Impact
Our funding is shown to have a positive impact, even after several years
Innosuisse’s funding aims to contribute towards sustainable economic, social and ecological development. In 2022, Innosuisse once again conducted an impact assessment of all completed innovation projects. For the first time, we also included the Start-up Coaching programme in our impact monitoring. This means that the impact in two core areas of innovation promotion can be demonstrated with concrete figures.
I am particularly pleased that the results underline the positive economic impact of the innovation projects among SMEs. As a result of the funded projects, around two thirds of the SMEs involved as main implementation partners have seen their revenue or market share grow, have increased their number of employees or have strengthened their research and development. The monitoring also confirms that Innosuisse rarely supports projects that the partners would have carried out without the funding. The results for the Start-up Coaching are particularly encouraging when it comes to successful financing rounds as well as company performance after three years.
Innosuisse mainly promotes innovative endeavours that deal with digital solutions and ecological and social sustainability, within the scope of both innovation projects and the Start-up Coaching programme. In this way, we are helping to ensure the Swiss economy can leverage digital potential and the shift to more sustainability for its long-term competitiveness.
The results of the impact monitoring for 2022 show that the benefits of our funding in terms of economic performance and innovation power are confirmed even after several years.
Gérald Walti
CFO / Member of the Executive Committee of Innosuisse
Bringing innovations to the market
Innosuisse also focuses on the business plans and the implementation of the projects on the market or in companies when assessing the applications submitted. The results prove that the projects are implemented successfully. 21% of the projects are discontinued or not pursued further.
Patents protect innovations
Patents, as intellectual property rights for inventions, are crucial for the economic benefits of innovations. In addition to the patents that have been applied for, 7% of the companies involved and 38% of the coached start-ups have entered into licensing agreements. Trademarks, copyrights or design rights are held by 5% of companies and 50% of start-ups. This protects intellectual property from imitation and regulates collaboration between universities and companies.
Putting knowledge from universities into practice
These business start-ups from universities contribute to the rapid transfer of knowledge and expertise involving high risk from research into innovations on the market, creating new jobs and added value as a result.
Strengthening SMEs
Three years after project completion, clear economic effects of project funding can be demonstrated among the SMEs as main implementation partners: in increased employment in research and development (33%), in growth in total company headcount (35%) and in increased sales (32%). In addition, 36% of all main implementation partners see an increase in market share, 27% see an increase in productivity, and 11% see cost savings.
Coaching facilitates funding
Funding is essential for a start-up's further development. 19% of the coached start-ups even report successful financing rounds with over 5 million Swiss francs. For 81%, capital procurement was an important goal in Core Coaching. To this end, the contribution of coaching is essential for 49% of start-ups.
Promoting start-ups
These BRIDGE projects enable young researchers to bring their scientific results to market-maturity and implement them on the market. In the funding period from 2017 to 2020, 121 “Proof of Concept” projects have been supported, as a result of which 88 start-ups had been founded by the end of 2022. This proportion of start-ups having been founded demonstrates the impact of this funding approach. The funding programme is offered jointly with the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Driving digitisation forward
The ongoing digital transformation is a strong driver of innovation. 73% of the coached start-ups develop their business models and innovations using digital solutions and technologies. Digitisation is also a key driver of innovation for the innovation projects.
Further figures and background information can be found in our brief report.