NüGlarus launches co-innovation platform

The goal of the non-profit initiative NüGlarus is to promote innovation in the canton. "Many SMEs are too small to drive real innovation forward on their own," says Roberto Balmer, president of the initiative. It's about observing technologies, developing new business models (pricing models, products processes, customer segments) and then implementing them, he says. NüGlarus now wants to enable local companies to take advantage of economies of scale that they do not have on their own and to exchange experiences. Problems are jointly evaluated and quickly and inexpensively solved via proven partners such as Glaronia Informatik AG or the Digitallab of the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil HSR (e.g. in the "virtual reality" area). The co-innovation platform is openly defined and will be constructed around the innovation potential of Glarus companies in the coming months. The basis for this is the St. Gallen Business Model.

A lot of work for the platform

In order to better assess the innovation potentials and the innovation problems that most concern entrepreneurs in the canton, a live survey was also conducted at the Entrepreneur Lunch. This survey revealed the following Top10 potentials for innovation (by number of mentions):

1. Technology monitoring (for 51%)
2. Personalization of products using Big Data (49%)
3. Internet of Things (44%)
4. Online Shop (41%)
5. Social media marketing (41%)
6. New forms of cooperation for the SME innovation process (39%)
7. Cloud and Online Collaboration (39%)
8. Privacy (39%)
9. Website / App (39%)
10. Telecom Connections (37%)

The result now forms a clear mandate for focus in the selection of topics and partners to the co-leader of the NüGlarus co-innovation platform, Thomas Schiesser.

Data highway to pave the way

One of these urgent problems has already been addressed with the new data highway implemented by Technische Betriebe im Glarnerland and HIAG DATA. The fastest and cheapest data highway in the Alps has now been successfully in operation for over a month at the anchor customer, the Glarner Kantonalbank, as its CIO and Vice President of NüGlarus, Ralf Luchsinger described in detail and enthusiastically at the event. Marti Zopfi, CEO of Technische Betriebe Glarus, presented all the new products and prices for the municipality of Glarus at the event, which are to be realized in the area of corporate connections and Internet on this basis in the coming months.

Kick-off on September 6

All other topics and innovation potential will be taken up at a kick-off meeting of the NüGlarus innovation group on September 6, led by Thomas Schiesser. Step by step and with external partners, NüGlarus then wants to ensure that any company that gets involved there will quickly and inexpensively come up with a solution that has the potential to change the market. The first Glarus startup incubator, Linklabs, is also scheduled to launch in the fall to support NüGlarus and, above all, the Glarus startup world.

Speaking on behalf of the local SMEs, Thomas Marti, CEO of Marti Engineering, welcomed the data highway and called on those present to take advantage of the momentum of NüGlarus now, to join in and be bold. On September 6, he said, large and medium-sized established Glarus companies were particularly in demand. In an increasingly dynamic economy, it is often they who, with their actions today, will decide the success or failure of a region in 10 years' time and who can most easily raise the means and opportunities today to dare more together.

Public administration too little customer-oriented

The present entrepreneurs were also asked where they are hindered in their innovation by the public administration. Almost 50% of the local entrepreneurs would like to see a stronger customer orientation of the public administration, as the short survey showed. A lack of e-government in various areas, unclear regulations and time-consuming and costly approval procedures are also a thorn in the side of entrepreneurs. A NüGlarus working group has therefore set itself the task of developing new ideas for public administration.

In addition to the inclusion of local companies in the Co-Innovation Channel on September 6, NüGlarus will also organize a national event in Ziegelbrücke on October 18, where the regional and national ambitions of the initiative will be outlined for the first time. In particular, it will be shown how the idea can also be implemented in other regions of eastern Switzerland. Registrations are also possible for this soon.

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