How to Grow a Life Sciences Project in the Swiss Health Valley 

The Swiss Health Valley has long been recognised as a land of innovation — a place where research, clinical practice and entrepreneurship meet to shape the future of health. But for a young life sciences entrepreneur trying to find their footing here, knowing where to start, and who to turn to, is not always straightforward. That is exactly the gap BioAlps sets out to close. 

We are delighted to announce the release of our new white paper, How to Grow a Life Sciences Project in the Swiss Health Valley. For the first time, we have brought together in a single document many levers a life sciences founder can pull on their journey — from support and coaching to help with setting up a company and navigating legal matters, as well as a comprehensive overview of the infrastructures, organisations and competitions that can help move a project forward.  

UPLOAD THE DOCUMENT 

Readers will find cantonal launchpads such as Fongit in Geneva, Innovaud, SPEI and Biopôle in Vaud, The Ark Foundation and BioArk in Valais, Fri Up in Fribourg, Microcity in Neuchâtel and InnoJura in Jura, alongside cross-cantonal initiaitves like MassChallenge Switzerland, SpArk and the SWISS Foundation for Innovation and Training in Surgery (SFITS) programme. The guide also maps out the funding schemes and prizes that punctuate a project’s early life, from Innosuisse to the Swiss National Science Foundation programmes, not to mention Horizon Europe or Eureka.   

What makes the Swiss Health Valley so special is, first, its concentration of talent. Across six cantons — Fribourg, Vaud, Valais, Geneva, Jura and Neuchâtel — the region brings together world-class universities, pioneering hospitals, and a dense network of innovation hubs. With globally recognised institutions such as EPFL, UNIGE, HUG, UNIL, CHUV, HES-SO, CSEM and the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, it cultivates a continuous flow of researchers, clinicians, engineers and data scientists — an interdisciplinary culture that is the engine powering breakthrough innovation. 

As BioAlps Swiss Health Valley Secretary General, Magali Bischof, puts it:  “The Swiss Health Valley is a catalyst — a place where bold ideas find expert guidance, where collaborations flourish between research and industry, and where the future of health is truly designed. Welcome to one of the most inspiring places to start your life sciences journey.” 

A living guide, not a finished one 

We want to be upfront: this white paper is not an exhaustive document. The life sciences support landscape in the Swiss Health Valley is rich and constantly evolving, and it is entirely possible that a programme, scheme or organisation has been left out simply because it wasn’t yet on our radar. 

If you know of a programme we’ve missed, or if you’re planning to launch one yourself, we would love to hear from you. Your input will directly feed into V2 of the white paper, due for release in September 2027. 

➡️ contact@bioalps.org