Get the latest digital thinking direct to your inbox. Join more than 14,000 fellow digital enthusiasts for our regular round-up of the latest news, project updates and ideas to inspire.
After subscribing to our newsletter you can download the document.
The sustainability sector faces the interconnected challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, threatening the preservation of sustainable habitats. Digital solutions will play a vital role in supporting the conservation of biodiversity, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
To accelerate innovative and technological solutions, established organisations with extensive experience can support startups and scaleups by providing resources, expertise, and mentorship. This is why digitalswitzerland has launched the #Biodiversity Digital Academy. This initiative aims to foster an innovative ecosystem by bridging the gap between well-established partners, industry experts, and ten promising Swiss startups committed to driving innovative solutions for biodiversity conservation.
The #Biodiversity Digital Academy was inaugurated in May 2023 through an open call for applications from Swiss biodiversity startups and scaleups. An expert jury identified the ten most promising and leading startups and scaleups to participate in the Academy. By the end of June, each of the participants will be matched with a suitable mentor from the expert panel, consisting of industry representatives from SAP, Samsung, Wipro, Bluerain Partners, Lidl, and the Noah Conference. Over the course of six months between July and December, these participants will benefit from workshops, mentorship programmes, networking events, and bootcamps designed to create synergies between industry experts and startups that foster digital solutions. The culmination of this journey will be the participation of all startups in the Noah Conference, accompanied by the publication of an open innovation whitepaper featuring their work.
For a sneak peek at the innovative solutions that will drive biodiversity conservation in the future, let us introduce you to the ten selected leaders from the Swiss startup ecosystem.
CyberTracker Conservation is a non-profit Public Benefit Organisation that promotes the vision of a worldwide environmental monitoring network.
Inverto provides technology that allows scalable wetland restoration through the automated remote collection of samples to companies sponsoring climate and biodiversity impacts.
Open Forest Protocol (OFP) is a scalable open platform that allows forest projects of any size to measure, report, and verify (MRV) their forestation data.
Nomica is a novel blockchain-based platform that values previously untapped ecosystem services.
PORINI Solutions is a Swiss company building a bridge between innovative technology and conservation, with a special focus on the DLT / blockchain space.
rrreefs is a startup dedicated to the preservation of our planet’s coral reef, offering reef regeneration as a service to businesses with ambitious targets for nature.
SimplexDNA provides next-generation sequencing solutions for environmental monitoring, enabling biodiversity assessments with high accuracy and resolution.
Stream Ocean is changing the way we understand and assess changes in our oceans.
THE ARK helps to accelerate your impact with its digital platform and gives investors access to biodiversity and nature conservation investment opportunities. It uses verified data sets to scale conservation efforts and ensures effectiveness of capital allocation and drives investment decisions.
Xilva creates a global digital marketplace for forests – bringing transparency, ease and innovation to the deployment of capital.
Clara Wrede, Sustainability Project Manager
As one of 13 organisations, digitalswitzerland has campaigned for the approval of the business 22.067 so that it can be referred back to the government policy committee. The issue concerns the facilitation of admission for foreigners with a Swiss university degree.
Find the full statement here in German and French.
The Council of States decided today to re-enter deliberation. We are pleased with this result and hope that the government policy committee, together with the administration, will work out an implementation of the business that conforms to the constitution.
Switzerland is missing out
The deal is about ensuring that several hundred graduates per year, who are financed in Switzerland with public money, have access to the labour market. Switzerland invests almost CHF 200 million per year in the training of these professionals.
As a result, Switzerland is missing out on urgently needed labour potential to combat the shortage of skilled workers. Sufficient availability of qualified skilled workers strengthens Switzerland’s innovative power and its potential as an international location for research and development is further expanded.
In its latest version, the legislative proposal for business 22.067 is not constitutional. However, in its dispatch on the matter, the Federal Council outlines constitutional solutions that would require a change to the Ordinance on Admission, Period of Stay and Employment (ASEO): An upward adjustment of the quotas, or an adjustment of the process for granting residence permits to graduates. A combination of these two. Variants would also be conceivable. Simplifying the process for granting residence permits is crucial, firstly so that it is foreseeable which and how many people from third countries who have a Swiss university degree want to look for work in Switzerland, and secondly so that the process is not too onerous and too deterrent for start-ups and SMEs, which are most affected by the shortage of skilled workers.
In our view, re-entering deliberation serves the cause best. This means that the business can go back to the state policy committee so that more precise clarifications can be made with the administration and constitutionally compliant solutions can be discussed.
The following organisations have signed the letter:
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
With the strategy 2025 defined at the beginning of 2022, we laid the ground for a major transformation – aiming at impact in society in clearly defined areas of action. At the same time, the team is focusing on creating visibility for the digitalswitzerland ecosystem and improving interactions with our community of 200+ Association members and non-political Foundation partners. The new strategy also created new and additional member benefits that reinforce the relevance of digitalswitzerland as a horizontal movement. Our plans include regional community events, a new hub concept for WEF 2024, an exclusive virtual platform for members for coordination and inspiration, and events dedicated to female leaders to engage and champion more women in management positions. In 2023, we are renewing our focus on our Western Switzerland (Romandie) chapter with the addition of a dedicated Lead based in the region. We are also excited to intensify our efforts in internationalisation. Together with the Swiss Digital Initiative (SDI), digitalswitzerland has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SGTech in Singapore. This partnership is proof of our shared commitment to driving digital transformation forward across borders and using synergies between nations.
The importance of education and the need for continuous learning increases in the digital age. In 2022 the team nurtured collaborations with other educational organisations to support Switzerland’s education transformation for the digital future. The close cooperation with ICT Berufsbildung Schweiz is being increased through joint activities in the fields of lifelong learning. Another such successful collaboration is the one with Pro Juventute for the Future Skills Campaign. The awareness building campaign was finalised with the release of 12 videos featuring role models and young adults from different STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields. The overall campaign achieved an impressive 200,000 interactions.
Our goal is to address and raise awareness for education at all stages in life. This was illustrated by the continuation and completion of the Lifelong Learning Documentary Series – a campaign featuring digitalswitzerland members talking about their experiences and activities in respect to lifelong learning.
With the continuation of the successful Boost Programme, the team showcased how simple and unbureaucratic lifelong learning can be. By the end of 2022, already more than 300 people were supported with a financial contribution to an upskilling course to navigate and thrive in the digital economy. The programme was generously supported by UBS.
Recognising the value of experienced professionals in the ICT sector, digitalswitzerland joined the Initiative focus50Plus to actively work on solutions for the 50+ workforce in light of the skills shortage. These professionals are a valuable source for the sector and can help fill the current skills gap.
To support STEM Initiatives in Switzerland, we launched the Planet MINT network (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) in September 2022. The network gatherings have already shown impact, as they resulted in the initiation of a whitepaper on gender sensitive STEM that was published in January 2023.
To ensure that the Swiss population keeps up with the developments of the digital present and future, engaging and including everyone is vital. The Swiss Digital Days fulfilled this purpose. For this edition, the event was extended into a nation-wide campaign. Swiss Digital Days 2022 offered the Swiss population the opportunity for exchange, discussion, and access to more than 350 events on the topic of digitalisation. During seven weeks, digitalswitzerland in collaboration with its partners successfully organised a series of local events in seven regions of Switzerland. The Swiss population joined our team in the physical bubbles, attended online events, and experienced the digital future. Within the swissp[AI]nt project, visitors of Swiss Digital Days created thousands of digital artworks about Switzerland and digitalisation with the help of advanced artificial intelligence. Selected artworks will be turned into crypto stamps as part of the Swiss Crypto Stamp 3.0 editions, released in 2023 by the Swiss Post.
Talented Startups across Switzerland participated and competed in the GreenTech Startup Battle. A competition showcasing startups from across Switzerland with innovative and sustainable technologies and solutions. These entrepreneurs show a deep commitment to change and are working to create solutions that enable us to live, work and innovate more sustainably. The winner of the pitch duel at the Swiss Digital Days closing event was Viboo, an Empa spin-off that creates cloud software solutions to reduce the energy consumption of buildings.
We have made it a priority to foster female talents in the ICT field. With #herHACK – the largest female led-hackathon in Switzerland – 250 women with different backgrounds across all Swiss regions came together. Their task: Solving pressing challenges and developing solutions in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030. With #herHACK, we create an environment to inspire women and non-binary people to work in the technology industry and allow them to create a network of like-minded professionals.
Involving the youth is crucial for the digital Switzerland waiting for us. NextGen Future Skills Labs, one of the main format events during Swiss Digital Days 2022, has done exactly that. 186 children aged 10 to 15 from across Switzerland participated in the NextGen Future Skills Labs. In specially designed workshops, the children were able to learn about digital technologies and innovative methods and thus discover and develop their future skills. Skills that are not only crucial in business, but also in a personal digital future.
The Digital Health initiative was boosted in 2022 after a WEF panel discussion on the digitalisation of healthcare and multiple exchanges with experts in the field (private and public). With this initiative, we pursue the ambitious goal of creating the support needed for digitalising the entire healthcare system in Switzerland and making it patient-centric. Digital health has the potential to revolutionise healthcare for patients by improving access, efficiency and outcomes while reducing costs and improving the patient experience.
As a driving orchestrator, digitalswitzerland brings together key players representing all aspects of the healthcare ecosystem: the patients, hospitals, insurance companies, the pharma industry, medtech, the government and more. We need the inclusiveness for success. United with a common goal, they collaborated and supported the team to kick off and shape the Digital Health initiative, reaching two key milestones in 2022: A population survey to better understand the needs and fears of the digitalisation of the healthcare system and a Swiss patient ecosystem map to illustrate all the existing digital solutions which enable an enhanced patient journey. Based on the results of the survey and with the involvement of multiple members who are experts in the field, the study “A Swiss digital healthcare system: What the population thinks” was published. Furthermore, the Swiss Patient Ecosystem Map represents the different existing solutions and initiatives in Switzerland to provide the ecosystem with more clarity and help to identify synergies and gaps.
2022 has surely been a year of new beginnings for Infrastructure & Cybersecurity. After the “no” vote to the proposed E-ID law in 2021, the team worked to support the government with its new approach, considering the feedback from Swiss citizens and developing a more pragmatic approach with the goal to create more acceptance; we were therefore leveraging our broad network of expertise and members to propose solutions and initiatives. 10 members actively contributed to the keystone whitepaper to propose a new E-ID solution based on an ecosystem of verifiable credentials and self sovereign identity principles.
On the cybersecurity front, in 2022 our involvement has led to the launch of the CyberSeal managed by the “Allianz Digitale Schweiz”. digitalswitzerland was also present at the Swiss Cyber Security Days as well as supported the growth of the SME cyber check by Cybero. Last but certainly not least, digitalswitzerland orchestrated discussions with the goal to enable the required framework and conditions for a Swiss Data Space Ecosystem to develop. For this purpose, digitalswitzerland has also been upkeeping international coordination efforts with the industry-led, transnational data ecosystem initiative Gaia-X.
At digitalswitzerland, we build on digital solutions paving the way for a sustainable future and as a driver for accelerating sustainable innovation. This is why we create new digital and sustainable lighthouses and support initiatives that lead the way.
The kick-off for the carbon data project WISER happened in a large consortium of both academic and implementation partners. The idea of WISER is to simplify the implementation, reliability and comparison of greenhouse gas assessments with a sophisticated digital ecosystem. The idea is supported as one of the few flagship projects from Innosuisse. Development of the backend of WISER began in 2022 and the team started preparing to position the tool as a valuable contributor for businesses climate strategies.
The team kicked off 2022 with a large-scale event co-organised with the Capital Market Technology Association to strengthen the relationship between Western and Eastern Switzerland in the DLT space. This event brought together 70 C-levels and experts in Zurich. To make Switzerland a leading DLT-hub, accessibility is key. Thus, we created a dedicated 4T-DLT website where the community can access all blueprints in one location and is able to actively share its own contributions. The site serves perfectly as a collaborative platform (add your own events, blueprints, definitions and join the forum to exchange). A LinkedIn group to enable easy access to content for experts and stakeholders interested in DLT complements the community-focused offer.
The Startups and International programme was renamed to Scaleup Enablement in 2022 to reflect the initiatives and endeavours of the programme more accurately. 2022 was a vibrant year for Switzerland’s startup ecosystem, demonstrating resilience in all areas. Notably strong growth could be observed in sustainability startups, and capital invested into ICT companies up by over 70%.
Our flagship event in Bern, Startup Days, was once again a celebration of Swiss innovation and engaged many members and partners, not least through the General Assembly that runs concurrently with the event.
Scaleup Bootcamps ran throughout the year together with VentureLab and the Gerbert Rüf Stiftung, providing thematic matchmaking between corporates and startups. Industries included Foodtech, Smart Manufacturing, Fintech & Insurtech, Enterprise Tech & Cybersecurity, Life Science, Digital Health, Cleantech & Circular Economy, and Smart City & Mobility.
Under the SwissTech umbrella, the team took 17 spin-offs, startups and scaleups to GITEX Global in Dubai, accompanied by a delegation of members and Women In Tech Switzerland. As a gateway to the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, this was important to showcase the strength of the Swiss ICT sector and an opportunity to gain inspiration from their local crypto valley.
The team was pleased to support Swisspreneur in the Scaleup Slopes, bringing together various players across startups, scaleups, corporates, and investors. We also supported the Swiss Startup Radar and Swiss Venture Capital Report, two important reports for highlighting the strength of our startup ecosystem.
In partnership with Bilanz, Handelszeitung and PME, digitialswitzerland was once again celebrating the 100 people changing the face of the Swiss digital landscape – Digital Shapers 2022. Their continued efforts and commitment inspires and brings those around them on a journey to challenge what’s possible.
At the beginning of 2022, the team welcomed Dominique Reber as the new Head of B2G (Business to government). In 2022, the newly formed Public Affairs team hosted three events with parliamentarians, including an event co-hosted with ePower on Cybersecurity vs Independence. The other two events were centred around Swiss Digital Days and the topic of Energy and Digitalisation.
In December 2022, digitalswitzerland submitted a list of 17 lighthouse projects for potential funding under EMBAG’s article 17 (Federal Act on the Use of Electronic Means for the Performance of Official Duties), which foresees federal funding via private-public partnerships for digital transformation projects.
In a very open and constructive process, we contributed to the development of the Digital Strategy of Switzerland and supported the Federal Chancellery in creating visibility for this important guidance for our country. We are fully supportive of this strategy of Switzerland and it is very much in line with the priorities that are guiding digitalswitzerland.
We renewed our commitment to the regions beyond Central Switzerland and Ticino. This is why in July 2022, we agreed on a strategic collaboration with the Economic Chamber of Biel-Seeland to increase our presence in this region. Further, Anthony Corbaz has been appointed to lead and expand activities in Western Switzerland, starting in 2023.
The commitment of diverse actors within Central Switzerland for a joint regional initiative, with digitalswitzerland acting as the orchestrating organisation, was further strengthened. In particular, the Canton of Lucerne has been won as an active supporter who provides significant seed funding for local, impact-oriented activities. Following its launch in 2021, the “DigitalTag Zentralschweiz 2022”, which took place in the Swiss Museum of Transport, was further established as the flagship event for digitalisation in Central Switzerland. The “DigitalTag Zentralschweiz 2022” further served as a starting point for initial talks between the Swiss Museum of Transport and digitalswitzerland for a joint collaboration regarding the development of a “House of Digital Switzerland.”
In 2022, digitalswitzerland held the “AI Round Table” in cooperation with the Locarno Film Festival and hosted Swiss Digital Days in Bellinzona and Lugano. The event in Lugano was very successful in particular and the team was able to welcome many interested people as well as a public figure with Christa Rigozzi.
To widen the network and to attract new members, the team collaborated with the Lifestyle Tech Competence Centre in Lugano on networking events. The Lifestyle Innovation Day in April 2022 was one such occasion, which brought over 1000 visitors to Lugano to talk about innovation in fashion, food and life in general.
digitalswitzerland consists of 200+ Association members and non-political Foundation partners. The Association and Foundation continued to collaborate closely in pursuit of strengthening digitalisation in Switzerland.
2022 marks the first operational year of the digitalswitzerland Foundation. The creation and implementation of the Digital Xchange format to foster bottom-up dialogue with the population and discuss the impact of digitalisation on society stands out in the efforts of 2022. Within this format, the team interviewed a wide spectrum of experts and keyholders, organised four public focus groups with more than a hundred participants of all ages and backgrounds. Further, the 1st edition of the Digital Xchange Forum in September 2022 convening over 50 leaders and representatives of very diverse stakeholders to address digital inclusion in Switzerland was held.
Get the latest digital thinking direct to your inbox. Join more than 12,000 fellow digital enthusiasts for our regular round-up of the latest news, project updates and ideas to inspire.
digitalswitzerland
Selnaustrasse 25
8001 Zurich
digitalswitzerland Foundation
c/o EPFL
Station 14, Bâtiment INF, 131
1015 Lausanne
digitalswitzerland
Waisenhausplatz 14
3011 Bern
Designed & Developed by Ads and Ventures™ www.adsandventures.com
digitalswitzerland hosted a panel at the Swiss Biotech Day on digitalisation in the Swiss healthcare system, moderated by Jade Sternberg, Digital Health Lead at digitalswitzerland. We discussed the opportunities and benefits of data collection with four key leaders in the ecosystem: Chantal Stäuble from Netcetera, Dr. Sebastiano Caprara from Balgrist hospital, Dr. René P. Buholzer from Interpharma and Steven Bourke from PersonalPulse.
The panel discussion shows that the digital transformation in healthcare is a journey where all stakeholders need to work together with a sense of urgency in order to successfully create a patient-centric and value based healthcare system. It is only by collecting data from all citizens that we will be able to build a solid data basis to do better diagnostics and design better treatments to increase the quality of care. Here are a few takeaways of the interesting exchange.
Based on our survey findings in the Digital Health Study, we can clearly see that the citizens are willing to use a digital healthcare system given it has clear added values.
According to the panellists, digitalisation would be very valuable if:
The term “patient” has evolved through the years. Nowadays, the word patient is used to define different personas which could be replaced by “client”, “consumer”, “user” and “customer” of the healthcare system. In the survey, 31% of the population believes that everyone is a patient, healthy or sick. According to Steven Bourke, the change of the role of the patient is key for the future of healthcare. Previously, becoming a patient was not something that you proactively look for, it was something that you became after you received a clinical diagnosis. In the future, let’s move from a business of disease to a business of healthcare.
Dr. Sebastiano Caprara explained that when setting up a research project, a clear description is required for how a patient’s data will be collected, used and managed after the completion of the project. It is only with this that a project will be accepted by the ethical committee of the canton of Zurich.
There is a clear process in place when a patient or subject arrives at a clinic: informed consent needs to be given as well as a clear explanation of how the data will be used. Once collected, the data will be de-identified before being shared with researchers according to the Swiss Personalised Healthcare Network. The data can only be tracked back to the patient in the clinic to allow for the data to be erased if the patient wishes to retract their consent in the future.
Dr. René P. Buholzer: “The next wave of innovation and R&D in drug development will be driven by data.” Pharmaceutical is a global industry and therefore pharmaceutical companies will move wherever the talent is. Switzerland is still a R&D leader in Europe – but we need to speed up our health data collection. Otherwise, Switzerland will lose its status as an attractive location.
Chantal Stäuble: “Technology should serve humans.” According to her, one of the key elements is privacy by design, designing the concept of a device around identity (self-sovereignty). This key factor is also reflected in our survey; citizens want to be the owners of their data and have a say into who can access their data.
Proactivity will enable us to have a really solid data basis which can be used to further research and develop new personalised treatment, moving from a fee for service to a fee for outcome model.
We need to collect the data collectively in a systematic way, following common standards in order to be able to work together and create value.
Decentralised solutions are picking up speed: nowadays, treatments are more and more brought to the people’s homes. According to Steven Bourke, the value proposition of the treatments needs to be reconsidered, it needs to bring value to the citizens in order for them to be comfortable with the change. The citizen’s role needs to transition from a tool tester to a co-creator; they need to play an active role and understand “what is in it for me” on a personal level and on a society level. Mutual value needs to be brought to the patient and the healthcare practitioners, bringing the data in a way that motivates them to look at it. This change of mindset will really enable us to bring the digital therapeutics to the homes of Swiss citizens.
The pandemic had multiple positive outcomes on digitalisation of healthcare:
Chantal Stäuble: “We need a grass-rooting movement.” We need to stand and work together, creating public-private partnerships including the patients, the citizens. We need to get the mutual value from the data, value on a patient level, on a physician level, on a research level.
In the future, ideally the health data will be shared between generations for people to be able to build on it; this will have a huge impact on the society.
The healthcare system in Switzerland is based on solidarity. Solidarity will only happen when the system is trusted; a system with a common infrastructure and right governance. The different existing infrastructures need to be brought together quickly to ensure they are well connected and not fragmented. Data should be interoperable to ensure the infrastructure we build is a central store for all to profit from. We need to be inspired by other countries like the Nordics.
Switzerland has created a system of silos allowing disconnection between cantons. We need common standards as a nation. These silos are present at the federal level as well as between the different professions. The reimbursement system in Switzerland does not help as people only get reimbursed for the services they provide, not for collaborating with one another.
In Switzerland, we need to change the mindset of the population, we need to spend more time on empowering the citizens around their health, around digitalisation. We need to show them what value they get out of it, what is in it for me as a person, as an individual, as a society. This is a change which is happening slowly.
As outlined by a person in the audience, “Let’s have a TWINT moment in healthcare”.
More information on the panellists:
Chantal and Sebastiano are both members of our Digital Health Steering Committee at digitalswitzerland.
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
| Marcel | Stalder | Group CEO Chain IQ | Co-Founder & Head Strategy Board digitalswitzerland |
| Catrin | Hinkel | CEO Microsoft Switzerland | Member Strategy Board digitalswitzerland |
| Marcel | Dobler | Former President of ICTswitzerland | Vice-President & Member Strategy Board digitalswitzerland |
| Stefan | Metzger | CEO digitalswitzerland |
1. Welcome & Opening | ||
| Introduction | 00:00 – 00:08 | Catrin Hinkel |
| 2. Purpose & History | ||
| Switzerland as a Leading Digital Nation | 00:08 – 00:48 | Marcel Stalder |
| From Digital Zurich 2025 to digitalswitzerland | 00:48 – 02:14 | Marcel Stalder |
| 3. Strategy & Impact | ||
| Strategy Development | 02:14 – 03:17 | Marcel Stalder |
| Vision & Mission | 03:17 – 03:47 | Marcel Dobler |
| Impact Logic | 03:47 – 06:07 | Marcel Dobler Catrin Hinkel |
| 4. Member Value & Engagement | ||
| Membership Motivation | 06:07 – 06:47 | Stefan Metzger |
| Membership Benefits | 06:47 – 07:36 | Stefan Metzger |
| Engagement Opportunities | 07:36 – 08:08 | Stefan Metzger |
| 5. Goodbye & Closing | ||
| Conclusion | 08:08- 08:29 | Marcel Stalder |
To achieve our vision to transform Switzerland into a leading digital nation, we act as an orchestrator together with our members, partners, and other important stakeholders – the agents of impact (“Wirkungsträger”) – in the area of B2C, B2B and B2G.
We generate impact in six fields of activity (“Wirkungsfelder”) – such as “Education, Professionals and Diversity” – thanks to joint initiatives and activities. With these, we drive the digital transformation in selected impacts streams (“Wirkungsstreams”) that are key for a digital nation (click on the image below):
In all our activities and initiatives, we count on the strong commitment and engagement of our members and reach common goals based on a very lean and impact-driven governance as follows (click on the image below):
All our association members come together and form our “General Assembly”. The Steering Committee is the strategic advisory board to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee – our association board – is elected by the General Assembly. It is organised along our “impact logic” (“Wirkungslogik”) with accountable leaders per “Wirkungsträger” and “Wirkungsstream” and complemented by specific support functions such as: “Strategy”, “Portfolio Management”, “Nomination Committee” as well as “Risk, Compliance & Finance”.
The digitalswitzerland office is responsible for the strategy execution and mobilisation. It is present in every region of Switzerland, which emphasises our strong commitment for the regional inclusion and impact in the regions.
The main motivation of becoming a member of digitalswitzerland is the commitment to the long-term responsibility needed for Switzerland to become a leading digital nation to be fit for the future. However, a membership at digitalswitzerland offers many benefits and opportunities for involvement – see below:
How can you engage and get the most out of your membership at digitalswitzerland? Here is how:
The increasing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) requires a careful analysis of the current legal framework in Switzerland. With the postulate “Legal situation AI – clarify uncertainties, promote innovation”, Marcel Dobler, FDP National Councillor and Vice-President of digitalswitzerland, calls on the Federal Council to examine whether the current legal system and its principles do justice to developments in the field of new technologies and to identify uncertainties.
Building on this analysis, the federal council shall examine whether a strategy based on an opportunity-risk analysis needs to be devised by a group of experts from business, science and NGOs. If necessary, a concept on the need for legislative action should be developed, in which priorities, timetable and resources are defined.
Switzerland has already taken important steps to recognise and respond to the importance of AI. These include the Confederation’s guidelines on AI, the Digital Switzerland Strategy, the report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Artificial Intelligence (IDAG AI), the Federal Statistical Office’ Competence Network on Artificial Intelligence (CNAI), as well as the engagement in the Council of Europe’s Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) for binding guidelines within the members of the Council of Europe. Nevertheless, Switzerland has so far refrained from passing its own AI law and has remained true to the approach of “as much as necessary, as little as possible” as well as technology-neutral formulations of the laws. However, Braun Binder et al. (2021) show in their article “Künstliche Intelligenz: Handlungsbedarf im Schweizer Recht” (EN: Artificial Intelligence – Need for Action in Swiss Law) that on closer inspection, due to the technology-neutral approach, selective adjustments are needed in Switzerland.
A selective adaptation of laws and ordinances is not far removed from reality. The DLT Act, which was passed by parliament in 2020 and fully enacted by the Federal Council in 2021, shows that a selective adaptation of the laws can bring about a flourishing innovation landscape for promising technologies that are even crucial for Switzerland. The DLT Act has ensured that Switzerland is still a leading global location for blockchain technologies.
Please find the full postulate in German.
Tech leaders from industry, academia and government gather to address sustainability challenges.
Many countries and businesses have made it a top priority to become more sustainable and climate neutral. But how can the two driving forces sustainability and digitalisation be combined to safeguard our future? Both today and in the coming years. Considered together, these two key topics can create ecological, economic and social benefits. A challenge as tall as sustainability can’t be addressed alone and collaboration is key.
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
This was the central thread woven into a world class event during our recent World Economic Forum 2023 Breakfast event in Davos. digitalswitzerland, in partnership with Palantir, hosted an engaging event titled “Tech for Good – addressing Climate Change with Digital Solutions“. It brought together an esteemed lineup of speakers, including Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, Dr. Alex Karp of Palantir, Dieter Vranckx of SWISS, and Dr. Peter Richner of EMPA. The format, with keynotes and a panel discussion, allowed for a rich exploration of the topic and a dynamic exchange of ideas and insights.
Marc Walder (Founder of digitalswitzerland) and Dr. Alex Karp (CEO Palantir) welcomed our members and partners before introducing the keynote speakers. The panel that followed discussed the role of technology in addressing the pressing issue of climate change and the potential for digital solutions to have a significant impact.
Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin highlighted the importance of Tech for Good for the Swiss economy and Swiss corporations, as well as for Swiss research and innovation. “It is important to promote the synergies between these two worlds as much as possible. This is to ensure the well-being of all in our country, but also beyond our borders. Digitalisation is a huge engine of change that is transforming society and the economy at a rapid pace. The potential is immense. Switzerland absolutely must make use of them”.
Dieter Vranckx of SWISS shared his insights on the airline industry’s efforts to reduce emissions. During the pandemic, SWISS set environmental sustainability as its top priority. Vranckx is convinced that, “in the long term only airlines that become much more environmentally friendly than they are today will have a significant place in this world and contribute to the mobility of the future”.
Dr. Peter Richner of EMPA discussed the potential of reliable and consistent greenhouse gas data. The goal is a digital solution that simplifies the modelling and analysis of greenhouse gas emissions in all international value chains. “If we want to achieve the goal of net zero, we can only do so if we measure what we do. We need a tool that enables us all to make smarter decisions when building value chains. This is exactly what WISER makes possible”.
The event provided valuable insights into the potential of technology to address climate change and the importance of collaboration between government, industry and academia. It was a great opportunity for digitalswitzerland members and partners to learn more about the latest developments and initiatives in the field, and to network with other experts in the area.
View more images from the event and read more about our Lunch Event Creating Value in the Metaverse, held at the Wipro Pavilion.
Photography by Moritz Schmid of Chilyvent.
The metaverse is a virtual world where the physical meets the digital. It is the idea of a new digital world that merges with the real world. It does not consist of monitors and keyboards, but gives the user the feeling of a real, physical interaction in the digital world. Users can interact with each other and with digital objects in a shared space. This trailblazing technology has the potential to change the way we live, work and play.
One of the most important ways for companies to benefit from the metaverse is to create value for the society, companies and their customers. This can be through immersive experiences, such as virtual reality shopping, multisensory experiences or gaming. Companies that invest in this technology now will be well positioned to reap the potential benefits in the future.
The digitalswitzerland WEF 2023 Lunch, hosted by Wipro, was a meeting of industry leaders and experts in the field of the metaverse. The event addressed the topic of “Creating Value in the Metaverse“, taking place in Davos. It provided an excellent opportunity for digitalswitzerland members to learn from some of the most respected industry leaders.
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
The event featured keynotes and a panel discussion with influential figures in the metaverse field, including Angie Gifford of Meta, Yat Siu of Animoca Brands, Efsun Erkiliç of Refik Anadol Studio, Isabel Steinhoff of Dimenteers, Srini Pallia of Wipro, Eric Saracchi of Firmenich and Cathy Hackl of Journey. After the welcome by Marc Walder, founder of digitalswitzerland and René Mulder, CEO Wipro Switzerland, the guests were guided through the event by Stefan Metzger, CEO of digitalswitzerland.
The event also gave participants the opportunity to network with other industry leaders and experts. Overall, the digitalswitzerland WEF 2023 Lunch was a valuable opportunity for participants to gain a deeper understanding of this exciting new field.
Angie Gifford of Meta, a company that is developing a metaverse platform that allows users to create and share virtual experiences. “The metaverse is the next evolution of the internet”. Anyone talking about the digital world of the future can not avoid the Metaverse. Here, products can be experienced – independent of space and time. Interactions can be made more authentic in the metaverse, but without replacing the real world. We want people to have a better experience online, not more time online. Education opportunities in this space are exciting and the ability to share data in virtual rooms for example.
Yat Siu of Animoca Brands, a company specialising in the development of digital collectibles and gaming experiences, sees ownership as the foundation of the metaverse. He kicked off his talk with the vita questions: Do we actually own the rights to our digital existence? Do we actually own our digital assets? AI and Deep Learning offer great value, but there is a catch. Who owns the data? It is important to understand the value of data. Do we own the rights to our digital existence? To quote George Washington: Freedom and property rights are inseparable.
Efsun Erkiliç of Refik Anadol Studio, a company that creates immersive, data-driven art installations, sees the metaverse as a way to create new forms of expression. “We want to create public art. As artists, we are interested in people. The pandemic made us realise that we already live in a digital world. Our research and practice focuses on people and puts them at the centre of everything we do. Efsun believes that the metaverse will allow artists and creators to push the boundaries of what’s possible, creating new ways to tell stories and express themselves.
Isabel Steinhoff of Dimenteers, a company supporting leaders to become pioneers in the metaverse. “Businesses must first educate themselves and then engage with the amazing customer experiences. You need to communicate, move and shake up the possibilities from the top down. Explore and be vulnerable. If you do this, you can open up new possibilities for your company”.
Srini Pallia of Wipro, a leading global technology, consulting and services company, sees the metaverse as a way to create new opportunities for innovation and value creation. The metaverse is not just about customer experience, it’s about the way we do business – it’s a game changer.
Eric Saracchi of Firmenich, a company that specialises in creating and producing flavours and fragrances, sees the metaverse as a way to create new opportunities for customer engagement. The metaverse is a conversion of senses, not technology. The motto in exploring the possibilities of the metaverse: be curious, be foolish and embrace the technology. We need to be fast and furious.
Cathy Hackl of Journey, a company that specialises in creating virtual reality and augmented reality experiences, sees the metaverse as a way to create new opportunities for storytelling and brand building. Cathy states that it’s important to build towards the long-term, not just the ‘hype cycle’ surrounding the metaverse.
Overall, these leaders in the metaverse space see the technology as a way to create new opportunities for value creation, innovation, and revenue generation. They all have different perspectives and specialities, but they all see the metaverse as a powerful tool that companies can use to create new forms of value for their customers.
View more images of the event here and read about our eSustainability Breakfast Event, which took place at the Palantir Pavilion.
Photography by Moritz Schmid of Chilyvent.
Our whitepaper “Empfehlungen für gendersensible MINT-Angebote” (Recommendations for gender-sensitive STEM programmes) is live! Together with Prof. Dr. Bernadette Spieler from the University of Education Zurich, we have the pleasure of publishing this important contribution to the MINT topic. The whitepaper helps organisations and individuals dealing with STEM (science, engineering, technology, and mathematics) to recognise the potential of STEM disciplines.
Get the latest digital thinking direct to your inbox. Join more than 14,000 fellow digital enthusiasts for our regular round-up of the latest news, project updates and ideas to inspire.
Sign up
