CHF 200,000 in support for two Swiss SMEs that dare to go digital

by Alp ICT

Faced with the economic upheavals linked to Covid-19, CSEM is adapting its CSEM Digital Journey competition to support the economic recovery of Swiss SMEs. This year, two Swiss companies will be eligible for technological support worth CHF 100,000 each, to help them bring their digital transformation projects to fruition.

Launched in 2018, the CSEM Digital Journey aims to stimulate the digitalization of Swiss SMEs. Its principle: support a company with fewer than 250 employees in realizing a digital dream, by enabling it to draw on CSEM's catalog of technologies. Selected by a jury of experts, the winning company receives support and advice from the center's specialists, to the value of CHF 100,000.

This year, CSEM has extended its offer, and decided to allow two Swiss companies to benefit from this support. "Through this initiative, we aim to rekindle the digital momentum among SMEs that began before Covid-19. Because foreign competitors are not sleeping", explains Mario El-Khoury, CEO of CSEM.

An intelligent spring that prevents failures

Federnfabrik Schmid, the 2019 winner, is using its prize money to develop intelligent springs capable of predicting their own service life, and anticipating repair and maintenance requirements. "CSEM's expertise is invaluable to us," stresses Albert Enste, the company's CEO. "We are specialists in spring technology, but we lacked expertise in energy recovery, miniaturization or digitization. Thanks to CSEM, we hope that machine failures, and the costly production interruptions they cause, will soon be a thing of the past."

Tangible results

The Crystalball home energy management system (winner of the 2018 edition), meanwhile, will be available on the market very soon. It is currently being deployed for the first time, in its marketable version, in a multi-apartment building, where it optimizes the energy consumption of eight individual apartments simultaneously.

Benefit from CSEM's technological expertise

SMEs wishing to take part in the CSEM Digital Journey have until September 4, 2020 to submit their applications. The five finalists will be chosen in October. The winners of the 2020 edition will be announced at the Swiss Digital Day in November.

Further information and registration: CSEM Digital Journey

In conjunction with this award, CSEM has strengthened its offer for small and medium-sized enterprises. On request, an expert will be available for a day to advise them on their technological orientation.

The jury:

Chairman: Georges Kotrotsios, Member of the CSEM Management Board, Head of Marketing & Business Development
Silvio Bonaccio, ETHZ, Head of Technology Transfer
Nicolas Bürer, Director of Digital Switzerland
Marc Gruber, EPFL, Vice-President for Innovation
Raphaël Rollier, Head of Innovation and Product Management, Swiss Federal Office of Topography Swisstopo
Robert Rudolph, Swissmem, Member of the Swissmem Executive Board, Head of Innovation and Digitization Division
Christian Wasserfallen, National Councillor