Top Stories from Western Switzerland (February 2026)

Switzerland Is #1 in Innovation, But for How Long? (A Conversation with Alexandre Pauchard)

In this episode of Getting Serious, CSEM CEO Alexandre Pauchard examines the structural foundations of Switzerland’s innovation leadership, highlighting strengths in industry-funded R&D as well as risks linked to scale-up financing and long-term competitiveness.

Santa Catarina Day in Bern highlights innovation and industrial cooperation

Santa Catarina Day in Bern brought together Brazilian and Swiss stakeholders to strengthen industrial collaboration in advanced manufacturing, digitalization and applied research, with concrete investment outcomes announced during the visit.

Konica Minolta partners with Fribourg’s iPrint to expand inkjet applications

Konica Minolta launched a collaboration with iPrint at HEIA-FR in Fribourg to develop new industrial applications for inkjet printhead technology, reinforcing the canton’s role in digital manufacturing innovation.

Algorized raises USD 13 million to advance Physical AI for industrial robotics

Vaud-based start-up Algorized secured USD 13 million in Series A funding to scale its human-aware perception technology, enabling safer and more fluid interaction between robots and people in industrial environments.

CSEM unveils key mechanism for Europe’s next-generation weather satellite

CSEM developed a precision mechanism at the core of Europe’s MTG-S weather satellite, enabling ultra-stable atmospheric scanning and earlier detection of extreme weather events.

Geneva-based ORamaVR raises USD 4.5 million to scale medical XR training solutions

Medtech start-up ORamaVR secured USD 4.5 million in late-seed funding to accelerate the rollout of its AI-powered extended reality platform for surgical training and medical device simulation.

Western Switzerland welcomes the North Carolina Research Triangle Regional Partnership

A high-level delegation from North Carolina’s Research Triangle visited Western Switzerland for a multi-day program focused on life sciences, food innovation, applied research and economic development, reinforcing a growing transatlantic innovation dialogue.

Swiss start-ups attract CHF 2.9 billion in 2025 as venture capital rebounds

Swiss start-ups raised CHF 2.9 billion in 2025, marking a strong recovery in venture capital investment. ICT and biotech led the rebound, while early-stage financing showed renewed investor confidence.