Research, talent, and company creation

At the center of the country’s AI capabilities are institutions such as ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI), and Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW). ETH Zurich ranks among Europe’s leading universities for deep tech commercialization, generating more than 40 spin-offs and startups in 2025 alone, helping create some of the continent’s most valuable technology companies. The Stanford AI Index 2026 reinforces that picture: Switzerland ranks first globally for AI researchers and inventors per capita, with 110. 5 per 100,000 inhabitants—ahead of Singapore (109. 5), Sweden (80.

6), and the United States (64. 8). And the IMD World Talent Ranking ranked Switzerland as number 1 for the 10th consecutive year, leading globally in investment, development, and talent appeal. Engineers, researchers, and founders move frequently between universities, startups, and established technology firms, creating strong knowledge flows across organizations. That density is increasingly attracting companies from outside the region too.

Even before formally announcing their Zurich office, Exa. ai received a strong pipeline of candidate applications. ‘To assemble the greatest search team in the world, you’ve got to meet people where they are,’ says Will Bryk, the company’s CEO and co-founder. ‘And many are in Greater Zurich. ’ Former Google Switzerland employees alone have founded approximately 210 companies and created around 2,600 jobs over the past two decades.

For a country of around nine million inhabitants, the multiplier effect is significant. Large technology firms contribute not only through direct employment, but also through the creation of new companies and the transfer of expertise.