On the occasion of its 10th Annual General Meeting on June 17, innovAARE AG, the operator of the Switzerland Innovation Park Innovaare, looked back on a successful first year of operations. With an occupancy rate of around 80 percent, the addition of prominent deep-tech companies, and close collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), the innovation ecosystem has further strengthened its position.
Strong Growth in Tenant Structure
In the 2024 financial year, a total of six new companies joined the park. Highlights include the establishment of the European Space Agency (ESA) with the newly founded European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), as well as the fusion energy start-up Proxima Fusion. At the same time, existing tenants such as Swiss PIC and VDL ETG significantly expanded their space. In addition to tenant companies, PSI itself remains the largest occupant of the park, with approximately 14,400 m² and around 300 employees.
Broader Shareholder Base
Last year, the cities of Aarau and Baden, as well as the consulting firm Helbling Technik, joined as new shareholders. As a result, innovAARE AG now has a share capital of CHF 2.4 million.
Board of Directors Updates
The Annual General Meeting re-elected the Board of Directors for another term. Dr. Christian Brönnimann was confirmed as Chairman. Additionally, Prof. Dr. Peter Flohr, Director of the School of Engineering and Environment at FHNW, and Stefan von Bergen, Managing Director of Helbling Technik AG, were elected to the Board.
Looking Ahead
For the current year, innovAARE AG is focusing on attracting more companies and further strengthening innovation hubs in the fields of photonics, quantum technologies, semiconductors, life sciences, and sustainable energy. CEO Robert Rudolph emphasized: “Strong demand and close ties with PSI provide ideal conditions to continue developing Park Innovaare as a leading deep-tech platform in Switzerland.”