
Strengthening Europe’s innovation financing
The latest study by the European Patent Office (EPO) highlights structural challenges in innovation financing and introduces the Technology Investor Score (TIS), a new indicator for identifying suitable investors. Supplemented by an expanded Deep Tech Finder, the EPO wants to provide European




Facility management company passes into new hands
The Hälg Group is taking over Löwen Bau- und Betriebs AG from Lucerne. With this merger, the St.Gallen-based company intends to further expand its market position in Central Switzerland. From the middle of the year, the Lucerne-based company will operate under the name

More clarity for building lines in the canton of Zurich
The Government Council of the Canton of Zurich is proposing amendments to the Planning and Building Act in order to eliminate ambiguities regarding building lines. The amendments affect balconies, bay windows and small buildings, among other things. The aim is to increase legal and planning

Cost rent and rising land prices
The cost rent is calculated from the total investment costs of a property. However, rising land prices and construction costs are causing the difference to the market rent to shrink. An analysis based on the example of Zurich Altstetten shows which factors influence affordability and how subsidies

Findings from the Canton of Zurich’s “Fokus Standort” programme
Around 150 stakeholders from business, science and administration discussed the future of the business location at the Canton of Zurich's "Fokus Standort" event. The focus was on skilled labour, technology, regulation and mobility - with concrete solutions for sustainable

Preparations begin for harbour railway relocation in Basel
At the end of January, Basel-Stadt will begin preparatory work for the relocation of the harbour railway in order to create space for the urban development of the Klybeck and Kleinhüningen districts. The construction work will last until 2026 and is part of a comprehensive urban development

Concrete as CO₂ storage
The "Mining the Atmosphere" research initiative shows that excess CO₂ from the atmosphere can be permanently stored in building materials such as concrete. With a storage capacity of up to ten billion tonnes of carbon per year, this approach could help to reduce CO₂ levels to a climate-friendly


Record sales of Swiss multinational speciality chemicals group
At CHF 11.76 billion, Sika exceeded its record sales of 2023 by 4.7 per cent in the 2024 financial year. All market regions, synergies from the integration of the construction chemicals group MBCC and regional acquisitions contributed to this

Bio-inspired “Solar Gate” regulates buildings in a climate-neutral way
A research team from the universities of Freiburg and Stuttgart has developed an innovative façade system that adapts automatically to changes in the weather without the need for energy. Inspired by pine cones, the "Solar Gate" offers a resource-saving solution for sustainable building

Expansion of the power supply in Graubünden
Graubünden-based Repower AG will be supplying additional municipalities with electricity from 2027. It wants to reduce the particularly high costs in the Moesa region before the energy supply contracts expire. From 2026, electricity purchases should become noticeably

AI solution optimises solar systems
SmartHelio's Autopilot analysis software, which was launched at the beginning of 2024, has optimised the performance of more than 200 solar systems over the course of the year. It is designed to extend their service life by eight years, increase production by 10 per cent and predict faults and


Climate-neutral industry – Vision 2026
The Association for the Decarbonisation of Industry has set itself the goal of reducing industrial emissions through innovative processes such as methane pyrolysis and even generating negative emissions in the long term. The ambitious project is set to go into regular operation by 2026. The members

Leading global industry clusters
The economy of the Zug region is diverse and includes both internationally active and local companies. The entrepreneurial landscape is characterised by clusters in which companies exchange knowledge and resources, benefit from each other and at the same time compete with each

New company strengthens local power supply in Buttisholz and the surrounding area
The new Dorfstrom AG has been offering services in the field of energy supply since the beginning of the year. It focusses on the promotion of virtual mergers for self-consumption and the development of local electricity

Sette aziende creano un’agenzia comune per la fornitura di calore sostenibile nella Svizzera orientale
Sette aziende della Svizzera orientale uniscono le forze e fondano Wärme Netz Ostschweiz AG (WNO). Questa società realizzerà il finanziamento, lo sviluppo del progetto, la pianificazione, la vendita, la costruzione e la gestione di soluzioni di riscaldamento

New technologies for geothermal utilisation developed in Switzerland
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) are working on systems for utilising energy from underground. In addition to minimising earthquakes caused by artificial cracks, closed systems for water and CO2 are also being








