Programmes and Projects 2022
The Economic Development Unit has launched various programmes and projects to support Basel companies and promote Basel as an innovation hub.
Digital Innovation
Digitalisation has affected all areas of the economy and our lives, and Basel companies are driving these developments forward across all sectors. The regional ICT ecosystem gained further visibility thanks to the the BaselTech platform (launched in 2022), and displays activities and players in the digital and ICT sector. Three clusters are pivotal for Basel’s ICT ecosystem:
- The digital transformation of Basel's core industries is gaining global importance, especially in the life sciences and insurance sectors, thanks to innovative start-ups (including VIAC and Creadi) and new business relocations.
- Strong software companies and SMEs are penetrating new markets with new products and services, and promote the region's strong position as an innovation hub (e.g. Adobe, Unblu, Karakun).
- Creative technologies combine computers, design, art and the humanities. They open up new experiential horizons and set novel standards in terms of user experience in the fields of media and architecture, as well as in the worlds of art and culture (e.g. Literoom).
Strong research and education, especially in computer and data science, are prerequisites for thriving businesses and attract first-class experts on cutting-edge digital innovation (University of Basel, FHNW).
Congress Sponsorship after COVID-19
In 2022, following the less dynamic years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of applications for important international conventions has increased slightly. This can be attributed to Basel's intact reputation as a convention location and the excellent cooperation between the coordinating body "Congress Board Basel", Messe Basel and Basel Tourismus. Strategic growth areas of Basel's industry are also promoted through active location applications.
In 2022, the congress sponsorship programme of the Canton of Basel-Stadt supported 13 conventions with 18,500 participants. All congresses could be held on-site in Basel, three of them in hybrid form.
Thanks to the congress sponsorship programme, conventions and congresses can be strategically acquired, developed and retained. This is opening up previously untapped potential with benefits beyond tourism. In addition, convention promotion strengthens Basel as a prime international innovative business and knowledge location.
More information on congress sponsorship
In 2022, the Economic Development Unit also supported the Swiss Innovation Forum, an inspiring, cross-sector platform for creative minds, and the health conference "Future Health Basel".
"Thanks to the support of the Canton, we were able to build the necessary relationships for holding a major event. Relocating our congress to Basel has contributed decisively to its success."
Economic Zones and Site Developments
The Basel market for business and commercial real estate is in a state of flux. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are still testing new work models and adapting their use of space. Construction projects and rotations of large companies are having an impact on the city's real estate market; new offers for research and laboratory space keep emerging, and areas formerly used for industrial processes are re-purposed for new uses. The annual Economic Zones report of the Cantonal Government is authored by the Economic Development Unit, and provides an overview of these developments.
In 2022, particular attention was paid to the Novartis Campus, to which all of the developments mentioned above apply. The repurposing of the company site became more tangible last year with the opening of the Novartis Pavilion, the settlement of start-ups in the new branch of Switzerland Innovation Park, and the opening of the site to the public. The Economic Development Unit of the Canton of Basel-Stadt also organised the Business Area Forum, where representatives of the real estate industry and urban development were able to find out more about Novartis' long-term campus vision, about the close ties with the region's life sciences ecosystem and further opportunities offered by the site for Basel as a business location.