Switzerland: The Most Innovative Place to Work

The world has recently reached a high point for global innovation. We are at the peak of technological innovation and the only way we will be able to solve the most pressing problems we face is through a global response through technological advances.

In this global effort, there are many countries that excel in innovative investments–but a select few are leading the way. Every year, the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Global Innovation Index ranks 131 economies on their innovation performance.

The Global Innovation Index (GII) is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. In 2020, the GII presented its 13th edition devoted to the theme Who Will Finance Innovation? GII aims to provide an innovation ranking and analysis referencing around 130 economies.

Over the last decade, it established itself as both a leading reference on innovation and a “tool for action” for economies to incorporate into their agendas for innovation.

And it's no surprise that Switzerland is ranked number one. In fact, it has ranked in the first place for nine consecutive years.

In this article, we will analyze some of the reasons why a country with a population of less than 9 million leads the global innovation agenda and why it is so important to understand the model behind this drive.

In an interview for lesroches.edu, Lan Zuo Gillet, Program Director for entrepreneurship training in Western Switzerland and several vertical start-up acceleration programs, states:

“Historically, you can point to the country’s political neutrality and stable social environment, which has long attracted talented individuals who’ve been forced out of their own countries by wars, revolutions or persecution. Throughout academia you can find a high proportion of foreign talent; and for me, this is an important factor”.

This is combined with strong government support at both local and federal levels and a very specific way of approaching this support strategy. Gillet says:

“In Switzerland, the approach is very ‘bottom-up’, which means the government doesn’t dictate where it thinks investment should be made. Instead, it invites individuals with innovative ideas to come forward and backs those it considers to be the best and potentially most impactful. In this way, the initiatives come from the people, not the government.”

This is one of the most impactful ways in which Switzerland leads the way of innovation. The Swiss government encourages people with great ideas to come forward and supports the ones with the most potential through smart funding.

The Swiss government's innovation agency, InnoSuisse, has a policy of allocating funds directly to universities, which then leads to partnerships between companies and university research programs in order to develop new products and services. The success behind this strategy is based on a strong collaboration between the universities and the corporate sector.

Meanwhile, another sign of strength is that the companies use their own funds to carry out a large amount of R&D in other locations–some outside Switzerland. Thanks to such cooperation projects, Switzerland has acquired substantial skills and know-how.

Switzerland has a good mix of large global companies and SMEs with a high degree of independence and proclivity to innovate.

According to Lan, this is a two-way street as it also gives universities and researchers the opportunity to be involved in most of the technological advancements that are driving the market and economy.

The EPFL is at the core of this strategy. As the country's most important technology and science university, the EPFL's Innovation Park holds some of the most promising SMEs and companies in Switzerland.

This relationship between startups, SMEs, and large companies with EPFL Research is what drives innovation and success in such a relatively small country. Diversity both in the size of businesses and in the sectors in which they operate is key.

One of the most important aspects discussed in this year’s ranking is the future of innovation in the midst of a global pandemic. The main concern is that with an increased unilateralism and nationalism, WIPO is calling for broader support for innovation not only in health but in other industries–even if this generates higher public debt.

It is a moment where we need to keep striving for technological innovation with collaboration amongst public and private investments.

In times of crisis come opportunity as well. We need to focus and understand that innovation is based on collaboration, ensuring that collaboration amongst countries and researchers remains intact.

Switzerland is not only the most innovative country in the world for the 9th time in a row, but it is also ranked as the best country in the world to work.

There are several reasons for this, one of the most important being the fact that the innovative focus brings large companies (most of the biggest companies in the world have headquarters in Switzerland) and a massive opportunity for employees to access some of the best jobs available (many of which are in tech).

Strong economic and labor policies and a stable political system provide stability and reliability for both employers and employees.

Money is a huge factor as well. Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world, but it also ranks among the top countries with the highest purchasing power as well.

Another important aspect to consider is location. As a central hub in Europe, people can easily travel to and from Switzerland to the rest of the world. This has attracted companies and people from all over the world, turning Switzerland into a cultural hub and a cosmopolitan environment.

With such advantages, it is also very important to consider transportation as one of the main reasons for a greater quality of life. Thanks to an amazing public transport network, people save hundreds of hours stuck in traffic or in a train in order to get to their jobs.

You can basically travel across Switzerland very easily and even at night with the (almost) 24-hour network service.

The tax system is also one of the best in the world. This is a reflection of a federal, decentralized structure of the country.

There is healthy competition among the cantons to have low personal taxes. The global taxation rate for individuals with a gross salary of between CHF 150'000-250’000 varies between 20%-35%; far lower than the EU average of around 40%.

Not only is Switzerland one of the most innovative countries in the world, but it's also one of the best countries to work in.

If you are a career-oriented individual or an entrepreneur who is looking for a great work-life balance, then Switzerland should be on your radar!

If you work in IT or Marketing, have EU citizenship, and would like to work in Switzerland, check out TieTalent and create your profile to access hundreds of jobs across the most innovative country in the world.