A platform for entrepreneurs in the Limmat Valley

Over the past ten years, Schlieren has developed into one of Switzerland’s most innovation-intensive locations. Hundreds of companies from the tech, life sciences, cleantech and industrial sectors now operate in the Limmat Valley. The region is now recognised as an economic hub in its own right, no longer merely a suburb of Zurich.

This development requires infrastructure that offers more than just square metres. Anyone developing a neighbourhood or repositioning an existing property today needs an anchor tenant who attracts footfall, maintains a programme of activities and raises the neighbourhood’s profile. For investors, this is the question behind the space: who will drive the location’s success?

startup space has been fulfilling this role in the Limmat Valley for ten years. At Wiesenstrasse 10A in Schlieren, the IFJ Institute for Young Enterprises operates startup space across some 4,500 square metres, offering over 400 workstations, meeting and event spaces, as well as its own catering facility (Restaurant LOX). The transport links are unrivalled: nine minutes from Zurich main station, with the S-Bahn and Limmattalbahn right on the doorstep. The mix of tenants ranges from early-stage start-ups and scale-ups to established SMEs from a wide variety of sectors.

The platform keeps the neighbourhood buzzing. Members, partners and interested parties come together for community events, industry meet-ups and investor forums. Event spaces are used for workshops, strategy meetings and external events. Registered office services provide a business address for young companies that cannot yet afford their own premises.

In 2026, startup space will open in Etoy, near Lausanne, followed by Uzwil in the canton of St Gallen in 2027. The platform model is transferable because it does not depend on square metres, but on rules, the programme and connectivity. This presents a clear case for property owners, investors and project developers. A location with an active platform attracts tenants, retains value within the neighbourhood and ensures an investment remains viable for years to come. The Limmat Valley is already demonstrating this effect today. Etoy and Uzwil will be the next examples.

Editorial team: immoMedia • Image: courtesy of the publisher.