Google opens innovation center in Zurich
Google has officially inaugurated its innovation center on Europaallee. With around 5,000 employees, the Zurich location is the largest development center of the IT giant outside the USA. In the coming years, the Californian company wants to continue to grow in Zurich.
Google officially inaugurated its completed Europaallee campus on June 27, according to a media release. Google moved into the first parts of the campus in 2019. The complex, which consists of several buildings, is now complete.
The Californian IT giant has had a presence in Zurich since 2004. Around 5,000 people from more than 80 nations now work for Google in Switzerland. Some of them are also housed at the second Google location on the Hürlimann site. In 2023, Google intends to move into another 15,000 square meter office building on Müllerstrasse in Zurich. The Zurich branch is already the IT giant’s largest development center outside of the USA.
Federal President Ignazio Cassis was also present at the opening of the office. “I congratulate you on opening the Innovation Center for two reasons: Firstly, because you do it and you attach such great importance to innovation. And secondly, because you do it in Switzerland,” he says, according to the text of the speech . The fact that Google is investing in Zurich also underscores the fact that the location is developing from a banking metropolis into a digital hub.
Among other things, Google Switzerland is involved in the development of Internet services such as search, Google Assistant, Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube. Zurich is currently the largest headquarters of the YouTube development team next to the headquarters in San Bruno, California. In addition, Google Maps, for example, was essentially created in Switzerland. Google is also working with partners such as SBB or PubliBike to better map mobility services on Google Maps. By 2030, Google wants to operate all of its services CO2-free. Google itself has been CO2-neutral since 2007.
“Quality work is done in Zurich and that is the main reason for the sustainable, organic growth of the site. Switzerland in particular has so far offered very good framework conditions,” Google technology chief Urs Hölzle is quoted as saying. Google wants to continue growing in Zurich in the future.