swissnex annual report 2014

Annual Report

2

OUR

MISS ION :

SWISSNEX :

A GLOBAL

NETWORK

IS TO CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN SWITZERLAND AND THE WORLD IN SCIENCE, EDUCATION, ART AND INNOVATION. SWISSNEX IS A NETWORK WITH NODES IN THE WORLD’S MOST INNOVATIVE HUBS, WHERE THE FUTURE IS BEING SHAPED. WE TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN STRENGTHENING SWITZERLAND’S LEADERSHIP AS A WORLD-CLASS LOCATION FOR SCIENCE, EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION.

SAN FRANCISCO

BOSTON

RIO DE JA

NEIRO

3 swissnex annual report 2014

Initiative of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, SERI, managed in cooperation with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, FDFA.

The swissnex network includes outposts in Boston, Brazil, China, India, San Francisco and Singapore.

BANGALORE

SINGAPORE

SHANGHAI

4

MISSION STATEMENT 2

LETTER FROM THE STATE SECRETARY 5

FINANCIALS, LEADERSHIP TEAM 6

DOTS CONNECTED IN 2014 8

BOSTON 14

BRAZIL 18

CHINA 22

INDIA 26

SAN FRANCISCO 30

SINGAPORE 34

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS 38

CONTENTS


Letter From THE State Secretary

Dear Reader,

It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the fi rst joint Annual Report of the swissnex network. This report provides an overview of the activities and achievements of all six swissnex locations in 2014. For a more comprehensive overview of the many projects and successes in the swissnex network, I invite you to visit the newly redesigned swissnex.org.

The swissnex network reached two important milestones over the past year: swissnex Singapore, the fi rst swissnex established in Asia, celebrated a decade of connecting the dots between Switzerland and this Asian knowledge hub, in which a strong Swiss presence in the fi elds of science, education and innovation has been established. The network also welcomed its latest addition with the inauguration of swissnex Brazil in April 2014, presided over by Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann.

Whilst at its origin, 15 years ago, swissnex began as an innovative experiment in Boston, today it has evolved into an established and well recognized network. Together with our 18 Science and Technology Counselors positioned in Swiss Embassies around the globe, the swissnexes offer a diversity of tailor-made services to support the internationalization of our partners’ projects and organizations and, by consequence, of Switzerland’s education, research and innovation landscape.

It remains nonetheless necessary for each swissnex to continue to reinvent itself, to be innovative in the development of partnerships, to explore new opportunities and to adapt to local cultures, in order to remain successful in meeting its stated objectives. Such dynamism relies heavily on ensuring a collaborative approach with our partners; one that is based on confi dence and which builds on harnessing mutual creativity and expertise.

For your trust in swissnex and in the people behind the dots, I would like to warmly thank you. I remain enthusiastic about the emerging partnerships that will come to fruition in 2015 and beyond.

Yours sincerely,

Mauro Dell’Ambrogio

State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation

5

6

SERI

CHINA

Pasca

l Marm

ier CEO, V

ice Con

sul Gen

eral

#cha

rismatic

F INANC IALS

LEADERSHIPTEAM

OVERALL SWISSNEX FUNDING The overall funding covers all expenses, such as operations, salaries, infrastructure, projects and travel.

BOSTON

Felix M

oesner

CEO, Con

sul

#cha

llenge

rBRAZIL

Gioia Deu

cher

CEO, Con

sul

#dyna

mic

PARTNER CONTRIBUTIONS

5,890,000

2,990,000

1 = 100,000 CHF


PROJECT FUNDING As a Public-Private Partnership, swissnex is required by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation to fi nance at least two-thirds of its projects with partner contributions.

INDIA

Balz Stra

sser

CEO, Con

sul G

enera

l

#idea

tor SINGAPORE

Suzanne H

raba-R

enev

ey CEO

#insig

htful

SAN FRANCISCO

Christia

n Simm CEO

#tren

dsco

uter

SERI

PARTNER CONTRIBUTIONS (CASH)

TOTALFUNDING

PARTNERCONTRIBUTIONS (IN KIND)

880,000

1,450,000

8,880,000 1,330,000

8

DOTS

CONNECTED

in 20 14


390+EVENTS ORGANISED

180+STARTUPSEMPOWERED

120+DELEGATIONS AND STUDY TRIPS LED

OPEN

1 1

BRAZIL

41 events organised

15 startups empowered- 4 through webinars and consultation- 11 startup delegations

5 delegations and study tours led

BOSTON

95 events organised

32 startups empowered- 7 visiting startups- 3 through webinars and consultation- 22 startup delegations



CHINA

53 events organised

29 startups empowered- 10 visiting startups- 9 through webinars and consultations- 10 startup delegations

35 delegations and study tours ledINDIA

68 events organised

40 startups empowered- 11 visiting startups- 20 through webinars and consultation- 9 startup delegations


SINGAPORE

59 events organised

12 Startups empowered- 5 visiting startups- 7 through webinars and consultation


SAN FRANCISCO

78 events organised

59 startups empowered- 9 visiting startups- 50 through webinars and consultation


14

Felix Moesner, CEO, Consul

2014 was a fantastic year for swissnex Boston. Our 14th year was marked by many

highlights, culminating with the Swiss-US Energy Innovation Days held in July. Federal

Councillor Doris Leuthard joined us to kickoff this special series, which included the

premiere of the Watt d’Or exhibition.

In early 2014, EPFL President Patrick Aebischer, the Harvard Wyss Institute’s founder

Hansjörg Wyss and world-renowned entrepreneur Ernesto Bertarelli gathered at swissnex

Boston to present the Campus Biotech Geneva for the fi rst time to an audience. We also

brought the Excellent Swiss Design exhibition to Boston, showcasing the best in Swiss

contemporary design. In October, we celebrated 60 Years of CERN with a month-long

program on the world’s largest particle physics laboratory at Harvard University. The

Venture Leaders Boston boot camp enjoyed its own milestone with an expansion of the

program to include New York City. Finally, our continued collaboration with the Offi ce of

Science, Technology and Higher Education at the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington

D.C. allowed us to jointly highlight one of our country’s most important strengths: its

vocational education and training / apprenticeship system – a model that attracted

signifi cant interest and attention on this side of the Atlantic.

With 95 events, delegations and high-profi le visitors, we’ve truly achieved new benchmarks

in ‘connecting the dots’ and raising Switzerland’s profi le abroad.

As we enter our 15th year, I invite you to learn more about these initiatives, and to

discover why Boston – a city poised to compete as the US’ bid for the 2024 Olympics –

matters, and why swissnex Boston is at the forefront of education, research and innovation

here. Stay tuned: Success in progress!


BOSTON

REACH ING

NEW

HE IGHTS

The F irst Swiss-US Energy Innovat ion Days

In July, swissnex Boston partnered with the Swiss Federal Offi ce of Energy (SFOE)

to host the Swiss-US Energy Innovation Days (SUEID). This series brought together

over 30 organizations and hundreds of experts from Switzerland and the US for

a mutual dialogue into the future of energy innovation. Hosted at Northeastern

University, the program invited a number of energy innovation experts, including our

Energy Minister, Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, and a delegation of 80 Swiss

executives from the academic, research, governmental, and corporate sectors.

The Swiss-US Energy Innovation Days offered a broad perspective and rich

discussion on the current challenges and opportunities in energy innovation. The

SUEID included the world premiere of Watt d’Or, a traveling exhibition showcasing

Switzerland’s most innovative energy projects.

The SUEID proved critical for Switzerland because they afforded the Swiss delegation

the rare opportunity to have strategic meetings with key leaders in energy innovation

in Boston, including the Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick and the Mayor

of Boston, Martin J. Walsh. The delegation was also able to engage with leaders

from Boston’s top academic & research institutions: Harvard University, MIT, and

Northeastern University. As part of the agenda, ETH Zurich and MIT signed an

agreement to enable an exchange of students, as well as greater collaboration in the

fi eld of energy.

swissnex Boston also coordinated exclusive visits to some of Boston’s top innovation

centres: MassChallenge, Greentown Labs, the Wind Testing Technology Center of

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and EnerNOC.

“The SFOE highly valued the

collaboration with swissnex

Boston in terms of effi ciency

and providing an excellent

platform to present Swiss

Energy Innovation to the

US. The Swiss participants

were very pleased with the

achieved results and the full

pipeline of follow-ups ensures

a prosperous partnership with

the US in the future.”

Dr. Walter Steinmann, Director of the

Swiss Federal Offi ce of Energy and State

Secretary for Energy

Watt d’Or Opening Ceremony

16

Impact: The SUEID proved to be fruitful, and continue to add value for Switzerland.

At the end of 2014, the SFOE and MassCEC signed a collaborative agreement as

a direct tangible outcome. In 2015, MIT and ETH Zurich will hold their first two-day

energy symposium in Monte Verita in Switzerland, and the second edition of the

SUEID will take place in August 2015 in Zurich. In addition, the world’s largest startup

accelerator, MassChallenge, is already working with partners in Switzerland. Finally,

Federal Councillor Leuthard, who rode in a Tesla while in Boston, is the world’s first

Energy Minister with an official electric car. The SUEID were the catalyst for building

partnerships and continued conversations at various fronts.

Excellent Swiss Des ign

This past fall, swissnex Boston partnered with Design Preis Schweiz, and the

Massachusetts College of Art to bring the Excellent Swiss Design exhibition to

Boston. Designed to showcase highlights from the selection of winners and nominees

of the Design Prize Switzerland award, the exhibition and program of events offered

Boston designers and design aficionados alike a rare glimpse into contemporary

Swiss design, and an opportunity to engage in dialogue on design methodology with

the Swiss designers.

New York Outpost

Set up in August 2013, the New York Outpost’s first year has been a positive one that

has allowed our office to leverage New York’s strong startup ecosystem for the benefit

of Swiss entrepreneurs. The swissnex Boston New York Outpost hosted the Venture

Leaders for the first time, and co-organized the Zero Power Smart Fashion exhibition

and symposium on wearable tech and smart clothing during New York’s Fashion

Week in September.

“The Watt d’Or Grand Opening

Ceremony exhibition event

at Northeastern University’s

International Village was a

tremendous demonstration

of what is possible when the

finest Swiss minds set out to

tackle engineering problems,

resulting in some truly inspiring

and groundbreaking feats in

energy efficiency. The work on

display sets new standards in

achievement across a range

of industries, from building

renovation and modeling to

manufacturing processes.”

Chad O’ Connor, Lecturer, Northeastern University

Swiss-US Energy Innovation Days


swissnex Boston Team with New York Outpost

Innovation Ecosystem: Boston has the top life sciences cluster in the US and is home to a large number of startups and high-tech companies. The world’s largest startup accelerator, MassChallenge, is based in Boston. Venture Capital Investment per Capita in Boston is one of the second highest in the nation at $693.60, only a close second to California at $699.74 in 2014.

New York City

Washington DC

EDUCATION is the most

significant resource in Boston, with over

300 colleges, universities and research

institutions within a 90-minute drive.

The intellectual powerhouse Boston

attracts more than 350,000 college

students from around the world, who

contribute more than $4.8 billion

annually to the region’s economy.

Sustainability: For the fourth year in a row, Boston continues to top the list of the Most Energy Efficient City among America’s 34 largest cities by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Always on the forefront of sustainability, the City of Boston has a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020, and by 80% by 2050.

Economic Powerhouse: The economy of New York City is the largest regional economy in the United States. Its GDP alone is similar to that of Australia. Fashionable New York is also the second strongest venture capital market in the US, having surpassed Massachusetts in 2014.

Policy: Washington, D.C. is the science & innovation policy capital of the United States and sets world-wide trends.

Economy: A global city, Boston is placed among the world’s top 30 most economically powerful cities. Encompassing $363 billion, the Greater Boston metropolitan area has the sixth-largest economy in the US, all within a 25-km radius.

Boston is the world’s most dense innovation hub with an abundance of research, creativity, funding and talent. A remarkable 5.67% of its GDP (2011) was invested in R&D.

WHAT SETS BOSTON APART

Campus Biotech Geneva: First Public Presentation

18

Gioia Deucher, CEO, Consul

Forty-one, eight, seven, fi ve and one are the numbers that mark swissnex Brazil’s fi rst

year of existence.

In forty-one events in our eight months of activity, we built ourselves a niche in Rio

de Janeiro and São Paulo’s busy event schedules, connecting Swiss and Brazilian

scientists, innovators and artists.

With our fabulous new team of seven swissnexers from a variety of backgrounds, we

hosted fi ve delegations as they explored Brazil’s leading innovation institutions. All of

this was kick-started in one memorable inauguration ceremony in April 2014.

For swissnex Brazil, this fi rst year has been marked by a tremendously steep learning

curve, new spaces built, processes invented, knowledge gained, a culture created,

friendships made, dots connected.

It is thanks to the trust and support we experienced from you, our partners, that we

look back on an exciting year of discovery and creation.

We’re now ready to go full-steam into our second year of activity and look forward

to gaining new friends and partners as we continue exploring the swissnex network’s

latest frontier in the Southern hemisphere.


swissnex Brazil Team

BRAZ IL

Up . . . and runn ing !

2014 started on the fl y for swissnex Brazil: two fi rst interns joined our small

team of two, just as we moved into our new offi ce space in Rio de Janeiro, and

were soon followed by our fi rst collaborator in the São Paulo satellite offi ce. In

a fi rst exercise of impressive teamwork, our brand new lobby with its fi rst digital

art installation, a two-day urbanism seminar, an architectural exhibition and

other festivities were ready on time to celebrate swissnex Brazil’s inauguration

on the memorable date 4/4/2014!

In the presence of Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann and a

46-person delegation from business, science and the media, swissnex Brazil’s

opening was celebrated in a series of events spanning two days.

“The swissnex Brazil

inauguration was very

original and offered an

excellent opportunity for

the Science and Economy

Delegation to create new

and interesting contacts in

a pleasant environment.”

Federal Councillor Johann

Schneider-Ammann

20

Under the symbolic theme of “Juntos

Construímos” (Together, We Build), experts

and thought leaders from Brazil and

Switzerland discussed best practices around

urban planning and social housing - a theme

taken up by an exhibition in the swissnex

offices, portraying outstanding Swiss-Brazilian

architectural projects conceived by ETH

Zurich in collaboration with local partners.

In the lobby of Casa da Suíça, which hosts

swissnex, the Consulate General and a Swiss

restaurant, video artists from HEAD Geneva

set a playful ambiance with an interactive

installation taking visitors on a virtual tour

of Switzerland. Against this backdrop and in

the presence of some 270 guests, Federal

Councilor solemnly announced the signature

of bilateral agreement between the SNSF

and Rio de Janeiro’s science foundation

FAPERJ, marking the beginning of a new era

of scientific collaboration underpinned by the

opening of swissnex Brazil.

Celebrations reached their peak with a

relaxed party on the breathtaking swissnex

Brazil terrace facing Rio’s eminent landmark,

the Sugarloaf. Over Raclette and Swiss wine

from the Ecole de Changins, paired with the

light tunes of live Bossa Nova music, new

Swiss-Brazilian friendships were made and

dots got connected.

Barely inaugurated, swissnex Brazil took on

a variety of projects touching on science,

education, art and innovation. The Academia

Industry Training, or AIT, held in November

2014, represents an innovative element of

Swiss-Brazilian cooperation in science.

In collaboration with the EPFL Leading

House, swissnex India and countless

local partners, the program launched with

an ambitious goal: to connect high-level

scientists from Switzerland with their peers

in India and Brazil, and inspire them to bring

their research to market.

In order to provide them with the tools to

kickstart their own venture, participants

attended hands-on workshops on

company creation, business modeling and

fundraising, just to name a few.

In an intense week of learning and working,

the Swiss and Brazilian researchers

exchanged knowhow, inspired one another

and created lasting bonds. And the good

news is that the AIT is not quite over yet:

in April 2015, the eleven participants will

reunite again in Switzerland to build on

insights and tools acquired, this time with a

perspective on the Swiss health market.

Leaving Switzerland’s first days of winter

for Rio’s sunny summer, each of the six

selected researchers from Switzerland

brought along a promising idea for

applying their research in the marketplace.

Along with five local peers joining the

training from four cities across Brazil, they

came to acquire new knowledge, identify

partners and discover opportunities in the

local health sector. In a week-long series

of workshops, lectures, company visits

and networking events, the participants

learned what it takes to enter the Brazilian

market, familiarizing themselves with the

peculiarities of the country’s scientific and

business landscapes.

Academia Industry Training (AIT) Camp


“I learned exactly what I

needed to know what to

do with my company, to

keep it going and to seek

partnerships, not only with

Brazilian but also with Swiss

companies.”

Patricia Pelegrini, Founder and Partner at

Diagene Molecular Diagnosis

“In these first two days

I already learned much

more than I could

possibly imagine.”

Leonardo Chicaybam Ph.D. student at INCA

and Technologist at FIOCRUZ

BRAZ ILWHAT SETS BRAZIL APART

A hunger for

internationalization

Rio attracts great minds in the creative industry spanning from music to design. We bridged creative minds and fostered collaborations through events such as Act Like You Mean It, Poetic Sunset Churrasco, Movie Nights and the HEAD’s Swiss View.

The Brazilian government’s “Science Without Borders” program sends 100,000 students abroad each year. We supported this urge to internationalize by facilitating the signature of a Letter of Intent for bilateral research collaboration between science promotion agencies in Switzerland and Brazil (SNSF and FAPERJ).

With the World Cup and the Olympics, the eyes of the world are on Brazil. We presented Swiss science and innovation to visitors and sports fans at the House of Switzerland / Baixo Suíça during the FIFA World Cup 2014.

Brazil is a “new” window of opportunity in a globalized economy. We introduced Swiss researcher-entrepreneurs to Brazil ian market opportunities through the Academia Industry Training.

In the last 20 years Brazil’s output in scientific publications has risen by a factor of 5 making it Latin America’s largest producer of scientific publications. Brazil leads pioneering research and innovations in agriculture, IT and sustainability. We provide guidance for Swiss partners through Brazil’s lesser-known scientific and research landscape.

As the powerhouse of Latin America and with São Paulo as the hub for innovation and economic growth, we opened doors to the Brazilian business world through study tours and delegations.

A creative melting pot

A countryfull ofopportunities

The focus of the world

Opportunities abound due to non-saturation of the market:

Niches of Excellence

22

Pascal Marmier, CEO, Vice Consul General

Looking back to 2014, we are very happy that we could help a lot of innovators and

entrepreneurs fi nd collaborations, projects or fresh ideas in China. Thanks to venturelab,

10 tech entrepreneurs came to Shanghai and Beijing with the majority of them going

home with contracts, investments proposals or many follow up opportunities. Lift China

gathered together a large representation of makers from Europe and China who started

collaborating from the fi rst time they met.

We are also excited about some of the further interest of many stakeholders in our

activities. Swiss universities of Applied Sciences are in discussion with their counterparts in

China to launch a major collaborative effort following an offi cial discussion in Beijing. Our

CTI-sponsored Market Entry Camp also got a big boost as Swiss startups became more

active in looking for partners, customers or manufacturers.

In China, we feel that swissnex has a unique position to use its important status as part

of the Swiss government combined with its entrepreneurial spirit to achieve its goals.

For this, the team is key and I am thrilled about the excellence and diversity of each

person that has worked at swissnex China during the year. In 2015, we will continue our

exploration with new formats and programs with new partners!


CH INA

HERE COMES THE NEW ERA OF INNOVAT ION

2014 marked a year full of new activities and achievements.

We are proud to say that we have engaged and connected the

Swiss and Chinese innovative communities more deeply. Many

new ideas were born through these connections and many more

collaborations are expected in the future.

The first edition of Lift China is a perfect example. By co-organising

this conference and bringing together Shanghai’s local makers

and interaction design community, swissnex China created a stage

where the local pioneers could share how they are shaping the

country’s open innovation ecosystem from a bottom-up approach.

With the makers tour, the creative minds from Europe brought their

knowledge to Shenzhen, which eventually led to the creation of

China’s first Biohackspace.

Lift China 2014

24

swissnex China was also thrilled to

collaborate with venturelab for the first

edition of venture leaders China. The selected

ten Swiss startups had an intensive program from

Beijing to Shanghai during ten days, with a variety of

activities including coaching, networking, pitching and business

development. Local experts were invited to share their expertise on

a variety of topics: legal aspects of entrepreneurship, fundraising, deal

negotiation, social media and PR, business culture and market opportunities.

The experience was very intense but extremely helpful as few of the startups got

in touch with VC in China and are now in the midst of due diligence with multimillion

investment in discussion. For swissnex, this program also led to the establishment of

a partnership with Tsinghua University Science Park (TusPark) allowing startups to

better access the rich tech ecosystem around this world-class university.

In education, there were many reasons to celebrate the strengthening of the Sino -

Swiss relations. Universities of Applied Sciences, in particular, continued to expand

their network through various programs ranging from sabbaticals, student exchanges

and joint degrees. The Canton of Vaud launched new summer schools in design,

nursing, business and engineering. We also welcomed close to 40 academic groups

of all disciplines that came on learning trips to China. On the more official side,

the team in Beijing was instrumental in gathering experts from the two countries to

discuss collaboration in vocational training and UAS governance.

swissnex China continues to evolve as a platform of connection, discovery and action-

oriented collaboration. We like to “make it happen” and we are ready for the coming

challenges in this fast-moving country. We will put a lot of effort to also increase

the number of Swiss students who come to discover China!

Thre

e lo

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Chi

na, w

ith a

pop

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ion

of 2

4+, 2

3+, 1

7+ m

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s, wh

ere

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nd is

per

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Our i

mpa

ct in

clud

ing:

Beijing the capital city, the nation’s cultural and educational centre: • access to best universities

• direct dialogue with the Minister of Education

Shanghai, the commercial and financial centre: • bring Swiss entrepreneurs to local investors

• good connection with local makers group

Guangzhou, the global manufacturing hubs: • close relationship with manufacturing industries

• outreach to Shenzhen, China’s Sillicon Valley of Hardware WHAT

SET

S C

HIN

A

APA

RT

“swissnex China has

accompanied us, since our first

steps into Chinese market, with

its enthusiasm and efficiency.

From its highly competent team

with an interesting background

mixture, as a technology

startup, we have been helped

in almost all the aspects of

market development.”

Yun Luo, CEO & Founder of Plus MAT AG

venture leaders pitching against local entrepreneurs


“What swissnex China has

been offering me is priceless -

professional insights to Chinese

business culture and institutional

context, active support for the

summer university and fast

connection with local networks.

I cannot be more satisfied.”

Anna Lupina-Wegener, Professor in Haute École

d’Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud,

School of Business and Engineering Vaud

We connected Swiss universities and research institutes to 50+ top local universities, educational institutes, labs and research centres.

Our ‘1st time’ achievements in 2014

• 1st time: first contact between KFH and Association

of Universities of Applied Sciences in China AUAS

• 1st time: Lift Conference in China

• 1st time: bring Swiss national startup team to

Beijing and Shanghai

We have solid “Guanxi” network, you will have prior access to

• Support from local government

• Contacts within Chinese creative and innovative

community

• Strong connection with other Swiss organisations

and 700+ Swiss university alumni

experts in ICT, Engineering, Cleantech,

Healthcare, Legal and Investment from

Shanghai & Beijing

local and international startup

incubators/accelerators

We engage Swiss startups with:

30+10+

swissnex China team in Guangzhao

swissnex China team in Beijing

swissnex China team in Shanghai

关系

2626

Balz Strasser CEO, Consul General

“Come and see!” - probably the words I have used most in 2014 while in touch with

colleagues from the Swiss academic and innovation community. Those who came did

not take long to realize the huge potential of the Indian subcontinent that’s rich in

colours, cultures, contradictions, and above all, of visionary and talented youth.

By bringing together Swiss and Indian colleagues under one roof,

swissnex India is turning into an important hub for the exchange of ideas and dreams,

for leveraging capabilities and last but not least establishing meaningful partnerships

with a long term vision.

With our teams in Bangalore and Delhi we will further assist Switzerland to strengthen

its ties with India which is changing its perception from an “outsourcing” hub to a

fl ourishing base for academic exchange, R&D activities and innovation.

Also in 2015 we will re-invent ourselves and remain “permanently under

construction”... Please join us in our journey to build more bridges between

Switzerland and India.


2014 has been a signifi cant year for swissnex India, marked by a number of

groundbreaking fi rsts. A year of new discoveries and new milestones, many concrete

steps were taken to further connect the dots between Switzerland and India.

Entrepreneurship and innovation at swissnex India empowered over 40 Swiss

startups through various innovative platforms, among which the Startup Tour

Bangalore 2014 and Academia Industry Training (AIT) were the prominent ones.

Through the Startup Tour, swissnex India hosted 8 Swiss startups who underwent

the four-day-long intensive immersion and hands on market validation program.

A year of many f irsts

“I made a great fi rst step

of market validation and

gained very useful insights.

I say excellent and I would

recommend it to everyone.”

Carlos Ruiz (CEO, fl atev AG)

INDIA

Startup Tour Bangalore 2014

28

Bangalore owned its very first TEDx chapter in 2014. As

the Swiss Innovation partner at TEDxBangalore, India’s

largest TEDx event with over 1,500 guests, swissnex

India showcased two visionary Swiss startups - GovFaces

and dizmo. TEDx served as the ideal platform for these

startups to present their ideas and products to the wider

Indian public and use their stay as a starting point for

validating the Indian market.

swissnex India also conducted the Academia Industry

Training (AIT) in November 2014, in association with

EPFL, venture leaders, and the Robert Bosch Centre.

The programme hosted 14 researchers from India and

Switzerland for one-week-long, hands-on immersion and

training program to learn how to bring their research and

innovation to Indian market in the future.

Academia also saw many firsts, amongst which facilitating

the MoU between the National Institute of Mental Health

and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in India and the Swiss

Tropical and Public Health Institute, was a significant

milestone. The partnership includes an agenda of

interdisciplinary public and global health research, training

and capacity building, media and mental health events,

and capacity development.

A first-of-its-kind Gaming Jam was held in November,

allowing Swiss design students to draw inspiration

from India. Students from Zurich University of the Arts

(ZHdK) and University of Art and Design Lausanne

(ECAL) collaborated with with Indian game designers

in this unique social experiment that turned into a deep

exploration of the cultural aspects of India, and how they

inspire vibrant games that can travel the world.

In 2014 we widened our horizons to themes such as rock

art conservation and Indian subcultures. In June, we

collaborated with Martin Vernier, one of the three founding

members of TEDAHL, (Team for the Exploration and

Documentation of the Archaeology and History of Ladakh

- a non-profit group registered in Switzerland) to conduct

a workshop to sensitise the local population on preserving

the rock art of Ladakh, in Jammu and Kashmir.

Academia Industry Training (AIT) Camp 2014

“We are amazed by the diverse options thrown at

us by the Indian culture - the diversity in colors,

products, people, buying patterns and customer

experiences ”

Maike Thies and Alain Bellet, mentors to the design students

Martin Vernier in Ladakh

Gaming Jam at Swissnex India 2014


swissnex India Team in Bangalore

100,000

120+Technology Incubators

Home to a diverse set of domains:

ICT, Med Tech, Clean Tech, Social Impact, Design, Bio Tech, Healthcare, Culinary and more!

Indi

a, in

par

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Ban

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1000+2600+

WHA

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ETS

INDIA

APA

RT

The Higher Education system comprises 700+

universities and 35,000 colleges that includes

13 IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) and

17 IITs (Indian Institute of Technology); featured

among the Top 100 institutes for management

and engineering studies in the world.

An English-speaking,

highly-educated

workforce with diverse

skillsets.

Among the 3000+ MNCs in India, Bangalore alone hosts 150+ MNCs, 30+ Swiss companies, and has a presence of 50% of the world’s SEI CMM Level 5 certified companies.

125+ R&D centres in the field of core engineering, information technology, basic and applied sciences, aerospace etc.

Over

expats working in Indiaventure capitalists andangel investors

startups every year

30

Christian Simm, Founder and CEO

In our 2013 report, we promised to develop meaningful, user-centric, actionable, and

online programs and initiatives in pursuit of our mission. We delivered in 2014 with

MEANINGFUL projects like the earthquake resilience hackathon with ETH Zurich, aimed

at making cities more responsive after disaster. We held series on urban design and how

to feed growing populations through seed science, urban gardens, and aquaponics.

swissnex San Francisco also took the lead role in transforming the swissnex network’s

online presence—a new website that puts USERS fi rst. We developed the Data Canvas

in 2014, which takes off in 2015 with partners including the Lift Conference, the entire

swissnex network, and citizens around the world building environmental sensors and

releasing the data ONLINE for everyone to use and make ACTIONABLE. We’re proud

of our role in strengthening Switzerland in science, education, art, and innovation, and

we’ll continue to scan the future and connect the dots.

3 1 swissnex annual report 2014

swissnex San Francisco invited the creators of the artistic and inspirational Birdly full

body virtual reality fl ight simulator to bring their machine to the Bay Area. It drew

attention from numerous media outlets (Wired, Vice, etc.) during its public exhibit at

swissnex, and inspired thousands of virtual fl iers when it touched down at NightLife

at the California Academy of Sciences and After Dark at the Exploratorium before

soaring to success in Vancouver, B.C., taking top prize in the Augmented/Virtual

Reality Contest at SIGGRAPH 2014.

SAN FRANC ISCO

FUTURE FORWARD

BIRDLY

Birdly, a full-body vritual reality fl ight simulator created by Max Rheiner, touches down at swissnex San Francisco.

“swissnex was a great platform

to host our project. With their

support we immediately made

connections with people from the

local universities, companies,

investors, designers, artists, and

media. Further, we could show

our work at their space and use

their infrastructure to plan future

collaborations with the contacts

we gain from the Bay Area.”

Max Rheiner, Zurich University of the Arts

and the mastermind behind Birdly

collaborations with the contacts collaborations with the contacts collaborations with the contacts collaborations with the contacts



and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly





Max Rheiner, Zurich University of the ArtsMax Rheiner, Zurich University of the Arts


Max Rheiner, Zurich University of the ArtsMax Rheiner, Zurich University of the ArtsMax Rheiner, Zurich University of the ArtsMax Rheiner, Zurich University of the Arts



we gain from the Bay Area.” we gain from the Bay Area.”




and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly




and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly



collaborations with the contacts collaborations with the contacts




collaborations with the contacts collaborations with the contacts





Max Rheiner, Zurich University of the ArtsMax Rheiner, Zurich University of the ArtsMax Rheiner, Zurich University of the Arts


we gain from the Bay Area.” we gain from the Bay Area.”


and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly and the mastermind behind Birdly





32

Rheiner and team formed solid connections to

leaders at Google, Oculus, and Logitech during

their North American tour, and in the months since

have launched a company, dominated the VR press,

and stolen the show at New Frontier, an exhibit

at the Sundance Film Festival (one of the largest

independent festivals in the US), to which they were

invited. Truly the stuff of dreams!

D ig ital D isrupt ion

Author William Gibson said, “The future is already

here—it’s just not very evenly distributed.” This is

why, in 2014, swissnex San Francisco connected

Switzerland to emerging digital trends we suspect will

revolutionize the way we live, work, learn, and play.

Our Book Lab exhibit traveled to Switzerland to

ask: What will books become in the digital era?

The Planet Mapping event and PLACEMAKERS

exhibit examined the science and art of digital and

3D maps. Spatial Stories exposed the coming wave

(now here) of virtual reality in the gaming industry.

Digital is also shaking up traditional communications.

We received groups from Swiss radio, TV, and print

in 2014 seeking inspiration and a preview of changes

to come. Our Digital Campus program offered

webinars, consulting sessions, and study tours

to empower Swiss higher education to leverage

social media and new technology for branding and

community-building.

We also conceived and carried out a study tour

about the Future of Money that investigated what

virtual currencies, digital wallets, and mobile

payments might mean for the financial sector.

Presentation during the Future of Money study tour

Visitors to an event on 3D mapping

“I discovered that what matters [in Silicon

Valley] is not the technology or the execution

but the user experience” Patrice Crisinel, Former Chief of Staff for NorInvest

Participant - Future of Money study tour

PLACEMAKERS exhibition at swissnex San Francisco


WHAT

SETS SF

APARTThe nation’s largest concentration of

national laboratories, corporate and

independent research laboratories, and

leading research universities

The largest number of top-ten ranked graduate programs in business, law, medicine, and engineering in the nation

The highest density of venture capital firms in the world, with more than one third of total U.S. venture capital funding invested in the region.

Business Hub More Fortune 500 companies than any U.S. region except New York, the sixth highest concentration of Fortune Global 500 companies in the world (after New York, London, Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing), and a much larger proportion of small businesses than other metropolitan regions

incubators/accelerators in the Silicon Valley

EDUCATION

EXCELLENCE

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY

STARTUP ECOSYSTEM

RESEARCH DRIVEN

+50Highest concentration of

innovation-related jobs in the U.S.

TOP GLOBAL INNOVATION CENTRE

swissnex San Francisco Team

“I’m taking home the idea to think big, go beyond, and then work

in reality. I learned visiting Stanford and UC Berkeley to say ‘let’s

do it, let’s do it quick, and we can do it.”

Philipp Funk, online-manager at the school for health professions, Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Participant - Digital Campus study tour

34

Suzanne Hraba-Renevey, CEO

2014 marked the 10th anniversary of swissnex Singapore. In ten years our outreach has

grown substantially, gauged by the variety of academic and corporate partners, the

domains of scientifi c and academic excellence and the repertoire of activities within the

innovation sector. The anniversary was an opportunity to look back, to thank our partners,

celebrate and embrace the future in an inspiring environment.

The relationship between Swiss and Singaporean communities has evolved in complexity,

based on strategic exchange of knowledge and leading to joint research programs as

well as local hubs, exemplifi ed by the Singapore ETH Centre and the St Gallen Institute

of Management in Asia. Today, cooperation takes place not only at the level of higher

education, but also at the dual education and apprenticeship level, a fl agship of Swiss

know-how. Furthermore, a growing number of lean Swiss startups explore Singapore as a

springboard to the region, leveraging programs supporting entrepreneurial activities.

In 2015, we look forward to engaging our existing and new partners through conducive

platforms at the edge of disruptive innovation and fuel new avenues of collaboration!


S INGAPORE

1 0th Ann iversary Celebrat ions

To mark this milestone, swissnex Singapore, supported by numerous partners, hosted

celebrations under the slogan “Engaging the Future through Innovation”, graced by State

Secretary Mauro Dell’Ambrogio and his delegation. This event enabled the swissnex

stakeholders to showcase various facets of interdisciplinary innovation via presentations,

performances, panel discussions, musical and culinary interventions, as well as design-

driven innovation stations.

With a session “Enabling Social Entrepreneurship through Impact Investing“, supported

by Lombard Odier and experts across corporate, research and entrepreneurship

backgrounds, swissnex Singapore paved the way for an intensified engagement into

social innovation. Supported by Nestlé, the second session “Integrating Food, Health

and Sustainability” engaged experts from the perspective of individual and public

health, security, consumer behaviour, ageing and sustainability. The session “Engaging

the Future through Innovation”, supported by Luther, was tackled by Parag Khanna, a

renowned global strategist, in the format of an interactive debate.

“Congratulations on 10

years of inspiring work. Best

wishes for the next 10!”

Prof. Peter Edwards, Director,

Singapore ETH Centre

swissnex Singapore Team10th Anniversary Celebrations

36

Experience sharing on Space Exploration by Prof. Claude Nicollier

In parallel to the three sessions, innovation stations showcased excellence in science, technology, and

the arts – a melting pot of interdisciplinary collaborations by Swiss stakeholders and their Singapore

partners: ECAL and its Computer Orchestra as well as Food Design Exhibition in collaboration with the

National University of Singapore, water-related innovative technologies presented by Creaholic and

musical performances under the umbrella of the Canton of Vaud Summer Universities. Adding to the

food for thought, a festive menu and live stations by awarded Chefs from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne,

ensured a conducive networking and outstanding celebration.

CELEBRAT ING SPACE EXPLORAT ION The swissnex Singapore End of Year Celebration 2014, gave the floor to key Swiss players and their

local partners, while thanking supporters and engaging communities. The highlight of the evening was

Switzerland’s one and only astronaut, Claude Nicollier, who shared his multiple experiences in space.

Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD) further explored the theme by a glimpse in the future

of digital media and arts focusing on interactive visualisation, as an inspiring bridge between art and

science. Drone interludes showcased by undergraduates from Singapore University of Technology

and Arts, as well as impromptu acting performances by Lasalle College of the Arts alumni enthralled

the audience. The combination of interactive animations, presentations, performances in a festive

environment favoured interactions and engaging discussions about collaborative projects for the

forthcoming year.


“swissnex was fantastic

during all the time I spent in

Singapore and organized for

me the best and most relevant

meetings I could expect.”

Jean-Pierre Greff, Director, Geneva

University of Art and Design (HEAD)

WHAT SETS SINGAPORE APART

Perfect for a soft landing of entrepreneurs willing to use Singapore as a test bed and springboard to the region

Artists active at the edge of science and technologies welcome in this open and curiosity driven environment

Great opportunity for Swiss institutions of higher

learning and research institutes to build strategic

alliances and implement regional hubs

• Political and financial commitment in education and research.

• Hosting global players in competitive research.

• State-of-the-art infrastructure

• Recent focus on Culture and Arts• Substantial funding available• Willingness to explore new synergies

between science and art

• Competitive and innovation-Driven• Business-friendly• Intellectual property-protective• Tech savvy and early adaptor• Multicultural• Numerous incentives for startups• Regional hub in the heart of South-East Asia

10th Anniversary Celebrations

38

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

39 40swissnex annual report 2014 swissnex annual report 2014

swissnex’s mission couldn’t be achieved without the support of many local partners. Have a look at the individual swissnex websites for the list of local partners.

42

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