Swiss Stories

Start-up

Swiss start-ups provide competition for WhatsApp, Gmail and Facebook

Economics
Communications security has become a major social issue. In Switzerland some twenty companies have developed comparable software solutions for chatting, messaging and data storage which respect user privacy.
Gotthard base tunnel

The legend of the Gotthard pass

History
Switzerland's geography is extreme to say the least, ranging from the long and winding to the steep and narrow, with the occasional sheer drop thrown in. And to experience it you don't need to cross the Alps on an elephant like Hannibal did. Or at least that's the way the story goes... The Gotthard pass is truly a living legend.
gottardo

A green tunnel

Environment
With UNESCO World Heritage sites, nature reserves, an arboretum and a highly active Swiss league for nature protection, wildlife conservation is of concern to the Swiss. The plans for the Gotthard Base Tunnel were drawn up with this in mind. 152 kilometers of shafts and passages were excavated with minimal environmental damage.
Startup

The top minds in Swiss innovation

Economics
The “Top 100 Swiss Startup Award” rewards Switzerland’s one hundred most promising start-ups. Nearly one hundred experts (companies, foundations, business incubators and higher education institutions) met in Schlieren, in the canton of Zurich, on 14 September to unveil the list for 2016. An overview of the three award-winners.
Montréal Avudo © Compagnia Finzi Pasca

“Avudo” – or how Swiss magic is bringing the Saint Lawrence River to life

Society
Before creating the pageant for the next Winegrowers' Festival in Vevey in 2019, Lugano-born Daniele Finzi Pasca has been invited by Montreal to direct a spectacular show celebrating the city's 375th anniversary.
Julien Gremaud

by Julien Gremaud

Swissloop gives concrete shape to the ultra-fast train of the future

Swissloop gives concrete shape to the ultra-fast train of the future

Science & Education
A team of students from the ETH Zurich is revolutionising land transport with the development of carriages for a subsonic levitation train capable of speeds of up to 1,200 km/hour, travelling through vacuum tunnels.

by Mehdi Atmani

Data provided by the pedometer attached to the halter enables the behaviour of cows to be monitored on a tablet. ©Agroscope, Gabriela Brändle

Swiss Agriculture 4.0

Economics
Smart farming: digitalisation is about to revolutionise farming in Switzerland