Winterthur: The location for innovation and entrepreneurship
Winterthur used to be considered an industrial stronghold. In the meantime, the city has become known for its successful structural transformation into a technology city. Companies choose a location primarily for its innovation potential and their ecosystems. This is precisely why Switzerland's sixth-largest city is the right place for companies.
Formerly an industrial stronghold, Winterthur has now developed into an important technology location and a true birthplace for innovative start-ups. The economy is broadly diversified and employment figures are increasing every year. Today, industrial software is written and sensors for smart factories are developed in the brick halls of yesteryear. Today, the former industrial city of Winterthur is home to an enormous amount of technical know-how. It began professionally training technical specialists at an early stage. The Sulzer industrial group, for example, founded its first in-house vocational school as early as 1870, and shortly afterwards the Technikum, today’s Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, was established. Other vocational schools and universities followed. Today, the Winterthur region is a hotspot for practice-oriented education and research, which favoured its transformation into a technology city.
ZHAWfuels the innovation system
The ZHAW, Switzerland’s largest university of applied sciences with around 11,000 students, engages in close research cooperation with the private sector, so that the enormous amount of knowledge produced every day at the ZHAW flows into companies and fuels the innovation system. This is why the location marketing organisation House of Winterthur networks local companies with the ZHAW or refers to specific innovation support programmes when visiting companies. Its core task is also to promote the strengthening of the regional innovation system.
Focus on health, energy and machinery
Companies choose a location primarily on the basis of its innovation potential. House of Winterthur makes these innovation systems visible and shows their development potential. In the case of relocations, the extent to which a new company enriches the innovation system is always central. As cooperation between companies is becoming increasingly important in the innovation process, House of Winterthur organises various networking events, such as tech lunches or specific smart health events. To strengthen the region’s most important innovation ecosystems, House of Winterthur, Technopark Winterthur and the Winterthur Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Association launched a cluster initiative focusing on health, energy and machinery. The mix of industry, a lively start-up scene, cultural and leisure activities ensures that Winterthur is and remains attractive for workers as well as for residents and families.
Testimonials
Christian Fehrlin
Owner and CEO DEEPIMPACT
“As a long-time resident and business owner, I can count on competent, reliable support from the city. The location promotion offers valuable advice and information on the development of our company in Winterthur. An ideal location for software development, with more favourable prices and a pleasant working atmosphere, in close proximity to Zurich.”
Dr Suzanne Thoma
CEO and VRP Sulzer
“Sulzer has been rooted in Winterthur since 1834. The same innovative and pioneering spirit that established Sulzer as a technology leader back then still drives us today. Our technologies sustainably solve urgent problems of our society, and we continue to invest where we started – just as we did two centuries ago.”
Bernhard Winter
CEO Scewo AG
“We are very satisfied with the Winterthur location. Not only the development of our stair climbing wheelchair takes place here, but also the production, which we moved here a few weeks ago.”
Fabrice Billard
CEO Burckhardt Compression AG
“Winterthur is convincing as an attractive business location due to its location in the Zurich economic area, its well-trained workforce and the high quality of life for employees.”
