Swiss start-up companies to receive boost 

Start-up companies could benefit from the planned new rules for Innosuisse. © Keystone/Christian Beutler

The state-run Swiss Innovation Agency, Innosuisse, is to play a bigger role in giving start-up companies a competitive edge.

The government said the aim was to facilitate cooperation between science and the market and to promote new small and medium-sized companies founded by entrepreneurs to develop a unique product or service.

In its bill to parliament, the government also plans to allow Innosuisse to grant more powers to young entrepreneurs and to pay for expenses covering administrative costs of state-subsidised technology centres.

Under current law InnosuisseExternal link can only grant financial support for training and international projects.

The government also wants third parties to contribute between 40% and 60% of a project, instead of a 50-50 funding scheme.

Innosuisse’s role is to promote science-based innovation in the interests of industry and society in Switzerland and to support projects that could not be implemented without funding or do not exploit their commercial potential.