New spaces to expand China-Euro innovation scene

Plans for two new innovation and entrepreneurship spaces are set to facilitate enhanced China-Euro cooperation. The Innovation Center Rapperswil in Switzerland, the first offshore incubator in the Sino-Swiss Technopark (SSTP) is scheduled to break ground in 2025, and plans for the France branch of the SSTP are also undergoing preparation.

Rendering of the Innovation Center Rapperswil in Switzerland. [Photo/SSTP]

SSTP is a high-tech international industry park in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area that is supported by the Swiss Embassy. The Park provides venues and service packages to global enterprises engaging in smart manufacturing, biomedicine, information technology, and other emerging sectors.

The Innovation Center Rapperswil, located in St. Gallen, will provide office space and business assistance to Swiss companies and start-ups that are seeking partnerships and market entry in China. It is also set to assist Asian companies that are looking to establish European branches. 

Some European entrepreneurial teams possess unique, cutting-edge technologies and are interested in expanding into the vast Chinese market. For those that are underprepared for the international market, the Center will provide indigenous incubation services and leverage SSTP resources to conduct preliminary works such as market research. It will also help them gain a solid foothold when entering China, according to Ma Xiuyong, the operations director of SSTP. 

With a network that links governmental organizations, universities, associations, financial institutions, and industry players, SSTP provides incubation services. This includes the commercialization of sci-tech achievements, production manufacturing, enterprise operations, and market expansion. 

In 2018, the Park initiated the Sino-Swiss Business Incubation Competition (SSBIC) for entrepreneurial teams to exhibit their latest technologies. The annual competition provides free-of-charge service packages to the winning team and enables resource matchmaking for competitors through the participation of experts and investors.

Sphere Tech, a Swiss-rooted XR software developer and the winning SSBIC team, has set up its China headquarter in SSTP. Its spatial collaboration solutions are enhancing business outcomes in the manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors, among others.  

Li Zhe, general manager of Sphere Tech China, stated that Chongqing has a well-established business culture and innovative spirit, and its solid industrial foundation provides sufficient application scenarios for the latest technologies. Currently, the Chongqing office is serving top-notch companies such as Lenovo and looks to expand its local market reach.

To date, more than 600 teams have participated in the SSBIC. Of these, nearly 100 SMEs received matchmaking services and more than 30 projects secured a local foothold.

Ma emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to entrepreneurial success, stating, "Entrepreneurship is like a jigsaw puzzle, where technologies, management, manufacturing, and market are indispensable pieces in the picture. We intend to bring together all the pieces to complete the picture and enable entrepreneurial teams to grow."