Plug and Play is settling in the uptownBasel area in Arlesheim. According to the press release, the “largest innovation enabler in the world” plans to offer its industry partners the option of increasing their innovation activities through access to a global network of more than 40,000 startups and to shorten their time-to-market strategy. The Californian company is already working with others in Switzerland, such as Baloise Insurance. On its website, Plug and Play describes its collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Roche as a “success story”.

Switzerland has led the Global Innovation Index for eleven years according to Daniela Bar-Gera, Head of Plug and Play in Basel and Zurich. She adds: “Keeping the lead requires investing extensively in future solutions, focusing on digital transformation, and making innovation the country’s top priority.” Advisor for uptownBasel Damir Bogdan comments that the collaboration between uptownBasel and Plug and Play is “a crucial milestone in positioning Basel and Switzerland at the center of the fourth industrial revolution”.

To achieve this, first-class tech startups must be attracted to the region. According to the press release, the first technology areas for “scouting” include Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things, robotics, and data analytics, among others. Artificial intelligence, life sciences, sensors, and future logistics are also said to be targeted.

Hans-Jörg Fankhauser, site developer, architect and implementer of the uptownBasel project in the historic Schoren area, plans to create “a leading open innovation platform in Europe” together with Plug and Play. Jointly, they hope to “not only deliver profits to our corporate partners and startups, but also create new jobs, boost the region’s productivity, and build a long-term growing tech ecosystem”. The investment and innovation promotion agency Basel Area Business & Innovation is a partner of uptownBasel.

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