Switzerland is a proud country.
And it has every reason to be.
I’ve lived here since 2001, when I moved from Silicon Valley to Zurich. Back then, that was still something unusual. When people heard you came from Silicon Valley, curiosity was high.
Shortly after arriving, I was invited by Technopark Zürich to give a talk about how Silicon Valley actually works.
The room was packed — 50+ people, standing room only.
Today, I hear that many of these events struggle to attract an audience.
That alone tells a story.
Talking About Silicon Valley — But Not Really Hearing It
I shared my unfiltered experience:
- how risk capital really works
- why failure is part of the system
- why speed beats perfection
- how startups and large companies interact
People listened. Carefully.
But I had a strange feeling:
I was talking above their heads.
Not intellectually — but culturally.
After the talk, two executives from a large Swiss insurance company approached me. They were excited about an idea:
“What do you think about insuring startups against failure?”
I told them directly:
This makes no sense.
A startup exists to take risks that incumbents cannot — or will not — take.
Trying to insure that risk misses the entire point.
It was an early signal of something deeper.
A Structural Mindset Problem
This story still reflects much of today’s Swiss thinking.
Switzerland is extremely successful — especially compared to many European countries.
It is resilient, pragmatic, and highly organized.
But when it comes to high-tech, a different logic applies.
And that logic is still not fully understood.
The “Innovation Champion” Narrative — A Dangerous Comfort Zone
Every year, reports from World Economic Forum or IMD Business School rank Switzerland among the most “innovative” countries in the world.
Sounds impressive.
But look closer.
This ranking is largely driven by:
👉 patents per capita
And those patents come heavily from one industry:
👉 pharma
In today’s high-tech world, this is only marginally relevant.
What matters now is:
- speed
- execution
- scaling
- access to capital
- global ambition
The Question Switzerland Cannot Answer
When Swiss delegations go to Silicon Valley, they proudly present these rankings.
And then comes the uncomfortable question:
“So which global tech company from Switzerland did we miss?”
Where is the Swiss:
- Meta
- OpenAI
- Tesla
- Amazon
There is usually no answer.
The Startup Illusion
Switzerland looks strong on paper.
But:
- many startups scale abroad
- success stories are counted long after they leave
- real growth happens elsewhere
Switzerland is often a launchpad — not a scaling ground.
The Wake-Up Call No One Talks About
Here is a data point that should trigger a serious national debate:
According to The Economist, Switzerland ranks 41st out of 42 advanced economies in terms of economic growth.
Only Germany ranks lower — at 42nd.
Let that sink in.
This is not a marginal issue.
This is a structural signal.
And yet:
- it is barely discussed
- it does not change behavior
- it does not trigger urgency
Instead:
- narratives are adjusted
- statistics are selectively used
- the “innovation leader” story continues
Why This Matters Now More Than Ever
For decades, Switzerland could rely on:
- strong currency (CHF)
- premium positioning
- political stability
- world-class education
But the global game is changing.
AI, software, and data-driven platforms are:
👉 winner-takes-most markets
👉 scaling at unprecedented speed
👉 requiring massive risk capital
This is not Switzerland’s traditional strength.
The Real Problem: Risk Aversion Across Society
It’s not just investors.
It’s everywhere:
- enterprises hesitate to adopt startup solutions
- SMEs prefer established vendors
- consumers avoid early products
- procurement penalizes risk
This creates a systemic bottleneck.
Even with more capital, scaling will remain difficult
if the market itself avoids risk.
A Personal Reflection After 25 Years
So here is my honest question after 25 years in Switzerland.
I am now what people call a “Papierli-Schweizer.”
Am I allowed to say these things?
Or am I still seen as an outsider?
In my small community in the Zurich Oberland,
people slowly start to recognize me.
Or maybe it’s just my small, slightly too loud
Coton de Tuléar Louis,
who makes sure nobody can ignore us.
So… I’ll Dare
After 25 years, I’ll take the liberty.
Let me pull out a few observations.
Call them recommendations — or provocations.
10 Observations Switzerland Should Seriously Consider
1. Switzerland Must Still Learn from Silicon Valley
Yes — even today.
And not in a superficial way.
If Switzerland wants to play in the highest league of high-tech,
it must understand and adopt key principles from Silicon Valley:
- risk is not a bug — it’s the system
- failure is not shame — it’s progress
- speed beats perfection
- capital follows ambition, not safety
- large companies work with startups — early, not late
This is not about copying.
It’s about understanding what actually drives global technology leadership.
And being honest about where Switzerland stands today.
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