800 CHANGEMAKERS meet at CSEM's Business Day to vote for two promising Swiss innovations    

To mark CSEM's 40th anniversary, more than 800 experts and industry leaders gathered at the Kursaal in Bern to celebrate Swiss innovation at CSEM’s Business Day. The event culminated in the prestigious Digital Journey competition, aimed at accelerating the digitalization of Swiss SMEs. The expert jury named Varioprint AG the overall winner, with Contexa in second place. A prize for the best pitch, worth 5000 Swiss francs, was also awarded to Talk.Swiss for an outstanding presentation.

Varioprint AG: From Swiss innovation to global standards in PCB inspection

Varioprint AG stood out for its "AI in Every Pixel" project, a solution that uses artificial intelligence and a high-speed 3D vision system to inspect printed circuit boards (PCBs) with unrivaled precision and speed. This innovation meets the needs of a global market estimated to be worth 375 million US dollars by 2031, by guaranteeing more reliable electronic products, essential to the automotive, aerospace, healthcare and Internet of Things (IoT) sectors. By optimizing manufacturing processes, this technology reduces production time, minimizes scrap, and improves operational efficiency, enabling Varioprint to remain competitive in Switzerland and position itself as a world leader in this field.

According to Remo Kürsteiner, IT Manager at Varioprint, "This award represents a major recognition of our potential to transform the PCB inspection industry. With the support of CSEM’s Digital Journey Award and by receiving the Grand Prize of 100,000 Swiss francs in development and digital technology transfer hours, we'll be able to accelerate the market launch of our technology and potentially open up key partnerships on an international scale, responding to growing industrial demand for precision and speed solutions."

Contexa: A solution for industrial productivity gains

Second-placed Contexa also impressed the jury with its remarkable industrial potential. Its "Rethink dosing to inspire tomorrow's production" solution can simultaneously dose up to 200 ingredients to an accuracy of 20 mg, thanks to a combination of 3D vision and artificial intelligence. This technology represents a major asset for optimizing industrial processes. By reducing machine set-up times and increasing dosing accuracy, Contexa adds a new dimension to operational efficiency, paving the way for considerable productivity gains for Swiss companies.

An event dedicated to innovation

The Digital Journey competition 2024 was part of CSEM's 40th anniversary celebrations. During the event, a specially-created "Innovation Garden" hosted 80 demonstrators of cutting-edge technologies. This space offered participants an immersive dive into four decades of innovation, inviting them to discover, interact with and be inspired by solutions developed by CSEM and its partners. The expert-led conferences, combined with these demonstrations, offered high-quality networking opportunities and enabled guests to project themselves into the future of Swiss technology.

Guests also heard from Dominique Mégret, CEO of Ecorobotix, who explored the crucial role of high precision in sustainability; Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot, who shared the impact of collaboration with CSEM on innovations in connected watchmaking; and Nicola Thibaudeau, CEO of MPS Micro Precision Systems AG, who inspired the audience with her leadership in the precision industry. The day was a true celebration of the past, present and future of Swiss innovation.

To close the day, a VIP anniversary reception was held to celebrate CSEM's 40th anniversary, bringing together influential figures from industry, business, and politics, such as Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider. "From the outset, CSEM and its establishment has been supported by the Confederation, the Canton of Neuchâtel, and the economic sector. From the beginning, CSEM has been this winning network of skilled and agile collaborations among all stakeholders—involving the scientific community, stimulating exchanges with the universities and higher education sector, and fostering public private partnerships—that has driven the success of the [innovation] sector, and that of our entire country," she declared.