Posts by Sandra Ansanay-Alex
Innovaud – Leading to Scale-Up
Designed for Swiss entrepreneurs leading growing startups, this 6th edition supports founders as they navigate the key challenges of scaling. The programme combines IMD’s world-class executive education with the real-life experience of successful scale-up CEOs. A practical, peer-driven journey to help entrepreneurs scale themselves, their teams and their companies. Join an IMD world-class executive education…
Read MoreFribourg Agri-Food Call for Projects
The call for systemic projects aims to support innovative collaborative projects with significant potential to drive economic impact and enhance the sustainability of the agri-food sector. Apply until 19 October 2026. This call for projects is aimed at consortia of entrepreneurs and academic institutions wishing to work together using a systemic approach – that is,…
Read MoreSwiss Biotech Association Searches for its Next CEO
After 10 years at the helm of the Swiss Biotech Association, Michael Altorfer is stepping down. He will ensure a smooth transition with the chosen candidate. In 2025 alone, 130 new members joined the Swiss Biotech Association, bringing total membership to a record of nearly 700. Close to 200 CEOs attended its annual CEO Meeting…
Read MoreMerck’s Biotech Development Center Earns WEF Global Lighthouse Recognition
Three years after its inauguration on the shores of Lake Leman, Merck’s Biotech Development Centre (BDC) in Corsier-sur-Vevey has been recognised by the World Economic Forum (WHO) as one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing sites. On 22 June 2026, the WEF announced 16 new additions to its Global Lighthouse Network — a community now…
Read MoreGivaudan Invests in Microcaps
Givaudan, headquartered in Vernier in Canton of Geneva, has announced an equity investment and strategic collaboration with Microcaps AG, a Swiss startup born out of ETH Zurich’s Complex Materials Group. The partnership targets one of the most technically demanding frontiers in fragrance: microencapsulation. The technology matters more than it might sound. Encapsulation is what makes…
Read MoreLonza: Two Strong Signals in One Week
Lonza, the Basel-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and one of the largest employers in the Swiss canton of Valais with around 4,500 staff in Visp, made headlines twice in the space of a few days — with two major announcements. Expanding ADC manufacturing capacity in Visp On 30 June, Lonza announced plans to…
Read MoreCarewell Raises CHF 1.5 million to Revolutionise Shift Cover Management in the Healthcare Sector
The start-up has just completed a CHF 1.5 million funding round, led by Lucian Wagner for StartAngels Network, with participation from SICTIC, Kickfund and several business angels. These funds will accelerate the roll-out of a platform already adopted by more than 50 healthcare institutions across Switzerland. In hospitals, care homes and clinics, even the most…
Read MoreBIO Europe – Fall
Bio Europe Fall is taking place from 9 to 11 November 2026 in Cologne (Germany) BIO-Europe is Europe’s largest and longest-running partnering conference for the global biotechnology and biopharma industry. The event brings together 5800+ from more than 3,200 companies across 60+ countries, to build partnerships, share insights, and explore business opportunities in life sciences.…
Read MoreProf. Alessandra Curioni-Fontecedro Receive The Stern-Gattiker Award
The lack of female role models remains one of the main obstacles to women’s academic progression in medicine. To address this, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (ASSM) awards the Stern-Gattiker Prize, worth 15,000 francs, every two years to a female doctor who embodies this role model. The 2026 winner is Prof. Alessandra Curioni-Fontecedro, an…
Read MoreWhite Cane Award
On 15 September, the Swiss Central Union for the Blind (UCBA) will present the White Cane Award for the tenth time, recognising innovative projects that support blind, partially sighted and deafblind people. This year, the 20 Minutes community will choose the winner from among three finalists selected by a jury of experts from 27 entries.…
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