Innovation Zurich is the platform that makes collaborations in the field of innovation in the Canton of Zurich visible and possible.

(CONNECT) The Digital Economy Award recently announced this year's finalists via its website. 20 organizations and nine individuals are nominated across seven categories at the awards ceremony on 13 November in the Hallenstadion Zurich. The Office for Economy of the Canton of Zurich is also taking part in the Digital Excellence GOV & NPO category. It was selected as a finalist for its innovation support program Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence. Also nominated in this category are Swiss Guardia with its QR code system as well as the city of Uster, the city of Kloten, the municipality of Horgen, the municipality of Thalwil and the company JAXforms with its joint Amtomat administration portal.

The Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence project has been bringing together public administrations, companies and universities in a test and learning space since 2021. Technological, regulatory and social challenges relating to artificial intelligence (AI) are addressed together. According to the jury of the Digital Economy Award, the initiative can boast eleven successful projects and over 20 participating administrations and universities. The approach also creates trust in AI technologies and provides regulatory impetus.

The Digital Economy Award was launched in 2018 and is organized by the swissICT trade association. It is awarded in the categories Next Global Hot Thing, NextGen Hero, Digital Excellence, ICT Education & Training and The Pascal. The Digital Excellence Award is divided into the subcategories Commercial and Government & NPO. At this year's The Pascal Award, five personalities will face each other in a public vote. ce/nta

The increasing administrative requirements place a considerable burden on medical professionals. The preparation of medical reports is particularly time-consuming, as specialist staff often transcribe voice recordings manually or sometimes still write reports by hand. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers great potential: modern speech recognition systems and large language models (LLMs) can efficiently transcribe, structure and improve the quality of reports. However, the use of AI-supported solutions raises key data protection issues - particularly with regard to professional secrecy and the use of cloud services. It is also difficult for many AI providers to assess when such systems are considered medical devices and what regulatory requirements are associated with them. As part of the Innovation Sandbox for AI, the Office for Economy of the Canton of Zurich and the Center for Information Technology, Society, and Law (ITSL) of the University of Zurich have developed recommendations for the safe use of AI technologies in medical documentation together with a large number of experts. The results should help to reduce the administrative workload in the healthcare sector and at the same time take into account the highest data protection and security standards. The guide is aimed in particular at providers of AI solutions, but can also provide important information for hospitals, medical practices and other healthcare providers.

Case studies from the innovation sandbox for artificial intelligence (AI)
The company MPAssist served as a case study within the innovation sandbox for AI. The organization submitted a project proposal to the sandbox in summer 2024. MPAssist offers AI solutions for medical reporting. The contents of this report were developed based on this specific case study.

With professional support from

Dr. André Baumgart
Head of Quality Management and Patient Safety, VZK

Dr. Nadine Bienefeld
Privatdozentin, ETH Zurich

Michèle Hess
Lawyer for digitization projects, Health Department of the Canton of Zurich

Dr. Rolf Kaufmann
Senior Medical Device Expert

Raffaele Lugli
Head of Process Digitization & Innovation, Canton of Zurich Health Department

Dr. med. Michael Neugebauer
Senior Physician & IT Officer, University Children's Hospital Zurich

Corinne Spirig
Chief Operating Officer, digital health center bülach (dhc)

Sebastian Svetel
Chief Information Security Officer, University Children's Hospital Zurich

Dr. med. Dr. phil. nat. Atanas Todorov
Chief Medical Officer, Arcondis

Peter Waldner
Head of eHealth, Department of Health, Canton of Zurich

Innovation sandbox for AI
The project team developed this document as part of the Innovation Sandbox for AI. The sandbox is a test environment for the implementation of AI projects from various sectors. The broad-based initiative from administration, business and research promotes responsible innovation by the project team and participating organizations working closely on regulatory issues and enabling the use of novel data sources. The contents of this report are not legally binding and do not represent an official position of public bodies. Any liability for legal aspects is excluded.

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Stadtspital Zürich pioneers the future of diagnostics with oculomics and AI – supported by the Canton of Zurich. Dr. Gábor Márk Somfai, Head of Research of the Eye Clinic, and Dr. Rui Santos, Project Manager Research, explain how AI helps detect eye, brain and systemic diseases.

Together with Raphael von Thiessen, Programme Manager of the Innovation Sandbox for AI at the Office for Economy, the team explores ethical and legal challenges.

(CONNECT) The HSG, ETH and Zurich Insurance have joined forces to fundamentally change the business model of the insurance industry with a joint research laboratory for artificial intelligence (AI). This is because "AI has the potential to create new customer experiences that are faster, smarter and more personal than ever before," the partners said in a statement to the same effect.

In the new Zurich AI Lab, the Institute of Business Administration of the HSG, the Agentic Systems Lab of the ETH and Zurich Insurance will research new business models, end-to-end processes and offerings in the insurance industry and develop them further or, if necessary, from scratch. The aim is not only to increase efficiency, but also to achieve holistic transformation and practical research, for example to improve risk analysis, damage detection or customer interaction. "The cooperation aims to use AI in an ethical and socially responsible manner," the press release states. The scientific freedom of the university partners should be fully respected.

The lab will be based in St.Gallen, Zurich and Singapore. Students, doctoral candidates and researchers will work directly with Zurich Insurance executives and technology experts. "The Zurich AI Lab is our think tank," says Zurich Insurance Group CEO Mario Greco. It is pursuing the clear goal of "revolutionizing our business model and driving the next generation of insurance solutions".

According to ETH professor Dr. Elgar Fleisch, the lab builds a bridge between students "and a leading company". Prof. Dr. Karolin Frankenberger from the HSG wants to "promote new research work and make a contribution to society through valuable knowledge, innovation and partnerships", building on the HSG's expertise in business model innovation and disruption through AI. ce/mm

(CONNECT) Universities, start-up ecosystems and energy companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland have set up a European platform for energy innovation. One top university and one energy company from each country will be represented at the Energy Launchpad, the UnternehmerTUM start-up center from Garching near Munich, which is part of the platform, announced in a press release.

Switzerland is represented by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and Energie 360° from Zurich. From Austria, the Technical University of Vienna and VERBUND AG, from Germany also the Technical University of Munich and EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG.

The platform is designed as an open network with the aim of promoting European technologies and start-ups. Next year, the focus will be on artificial intelligence and quantum computing. "With the Energy Launchpad, we are creating space for implementation strength in Europe," Helmut Schönenberger, founder and CEO of UnternehmerTUM, is quoted as saying in the press release. "Research, industry and start-ups are bringing technologies into application more quickly here - openly, across borders and with a clear focus on impact." This creates "resilience in the energy system and technological sovereignty for Europe", says Schönenberger.

The project was launched on October 24 at a kick-off event in Vienna. From here, the Energy Launchpad is now set to travel through the DACH region. The next stop will be the participation in the Energy Week @ ETH in Zurich on November 11. ce/hs

The digital platform for commercial real estate, maison.work, has seen a strong increase in interest for months. In July, August and September, the number of contact requests sent via the platform reached new highs - three record months in a row.

The growth in supply and the three consecutive record months for contact requests impressively demonstrate the relevance of and demand for a focused platform in the complex environment for commercial real estate in Switzerland.

This trend is particularly evident in French-speaking Switzerland:

More and more companies are looking for suitable office, sales or production space that meets their specific requirements. At the same time, owners are faced with the task of marketing their land efficiently and in a targeted manner. To bring supply and demand even closer together, maison.work is now officially launching in French-speaking Switzerland. In this way, the independent platform aims to minimize vacancies in commercial properties throughout Switzerland.

A key value proposition of maison.work is the quality of the contacts it provides. "Our marketers benefit from high lead quality, cost-saving marketing and a simple and free connection to all CRM interfaces," explains Remo Stahl, CEO of maison.work AG.

The platform also offers clear advantages for searchers:

The search for commercial space will be simpler, faster and more transparent. Users can see at a glance what kind of space it is, how the rental costs are to be understood and what infrastructure belongs to the space. This considerably shortens the path from the initial search to the actual inquiry.

In recent months, maison.work has reached important milestones that further support its expansion into French-speaking Switzerland. A French-speaking Business Development Manager was hired to provide optimal support for advertisers in French-speaking Switzerland. Over 5,000 advertisements are now available on the platform - a clear sign of the broad acceptance and relevance of the offering. In addition, maison.work already has a strong presence in important centers such as Lausanne, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Fribourg.

By entering the French-speaking part of Switzerland, maison.work is strengthening its presence throughout the country. "Our aim is to make the commercial real estate market simpler, more transparent and more efficient," emphasizes the team. The expansion is a logical step to take advantage of the momentum of recent months and to consistently drive forward digitalization in the real estate sector.

The three record months show that the market for commercial space is on the move. maison.work wants to actively support this development and use its platform to help reduce vacancies and sustainably increase efficiency in the Swiss commercial real estate market. With the launch in French-speaking Switzerland, the company is ideally positioned to connect owners and property seekers across the country and help shape the future of the commercial real estate market.

The Responsibility Lies With Us

In order for AI to find its way around human language, it needs a "map" with around 13,000 dimensions - and yet it influences us. "AI shapes our language - and therefore also our behavior," emphasized Nathalie Klauser, founder of the AI start-up Intersections.

For example, a study by the Max Planck Institute has shown that since the emergence of AI, certain words (e.g. delve, swift, comprehend) have been used significantly more often - even by people who do not actively use AI. In view of this cultural feedback, Klauser believes it is essential that AI is built in such a way that it does not harm us - and society must ensure this: "In the end, we humans are always responsible."

AI must be technically robust, legal and ethically justifiable. Tools such as Goblin, an AI that helps neurodivergent people to tackle tasks - such as spring cleaning - in a structured way, show that this is possible. At the same time, however, there are also ethically problematic issues. Logistics service provider Planzer, for example, optimized its routes with AI. The result: employees no longer had time to go to the toilet.

It Does Exist – the “Good” AI

Apertus proves that artificial intelligence that meets legal and ethical values is possible. The AI developed by Swiss universities is the first system to fulfill the European "AI Act" - and thus also the criteria that Klauser demands: Control, integrity, transparency and participation.

"With Apertus, we are contributing to the research and development autonomy of our location," emphasizes researcher Imanol Schlag. Unlike the applications of large AI companies, Apertus is not profit-oriented. This is why the researchers were able to base their development on the interests of society.

And so even a piece of Swiss identity has a place in the AI: Apertus also "speaks" a little Swiss-German. Nevertheless, it is a model for the world: "The data used reflects the diversity of the internet - around 40 percent of the training data is not in English."

Young People Lead the Way With Their Own AI Projects

Swiss youth prove that AI is not just a tool for research labs or tech giants: in the AI Challenge, schoolchildren dedicated themselves to developing their own AI applications - and received awards for their efforts.

Mitul and Tanish developed the "AI Personal Trainer" and won the "AI for Good" category. The software helps with rehabilitation exercises - making physiotherapy accessible to everyone.

Levin won the "Creative Coding" category with "Mentis", a software program that sorts your own notes and links old ideas with new ones in order to structure your thoughts more clearly. Levin has learned a lot: "My view of AI has changed: I am positively surprised, but - because I now understand it better - also a little disenchanted."

AI Challenge 2025

The challenge is organized by the ETH AI Center in cooperation with the Office for Economy, Canton of Zurich, and the Cantons of Schwyz and Zug. This year, almost 100 young people between the ages of 13 and 19 took part. Between January and August, they translated their ideas into code with the help of doctoral students from the ETH AI Center.

The finalists were:

• Safe Route (Cecile and Brahmiti) shows the fastest and safest way through the city.
• Mess Check (Lisa) uses a photo to recognize whether a room is tidy.
• Next Read (Emilia and Nora) recommends books based on genre, number of pages and your own bookshelf.
• Trend prediction (Thibault, winner of "Best Thesis") analyzes whether new word trends will prevail.

Everyone Has Ideas

Levin also won over Asel-Maria (48) with his project. She attended the event because she wanted to understand AI - which is scary to her - better. Although her fears have not been allayed, she finds programs like Mentis particularly helpful and important for young people.

And spontaneous ideas also emerged from the audience: for example, a spreading aid, a matching tool for true love, a chemistry assistant or an intelligent photo album.

The message of the event was clear: AI affects us - and we can all help shape it.

(CONNECT) On October 29, 2025, four female scientists will be honored for outstanding research results at the ZKO Zurich Chamber Orchestra in Zurich. The Swiss L'Oréal - UNESCO For Women in Science 2025 prize is awarded by L'Oréal Switzerland together with the Swiss UNESCO Commission and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW), according to a press release. The prize is endowed with CHF 25,000 in funding.

The prizewinners are biologist Jana Ordon from the University of Zurich (UZH). She is being honored for her research on the interaction between plants and microbes, based on genetic, molecular and biochemical approaches. The findings on pathogen resistance could contribute to more resilient plant production.

The geodesist Annelies Voordendag from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) is being honored for her combination of advanced geodetic methods with glaciological field research. A terrestrial long-range laser scanning system can be used to measure glacier movements and register climatic influences.

Giulia Santoni from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) is being honored for her neuroscientific research and the creation of 3D brain models. Their findings could be used to expand our understanding of the human brain and develop personalized therapies for neurological diseases.

Astronomer Mengyuan Xiao from the University of Geneva is researching the origins of ultra-compact galaxies in the early universe and providing important insights into galaxy formation.

"The launch of 'For Women in Science' in Switzerland this year is a strong statement of our unwavering commitment to the advancement of female leaders," Claire Dieudonné, Country Coordinator & Market Director Consumer Products at L'Oréal Switzerland, is quoted as saying in the press release. "This program is much more than an award ceremony; it is our active contribution to overcoming the common challenges that hold women back in research." Gabriela Tejada, Vice-President of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO, sees the program as strengthening the "framework conditions that allow women equal access and opportunities in the scientific community". ce/ww

(CONNECT) Customers of Oberthur Fiduciaire and VHP Security Paper can now purchase patent-compliant silver-based antimicrobial overprint varnishes, according to a statement from HeiQ Materials AG. This is guaranteed by a license that the Paris-based company and its Dutch subsidiary have acquired from HeiQ. HeiQ's patent protects the use of antimicrobial silver compounds in overprint varnishes applied to a variety of printed products. These include banknotes, checks, passports, certificates, ID cards and lottery tickets as well as packaging for consumer goods, book and magazine covers.

This license agreement gives Oberthur and VHP Security Paper a formal license to use HeiQ's patented antimicrobial technology in their overprint varnishes and printed products, including the Bioguard range of anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral products used for security printing worldwide. "Our customers, including central banks, public authorities and brand owners, now benefit from the certainty that both functional protection and full patent compliance are guaranteed," comments Oberthur Managing Director Nicolas Koutros.

"Oberthur and VHP Security Paper are recognized market leaders in high-security printing," Tom Ellefsen, HeiQ's Head of Antimicrobial Technologies, is quoted as saying. "This license ensures that customers worldwide have access to patent-compliant antimicrobial overprint varnishes through Oberthur and its subsidiary, while reinforcing HeiQ's commitment to protecting its intellectual property." At the same time, HeiQ advises printers and coating manufacturers who use antimicrobial additives without a license that HeiQ's patents are valid throughout Europe and the UK.

HeiQ is a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, is based in the IJZ Innovation and Young Entrepreneur Center and is a member of Start Smart Schlieren. ce/mm