Top Stories from Western Switzerland (October 2026)

From CHF 28.3 billion in life sciences value to a USD 100 million pharma investment and new ventures in battery recycling and humanoid robotics, discover Western Switzerland’s top stories from October 2026.

From EPFL to NASDAQ: How AI Is Changing Cancer Diagnosis (A Conversation with Jurgi Camblong)

In this episode of Getting Serious, SOPHiA GENETICS co-founder Jurgi Camblong explains how an EPFL start-up became a global leader in data-driven medicine, used by a thousand hospitals in 70 countries, and why Switzerland gave it an edge.

Japanese GreenTech company GSA opens a battery recycling lab in Biel/Bienne

Green Science Alliance opened a lab at Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne to directly regenerate cathode materials from used lithium-ion batteries. Early results exceed 90% of commercial capacity, and the company is using Biel/Bienne as its base for European expansion.

Fribourg unveils the nine finalists for the 2026-2027 IFF Awards

The canton of Fribourg and the Banque Cantonale de Fribourg named nine finalists for the 18th IFF Awards across the Enterprise, Start-up, and Sustainability categories, including Comet. The winners will be announced on 11 November 2026.

Watch our Getting Serious episode with Comet Group CEO Stephan Haferl, who explains how the Swiss company supplies the technology that makes semiconductors possible and why talent is Switzerland’s main competitive advantage.

Asinov School opens in Renens to train professionals to work with humanoid robots

The Asinov School in Renens will welcome its first cohort in January 2027 for a 12-month, project-based program training professionals to deploy AI-powered humanoid robots, concluding with a week of immersion in Shanghai.

WuXi AppTec inaugurates a USD 100 million spray-drying line in Couvet

WuXi AppTec inaugurated a USD 100 million spray-drying line at its Couvet site in the canton of Neuchâtel, creating around 15 jobs as part of a broader plan to make the site a main European production center for the group.

Wild Solutions makes Geneva a bridge between European and Asian markets

Digital agency Wild Solutions, which specializes in marketing localization between Europe and Asia, has established its European hub in Geneva. Supported by GGBa and the OCEI, the company plans to build a team of 15 to 20 specialists within three years.

Life sciences generate CHF 28.3 billion in direct value in Western Switzerland

A BAK Economics study commissioned by GRIP shows life sciences generate CHF 20.6 billion in direct value added in Western Switzerland, rising to CHF 28.3 billion with ripple effects, and deliver CHF 539,000 per job, the region’s highest productivity.

First Swiss SportsTech Report maps a CHF 8 billion sector with Vaud and Bern among its main hubs

The first Swiss SportsTech Report maps 402 companies generating an estimated CHF 8 billion in revenue and 17,000 jobs, with Vaud as a research-intensive medtech and wearables cluster and Bern as the sector’s industrial center.