ETH Industry Day 2024 with more on offer and for the first time in the heart of Zurich
For the first time in its 12-year history, ETH Industry Day, which aims to bring together Swiss business with the university’s researchers and start-ups, is taking place in the heart of the City of Zurich. It is becoming part of Open-i, the event succeeding the Swiss Innovation Forum.
In brief
- ETH Industry Day is this year being held as part of the new Open-i event, the event succeeding the Swiss Innovation Forum, at Zurich Convention Center.
- Participants can expect a broader range of activities with more networking opportunities. There is now a new attendance fee– with special conditions for ETH guests.
- Jeannine Pilloud, Head of the Partnership for Innovation unit at ETH Zurich, explains in an interview the reasons behind the changes and what they entail in detail for participants.
On its Industry Day, to take place on 21 November 2024, ETH Zurich will as usual be illustrating the wide range of opportunities available for companies, institutions and authorities to collaborate with the university: short presentations by spin-off founders and researchers at ETH Zurich, insights into the collaboration of university groups with companies and institutions, and exhibition stands with potential cooperation partners. In terms of the tried-and-tested formats, this year’s Industry Day will be no different from previous events.
And yet many things will be different: Zurich Convention Center as the new venue, cooperation with NZZ Connect, the organiser of the previous Swiss Innovation Forum, with regard to Open-i and in this connection a much larger range of presentations and opportunities for encounter. ETH Industry Day is becoming part of something bigger.
Another change comprises the attendance fees to be paid for the event. One or two critical voices have been heard. We asked Jeannine Pilloud, Head of the Partnership for Innovation unit at ETH Zurich, what the reasons behind the changes were.
Ms Pilloud, you’ve decided to move ETH Industry Day from the Hönggerberg campus into the city centre and to hold it jointly with NZZ Connect as part of the new Open-i event. What were your reasons for doing so?
Thanks to the integration of Industry Day into Open-i, we are able to offer researchers and entrepreneurs from ETH Zurich taking part in the event much more contact opportunities. Previously we have had around 500 and no more than 600 participants at Industry Day. Over 1,000 people used to attend the Swiss Innovation Forum, the predecessor event of Open-i. Moreover, the existing participants in Industry Day will also benefit from the merger by having a larger range of activities on offer. And many of them were additionally present at the Swiss Innovation Forum. They’ll therefore also save time.
On the other hand, you’re now having to charge attendance fees…
I’m aware that within ETH many would have liked Industry Day to remain free of charge and we’ve also had some isolated feedback from third parties. However, if we wish to organise a joint event with a company from the private sector, there’s no way around attendance fees. And on top of this, the world has also changed within ETH. We asked ourselves in view of the tight budget situation whether we really needed to bear the entire costs of the event ourselves. It’s therefore also a contribution to the cost-saving measures of ETH. Finally, fees also help to reduce the high number of no-shows, i.e. to increase commitment. We’ve not only had no-shows in previous years, but also participants who fail to register in advance. However, these are not good preconditions for cultivating relationships in the long term.
How much does attendance at Open-i cost?
Participants pay CHF 445 for the two-day event if they purchase their ticket via the ETH website. This is half the official admission price. I consider this a very fair deal.
ETH Industry Day @ Open-i – register today
This year’s Industry Day will take place on 21 November at Zurich Convention Center, the first day of the two-day Open-i event. Further information and the detailed programme can be found on the Industry Day website.
Information on Open-i can be found on the external page webpage of the same name.
Secure your place today and book the special ETH ticket for CHF 445 (50% discount on the regular price) giving you access to all Open-i events. Use this external page ETH registration link to do so.
What awaits participants at ETH Industry Day @ Open-i?
We will be on the Circle stage at Zurich Convention Center on the morning of 21 November with our stage programme. We are delighted to have gained Matthias Rebellius, CEO of Siemens Smart Infrastructure, to give the keynote speech. As usual, this will be followed by presentations by ETH researchers and entrepreneurs and contributions from cooperative projects on four different topic areas. The exhibition at which ETH researchers and spin-offs present their projects and offers of collaboration will run in parallel with this. It will be possible to visit the stands throughout the entire day. This represents enormous added value as guests previously had to rush through the stands during the break or after the event. This was disagreeable for all concerned, whereas now there is much more time for longer discussions and more intensive dialogue.