Innovation agency approves funding for 15 flagship projects

The Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse has announced financial support for 15 projects as part of its Flagship Initiative. This aims to give a boost to innovations that are central to current economic and social challenges in Switzerland.

The total funding budget for the three- to five-year projects is CHF57.7 million ($63 million), Innosuisse said in a statement on Friday.

With the initiative, Innosuisse aims to promote projects that, thanks to their “systemic and transdisciplinary approach, enable innovation in thematic areas that are of great importance to the Swiss economy and society”.

Each flagship consortium consists of at least three research partners and at least two implementation partners such as SMEs, large companies or other innovative organisations. The consortia will begin their work at the end of this year.

Thematic focus

The 15 flagships in the first call for proposals fall into two thematic focuses: “Coping with Covid-19 induced acceleration of digital transformation” and “Improving the resilience and sustainability and reducing vulnerability of society, infrastructure, and processes”.

In one of the approved flagships, for example, seven Swiss research institutes and more than 20 implementation partners such as companies and non-profit organisations from the transport, mobility and energy sectors will work on a circular economy solution for lithium batteries for vehicles in Switzerland. In another, surgical training in hospitals will evolve in a data-driven way.

Further calls for proposals are planned within the framework of the Flagship Initiative.