What is EPFL Innovation Park?
Right at the heart of the EPFL Campus, one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan science and engineering universities, lies a vibrant, deep tech hub. This place is more than just a location — it’s a springboard for high-tech enterprises looking to make a real impact. EPFL Innovation Park offers a dynamic environment where startups and corporates alike can thrive, innovate, and grow.
Main Benefits and Key Figures
Here’s a quick snapshot of what makes EPFL Innovation Park stand out:
- Over 2,800 entrepreneurs, engineers, technicians, and support staff working together to create meaningful innovation.
- More than 500 EPFL laboratories and research centers nearby, fueling the osmosis of ideas and cutting-edge science.
- 30 years of solving thousands of technological challenges across fields like life sciences, cleantech, and artificial intelligence.
- EPFL startups and scale-ups raised over CHF 700 million in 2021 alone.
- Hundreds of venture capitalists worldwide actively investing in the ecosystem.
- 35 innovation cells and R&D centers on site, building a dynamic hub of disruptive and open innovation players.
Services Tailored for Startups
Startups find a home here with a range of services designed to support every stage of their journey. Whether it’s flexible office spaces right in the heart of the park, or acceleration programs tailored to specific sectors like femtech or trust, there’s something for every entrepreneur. Coaching by experienced, sector-specific mentors helps startups sharpen their projects, while funding support ensures they find the right resources to grow. It’s all about giving startups the right kick to speed up their growth.
Corporate Engagement and Collaboration
For corporates, EPFL Innovation Park offers a unique chance to tap into academic excellence and cutting-edge research. Through partnership programs, companies can accelerate their innovation by collaborating with EPFL’s top experts. Setting up R&D teams or innovation cells on-site is straightforward, and there’s easy access to a vibrant startup ecosystem for potential partnerships. It’s a win-win environment where big companies and startups come together to push the boundaries of technology and business.
A Thriving Network of Excellence
The park doesn’t stand alone. It’s surrounded by centers of academic excellence like UNIL, IMD, HES-SO, and ECAL. This network includes over 1,000 startups and countless successful entrepreneurs, creating a buzzing ecosystem of peer-to-peer exchanges and knowledge transfer. Supported by federal and cantonal agencies such as Innosuisse and Innovaud, the park is deeply embedded in Switzerland’s innovation landscape. EPFL’s labs collaborate with more than 300 large corporations worldwide, making this a truly global hub.
Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Quality Education (SDG 4) – fostering innovation and knowledge transfer.
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9) – building a deep tech ecosystem.
- Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3) – supporting health tech startups.
- Climate Action (SDG 13) – accelerating cleantech and environmental solutions.
- Gender Equality (SDG 5) – empowering femtech and women’s health innovations.
- Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17) – connecting startups, corporates, academia, and government.
Locations and Current Acceleration Programs
The EPFL Innovation Park ecosystem spans several key locations, each with its own focus:
- The EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne hosts all types of industries and deep tech technologies.
- The Unlimitrust Campus in Prilly specializes in trust economy and cybersecurity.
- The Campus Biotech Innovation Park in Geneva focuses on biotech, neuroscience, and bioinformatics.
Current acceleration programs include:
- Future of Health Grant – Season 8: Early-stage startups in digital health.
- Tech4Trust – Season 6: Startups shaping the future of digital trust and cybersecurity.
- Tech4Regen – Season 2: Startups tackling environmental and climate challenges.
- Tech4Eva – Season 5: Companies developing solutions for women’s health, from early-stage to scale-up.
