Swissnex is a network of science and technology outposts aimed at connecting Switzerland with the world's innovation hubs. The network is managed by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation in cooperation with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. There are currently five swissnex branches: Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai, China, Bangalore, India and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. One swissnex office operated in Singapore from 2004 to 2015. Since 2003, the network has relied on public and private funding. Each swissnex branch offers a variety of services to Swiss companies, academics, policy-makers, and others. The SERI also maintains and develops a worldwide network of science and technology counselors sharing the swissnex mission. Twelve science and technology counselors work at selected Swiss embassies.
Swissnex Boston
Swissnex Boston, the network's first location, opened in 2000 to pioneer “science diplomacy" in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Situated strategically between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, swissnex Boston works closely with higher education institutions in both Switzerland and the Greater Boston Area. The region, due to its highly dynamic startup ecosystem and leading role in biotech and biomedical research, is also fertile ground for swissnex Boston's startup programs. In 2013, swissnex Boston opened the New York Outpost in Manhattan. Since 2016, the office is actively involved in the planning of swissnex mobile, as part of the Swiss Pavilion at the Expo 2017 in Kazakhstan.
Swissnex India
Swissnex India, Consulate General of Switzerland is located in India's startup capital and education hub, Bangalore, close to the central business district. Services offered by swissnex India include CTI India market entry camp covering fact finding for startups, market validation and market entry, focus group discussions for Swiss researchers, professors and startups, startup coaching, public events, university affairs, alumni networking, workspace, and more. Public events organized by swissnex India cover topics such as applied research, robotics, innovative design, augmented reality, sustainable architecture, and more.
Swissnex San Francisco
Swissnex San Francisco is located at pier 17. Services offered by swissnex San Francisco include public events, study tours, startup coaching, innovation consulting, press outreach, social media training, university affairs, alumni networking, workspace, and more. Swissnex San Francisco hosts the three-month CTI Start-up US Market Entry Camp for Swiss startups, and worked on a two-year social media program for all Swiss institutions of higher education, now called the Digital Campus. Public events organized by swissnex San Francisco cover topics from augmented reality to astronomy to innovative design. It also maintains a blog called nextrends that reports news and insights from the American West in the fields of science, education, innovation.
