Those two universities are in the top 20 worldwide. Thirty percent were market leaders for at least one core product in at least one country.Īlong with private industry, the higher education sector plays an important role in Switzerland’s innovative capacity – for example, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) and EPFL in Lausanne. In a survey of companies conducted by Credit Suisse in 2014, about ten percent of all industrial SMEs reported that they were global market leaders for at least one of their core products. Switzerland’s small and medium-sized businesses, too, are international leaders in taking advantage of the latest knowledge for their own innovation processes and manufacturing high-quality, specialized products for international niche markets. ABB, Roche, Nestlé and Novartis applied for between 400 and 600 patents each in 2014.Īccording to data from the European Patent Office, this puts them among the top 50 patent applicants in Europe. The driving force behind Switzerland’s impressive success at achieving innovation is the business sector, particularly large companies. Switzerland ranks about average, compared with other countries, for the level of public financing relative to its gross domestic product (GDP). Today, more than 60 percent of annual expenditures on research and development, totaling approximately 18 billion Swiss francs, are financed directly by the private sector.Ībout a quarter of the funds come from the government, the rest from foreign investors. Throughout the centuries, Switzerland has also been able to attract highly qualified workers who have played a crucial role in its economic development. As the pace of industrialization accelerated in the second half of the 19th century, Switzerland ultimately became one of the classic immigration countries, a development driven primarily by the high demand for labor. Among them were professors from Germany, who helped to build up the new Swiss universities. This marked the beginning of the Swiss watch industry.Īfter Switzerland was established as a liberal, federal state in 1848, political refugees fleeing the absolute monarchies of Europe arrived in Switzerland. The ban did not apply to watches, which were not considered jewelry.
EXAMPLE SWISS NUMBER PORTABLE
One of their contributions was to bring the manufacture of portable timepieces to Geneva, which was a stroke of luck for the members of Geneva’s venerable goldsmith trade, whose source of income had been eliminated by Calvin’s strict ban on jewelry. Many of them were wealthy or highly skilled in a trade. From the 16th to 18th centuries, there were waves of immigration as Protestant Huguenots from France sought at least temporary refuge in Geneva. Also helpful were Switzerland’s liberal, stability-oriented economic policy and traditional emphasis on hard work, dedication and education.Īnother factor has played an important role throughout Swiss history: immigration. Since the country was largely spared the ravages of the Second World War, it was in an excellent position, with intact, export-oriented production facilities, to benefit from Europe’s post-war reconstruction. Given the country’s small and highly fragmented internal market, early on Swiss companies also had to look for foreign markets for their goods, and they had to be productive enough to compete internationally. Lacking natural resources, Switzerland has always been forced to innovate. In absolute terms, Switzerland ranks eighth in the world on a per-capita basis, it is number one (source: WIPO). Over 43,000 applications were submitted in Switzerland in 2014. Between 19, the number of patent applications worldwide nearly tripled, to just under 2.7 million annually. Patents are another indicator for measuring innovative success. It tops the major international rankings for innovation. Today, 200 years later, Switzerland is known for its innovative capacity and strong economy. “O learn to know this shepherd people, boy!” wrote Friedrich Schiller in his play “William Tell,” referring to Switzerland. Well into the 18th century, Switzerland was known primarily for the Alps, cows and sheep.