scienceindustries Annual Event 2025

The annual event organised by scienceindustries in Zurich clearly demonstrated the increasing international competitive pressure on the Swiss chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. The focus was on the latest findings of the Global Industry Competitiveness Index (GICI) 2025 published by BAK Economics, which send a clear signal: for the first time in years, Switzerland has lost its second place and slipped to third, which it now shares with Denmark. While Switzerland continues to lead in terms of location quality, it is losing ground in particular in innovation and digitalisation.

In her speech, Annette Luther, President of scienceindustries, emphasised that this development is a wake-up call: "Top rankings are not a given. We must nurture our strengths and continue to develop our location with courage, innovation and reliability."

Stephan Mumenthaler, Director of scienceindustries, pointed out that countries such as the USA and Ireland are pulling ahead, while others – such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom – are catching up quickly. Switzerland remains a top global location, but there is an urgent need for action, particularly in the area of digitalisation.

After Michael Grass presented the GICI results, Prof. Dr. Aymo Brunetti (University of Bern), Prof. Dr. Andreas Bohrer (Lonza, Vice President of scienceindustries) and National Councillor Patricia von Falkenstein discussed the steps that are now necessary, with Sebastian Ramspeck acting as moderator. The focus was on improvements in market and location conditions and dealing with increasing global protectionism. Conclusion: Switzerland remains excellently positioned – but its lead is melting away. To secure its top position, decisive action and a location policy that strengthens innovation, openness and reliability are now needed.

A picture gallery of the event offers insights into the occasion: