Canton Zurich creates interface with innovation park
At the beginning of the year, the canton of Zurich created the Zurich Innovation Park specialist unit within the Office for Economic Affairs. It is headed by Benjamin Grimm. Its purpose is to ensure the division of tasks between the various players, coordinate cantonal projects and involve stakeholders.
According to a statement, the canton of Zurich has created the Zurich Innovation Park specialist unit. This implements a decision by the cantonal government in April 2025 to transform the coordination unit, which was previously managed by an external mandate, into a regular organisation. The specialist unit is based in the Office for Economic Affairs and began operations at the start of the year.
The centre is responsible for ensuring the division of tasks between the Department of Economic Affairs, the Innovation Park Foundation, IPZ Property AG and IPZ Operations AG. It coordinates cantonal projects and involves various stakeholders in the local communities, the federal government, the business community and other partners.
In addition to the Innovation Park as the most important area development project in the canton, the specialist unit will also focus on the active development of commercial space as a key location factor. This involves space for the growth, transformation and establishment of companies, particularly in or around the Innovation Park, but also throughout the canton.
Benjamin Grimm is the first head of the specialist unit. The geographer has a Master’s degree in Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and a Master of Advanced Studies in Real Estate from the University of Zurich. He has worked for the Federal Office for Spatial Development and the Office for Spatial Development of the Canton of Zurich, among others.