The moaners and groaners are legion. The doomsayers don't miss an opportunity to deplore the sorry state of Switzerland's economy, predict that we are in danger of being relegated and point out that things can't go on like this. Pessimism is in. But the results of the fifth innovations survey don't really seem to fit this overall picture. Both the National Secretariat for the Economy (seco) and the Swiss Institute for Business Cycle Research at ETH Zurich come to the conclusion that as far as innovations performance is concerned, Switzerland continues to top the list in Europe followed by Sweden, Finland and Germany. "This top position is widely supported by various branches of the economy and is as true for manufacturing as for the service sector," is what was reported at a media information event on Thursday morning in "Au Premier", a venue at Zurich's main railway station (1).

Entirely in keeping with this statement was the success of the start-up consultation that took place at ETH Zurich the same afternoon. The event, the second of its kind, was jointly organised by ETHtransfer, Unitectra, VI Partners, KTI-Start-up and the Small and Medium-size Business Office of the Canton of Zurich (2). Participants included innovative scientists and researchers interested in discussing first steps into the world of commerce and testing the waters of the market. The afternoon was a "great success" according to Andreas Klöti from ETHtransfer, just as the first one – held in January 2004 – had been. Around 50 interested parties – individuals or groups – took part in the first consultation, last week there were slightly fewer.

The high-tech company Sensirion has established itself in the sensorics market. Felix Mayer and Martin Lechner founded this ETH spin-off in 1998. Picture: Sensirion large

"ETH actively supports the founding of spin-off companies," says Klöti. A typical spin-off results from research and development done at the university and includes university staff – academic or otherwise – and graduate or postgraduate students. "Often it's the postgraduates who approach us with an idea," says Klöti. A first meeting aims at finding out whether the proposed technology is appropriate to found a company, whether it can be patented and whether venture capital is assured. "Each year around ten to twelve spin-offs step out into the business world," Klöti goes on to say. "Life Sciences and the engineering sciences are the best represented." An interesting fact: The number of founding companies has risen constantly over the past few years – despite Switzerland's weak economic performance.

The biotech company Cytos Zurich, which specialises in biopharmaceutical products, was founded in 1995 as an ETH spin-off and is a successful business today. Picture: Cytos large

Venture or seed capital, on the other hand, is harder to come by and only sparingly available in Switzerland. This makes ETH support even more attractive to potential founders. In general, the university "relinquishes its intellectual property rights of the use and further development to the spin-off company", is what it basically says in the regulations governing the use of research results. People employed at ETH – even full-timers – also have the right to take on other work. This provides people starting out with a financial safety net. In addition, for the first two years, ETH spin-offs have the possibility of renting equipment and rooms at ETH or of leasing, at attractive rates, laboratories and office space in Technopark Zurich or the Life Science Incubator in Zurich-Schlieren, explains Klöti. A consultation with the transfer office, the course "Lust auf eine eigene Firma“ ("Fancy your own firm?") (3), that has been on offer at ETH for the past eight years or participation in the business competition "Venture“, which has been jointly organised by ETH Zurich and McKinsey for the past six (4)are, in any case, worthwhile ports of call.

"There is a wide range of support available at ETH," says Klöti. He doesn't foresee any danger for ETH as far as technological loss is concerned. "Naturally conflicts of interest crop up from time to time. But ETH is also interested in turning research results into practical applications."