Information technology

Magnet for Information Technology – Greater Zurich

The Greater Zurich Area is a leading location for information and communications technologies in Europe.
Global tech giants like Apple, Disney, Facebook, Google, Huawei, IBM, Microsoft and Oracle research and develop new solutions for business and industry. In particular, they value the availability of talent, options for cooperative efforts with top universities and innovative start-ups, as well as the stable, business-friendly atmosphere. What success story would your ICT company like to write from Switzerland?

Throughout the world, digital conversion is provided for changes in the economy, primarily in the acceleration of almost all areas of business. Modern information technologies (ICT) are essential to being able to stay in the international arena. Every company needs this in order to continuously improve their products and services while ensuring optimal workflow. The Greater Zurich Area is now one of the most important locations in information and communications technology. Switzerland actually invests an average of 3% of its GDP into research and development. It‘s no coincidence that Switzerland is a leader in innovations such as the WIPO Global Innovation Index 2018 as well as other international rankings on the availability of talent, innovative force and competitiveness. The Zurich economic area is home to many specialized companies that are leaders in their technical field. This starts with data security and extends to the development of complex information systems, such as for large banks. The ICT applications permeate the economy just like business and strong production processes in numerous sectors: Data are monitored, resources are managed, and customers are reached via social media.

Information technology as a catalyst in the Greater Zurich Area

The anchor of the ICT Zurich location is the Swiss Federal University of Technology (ETH). In the field of computer science, ETH Zurich is the second-best university in the world – behind Oxford, but ahead of Stanford, Cambridge and M.I.T (source: 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings). Specific courses of study cover the entire spectrum of information and communications technologies as well as associated engineering fields. They encompass information science, information technology and electrotechnology as well as many specialized fields of data science, computer vision and robotics. All of the education institutions are strong research centers and representatives of science.

Tremendous value is placed not only on education, but also on continuing education in the heart of Europe. ETH Zurich networks and develops solutions for global demands of today and tomorrow. Almost every company in the Greater Zurich Area works with ETH whether through an exchange of knowledge or from the highly qualified work force. These collaborative efforts between industry and research bring about innovations and foster growth.

The second pillar of international brilliance is the University of Zurich along with its Institute for Information Science as well as specialized fields, such as artificial intelligence and robotics. In addition to the ETH and the University of Zurich, the technical universities as well as the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, Chur University of Applied Sciences HTW, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland SUPSI, the Technical University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW and the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil HSR are all researching implementation plans in information technology. These institutions also play an important role in the education of engineers.

Global technology leaders have their eye on the talent pool in the Greater Zurich Area

Familiar ICT companies like Apple, Disney, Facebook, Google, Huawei, IBM, Kayak, Microsoft and Oracle have also noted the extremely appealing conditions in the Greater Zurich Area. But small and mid-sized businesses are also right at home here. These include businesses in services, programmers and sales in software and hardware, microelectronics and telecommunications, embedded software as well as software-based processes. Each company employs highly qualified information technology experts from all over the world who have decided, not coincidentally, on the Greater Zurich Area: Proximity to the outstanding education centers, multilingualism and international focus combined with the stability and dynamics of Switzerland make Greater Zurich the European hub for information technology.

Without information technology, nothing would work these days

According to analyses by Switzerland Global Enterprise, there is also good access to workforce outside of Europe. Contingents make it possible to recruit ICT experts from Asia and America. The Swiss economy is internationally focused, which explains why many companies employ many foreign workers. English, along with four other languages, are frequently spoken in business these days. This assures a cultural and linguistic array in combination with a high quality of life, creativity and innovation. Companies in the Greater Zurich make positive use of this, along with the focused promotion and availability of technical work forces.