long before this.
The concept of blockchain may have first appeared in 2008, but Switzerland pioneered its industrial application. Back in 2013, Johann Gevers moved his crypto-finance startup Monetas to Zug, establishing a vision of a global hub for blockchain technologies and attracting stakeholders from all over the world.
Crypto Valley continues to path the way to the future of this industry, gathering hundreds of projects in a single place. It is no surprise that events like the CryptoSummit (formerly ICOSummit) are now considered as the beating heart of the industry.
As a recruiter, over the last couples of months I noticed some strong trends on how the area is attracting talent.
Blockchain-related talent
The industry is candidate-driven and any CEO would know how difficult it is to find an outstanding blockchain developer. The fact that so many companies are now settled in the area makes it the most competitive in terms of concentration of talent. Furthermore, universities like the ETH Zurich, among others, are now collaborating with blockchain startups and creating exclusive courses in order to teach the next generation of developers and engineers.
It is no wonder that developers, programmers and engineers are the most needed profile in the area. Yet, I have noticed a natural shift towards marketing and business development positions for any projects coming to maturity.
Culture
It is no secret that Switzerland is a formidable place to run a business. The Swiss competitiveness is one of the best in the world. It can easily be explained by its high concentration of industries and its friendly business and regulatory environment.
It is especially true for any blockchain project as any potentially settling here will benefit hugely from great structures already in place and enjoy the incredibly secure economic framework.
Accessibility
Geographically strategically situated, the region is linked very well between both cities and also the global markets with Zurich airport being one of the best in the world.
The incredibly high quality of life also makes a strong selling point for anyone looking for a peaceful place to live. Switzerland is top-ranked in terms of infrastructure, safety, health care, education, life expectancy and work/life balance.
Tax and regulation
This will not change any time soon as the FINMA’s recent publication on guidelines regarding Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) allows Switzerland to stay highly attractive while providing protection to potential investors and integrity to the financial system.
Earlier this year we saw the Chinese giant Bitmain making the move to Switzerland. Will you be the next?
About the author
Thomas Faratche has quickly become a well known name in the blockchain space. Not just a crypto enthusiast, but also someone with real world experience in blockchain solutions prior to joining NonStop Recruitment to lead the company’s blockchain recruitment. He’s got a lot of global experience for someone so young in the industry and supports clients primarily in the US, Switzerland and Israel.
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