In front of 400 invited guests, the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022 award ceremony took place in Dübendorf on October 28. This comprehensive support program for entrepreneurs was held in Switzerland for the 25th time. Striking this year was the fact that four of the five awarded entrepreneur personalities came from the canton of St.Gallen. "A strong sign for Eastern Switzerland as a business location," said Sascha Stahl, Program Pargner of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Switzerland. Another award went to Western Switzerland. A ten-member jury was responsible for evaluating the finalists and awarding the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022 Award in a total of four categories; the jury reviewed the candidates independently of EY. EY in Switzerland was supported in the Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2022 program by Credit Suisse as program partner and AMAG, Bucherer, SWISS and HDI as sponsors.

Category "Industry, High-Teh & Life Sciences": Andreas Wälti, Evatec AG

Andreas Wälti, CEO of Evatec AG from Trübbach in St. Gallen, is no stranger to the readers of our medium. 2020 the Prix SVC Ostschweiz. His company was formed in 2004 from a management buyout of the former Unaxis, which in turn emerged from Gerätebauanstalt Balzers, founded in 1946. Andreas Wälti and Marco Padrun turned the conglomerate into a global innovation leader for process solutions and mechanical engineering for thin films. These layers are so thin that they are in the nano range and are used in semiconductor technology, precision optics and optoelectronics. "Andreas Wälti impressed with his irrepressible entrepreneurial strength, with which he has made his company indispensable on global markets as a Swiss high-tech brand," was the jury's tribute.

Category "Service & Trade": Carsten Koerl, Sportradar AG

Engineer Carsten Koerl has always been interested in using data to make successful forecasts. Two startups have emerged from his ideas. Finally, in 2001, he founded Sportradar AG in St.Gallen with a partner because he noticed that everyone in sports wants accurate data and no one can provide it. Since then, he has been collecting sports data in real time for sports clubs, media houses, bookmakers and sports organizations. The company employs 3000 people in over 20 countries and is going public with an IPO on NASDAQ in 2021. From a niche, Carsten Koerl has succeeded in creating a business empire that for a long time had received far too little attention, according to the tribute by Sascha Stahl.

Family Business" category: Franziska Tschudi Sauber and Daniel Tschudi, Weidmann Holding AG

In 2001, Franziska Tschudi Sauber and her brother Daniel Tschudi became the fifth generation to inherit the extremely traditional Weidmann Holding in Rapperswil-Jona, also in the canton of St.Gallen. The company is now the world market leader for electrical insulation of transformers and specializes in high-quality plastic components for medical and pharmaceutical technology. With 2700 employees at 30 locations around the globe, the Weidmann Group is one of the few industrial groups to maintain its market dominance internationally. "Franziska Tschudi Sauber and her brother Daniel Tschudi stand for a lived family tradition that upholds and develops the Swiss pioneering spirit in industry," says Sascha Stahl.

Emerging Entrepreneurs" category: Yann Cotte, Nanolive SA

As mentioned, the award in this category went to the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Yann Cotte and Fatih Toy founded Nanolive in 2013 at the EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne with the idea of revolutionizing the cell research industry. Today, Nanolive offers a globally unique technology to observe living cells in 3D without destructive dyes, which is enormously valuable for research. The technology, which is exported to 95% worldwide, is modularly scalable for hardware and software, promising great future potential. The jury recognized Yann Cotte as a visionary in the high-tech medical field, but one who knows how to implement a promising business model. "Yann Cotte is a true revolutionary in his field and his success clearly shows how positively the Lake Geneva region around EPFL is developing," commented Frédéric Tissot, Director Entrepreneurship & Family Enterprise Suisse Romande at EY.

Source and further information: EY

The innovation park, which claims to be the most modern in Switzerland, was officially opened on Saturday, October 29, 2022 in the presence of Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin. "The Basel Area's life sciences cluster is not only of enormous importance to the Swiss economy, but also occupies a leading position in Europe and worldwide. I am convinced that the Main Campus of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area will further enhance the importance of the region," said the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, in his speech. Around 200 guests from business and politics attended the opening ceremony in the Bachgraben area in Allschwil, directly on the Basel city border. The three sponsoring cantons of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area were represented by Cantonal Councillors Thomas Weber (BL), Kaspar Sutter (BS) and Jacques Gerber (JU), who appeared together with Federal Councillor Parmelin at a panel discussion. At the opening ceremony, various personalities expressed their wishes for the future of the Main Campus, including Raymond Cron, CEO of Switzerland Innovation: "I wish the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area to establish itself as an international beacon for innovative projects in the health and life sciences sector." The Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area with its four locations is one of six innovation parks in the national network of the Switzerland Innovation Foundation.

The Main Campus, which has now opened, was designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron and realized by developer Senn Resources AG. Currently, around 70 percent of the 50,000 m2 of usable space has already been leased. The tenant base currently consists of 38 companies and institutions, including the University of Basel, Johnson & Johnson, Basilea and numerous startups. Between 30 and 40 percent of the space will be laboratories, with the remaining space earmarked for offices, event and training rooms, and an auditorium. Around 2,000 people will be able to work in the building. They will be able to meet via a continuous terrace on the inside and outside, which will encourage the exchange of ideas and enliven the innovation ecosystem. The heart of the Main Campus is the landscaped courtyard the size of a football field, where recreation and food options are available. The Main Campus is located in the middle of the Life Sciences Mile in Bachgraben in close proximity to neighbors such as the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Skan, Abbott and Idorsia.

Sources and further information: www.baselarea.swiss, www.maincampus.ch

Once again, host Tobi Wolf had the pleasure of opening a well-attended Swiss SME Day on October 28, 2022. Whereas in recent years the focus has been on entrepreneurial qualities in dealing with crises, this year a "soft" factor was chosen as the conference theme: relationships. "Relationships are what have given us new stability in recent years," said Tobi Wolf in his opening keynote. In doing so, he also pointed to the results of a survey among long-time participants of the SME Day. These showed that trust, reliability and honesty are among the most important factors in doing business. And the responses of the survey participants also showed that relationships will become more digital and hybrid in the future. There is a shift from cooperation to collaboration, where proximity to competitors is also increasing, explained Tobi Wolf.

Topic Inflation at SME Day 2022: Who feels it more and who feels it less

A special relationship is also that with money. This is currently being strained by increasing inflation. Reto Föllmi, a professor at the University of St. Gallen, suggested that we had long lost sight of the phenomenon of inflation. "The volatility of prices is not new, but the current extent is," Föllmi said. What has fueled the current development, he said, is the absence of the globalization dividend as well as price-driving stimulus programs, such as in the U.S., because they were not implemented during a recession phase. Short-term measures such as gas station discounts or 9-euro tickets would also fuel inflation rather than mitigate it. Switzerland, on the other hand, would have the advantage of being able to fight inflation to some extent with the strong franc exchange rate. Reto Föllmi, however, gave little hope that the situation would change quickly: "Inflation could stay longer than we'd like." But he also reminded the audience that inflation need not have only disadvantages: As a company, he said, it is now necessary to take the opportunity to analyze one's position in the market structure, as well as to protect liquidity and increase resilience in the event of supply chain disruptions. And last but not least, the forces of growth remain unbroken despite the uncertainty.

Giada Ilardo feels little of inflation and restraint in consumer spending, as she explained in conversation with moderator Franz Fischlin. Earlier, the self-made entrepreneur told how she realized her vision of bringing the piercing industry into the luxury segment. What she founded at the tender age of 16 has since become a respected brand with its own flagship store on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse. Today, she can confidently say that success has only come about because she has always sought it with full passion. She has always learned her lessons from mistakes. "The relationship with me has changed in 23 years," says the now 39-year-old about her career. She urged the entrepreneurs in the room to never forget the "joy of doing." The path to a goal is often more beautiful than the goal itself, she said. "There is no arrival in life," says Giada Ilardo.

Conquer the world with mini nut tarts

Reto Schmid, a trained baker and confectioner, took a similar approach. When he took over his parents' village bakery, he was faced with the question of "to be or not to be. His answer was "I am an entrepreneur, not an underachiever." He drove the development of a product that was in demand all year round: the Bündner Nusstorte. It is now also available as a snack and will now be launched as a coffee cake in a size of 8 grams. "The world's smallest Bündner Nusstorte," says Reto Schmid, not without pride. But in his "witches' kitchen," as he called it, other ideas are still maturing: An organic line and chocolate are to be added as further mainstays. Despite all the reservations of so-called industry experts, he is not deterred and is now also able to convince retailers of the merits of his products. "There are also people behind the orange giants with whom you can have good discussions," says Reto Schmid on the subject of "business relationships". Thanks to specialization in niches - "what we want, the corporations don't want, and what we can do, the very small ones can't" - he has been able to establish a modern business in the mountain village of Sedrun that fully meets today's standards.

Trust as an anti-bureaucracy measure

The feisty Zurich SP National Councilor Jacqueline Badran is an entrepreneur herself and may well have scored a few sympathy points with some (bourgeois) company representatives at SME Day 2022. As a parliamentarian, she is still pursuing the vision of launching an SME policy worthy of the name. Because she experiences it differently again and again: "SME interests do not appear in Federal Bern", at most in "Sunday speeches". With a great deal of detailed knowledge, she illustrated this fact with a number of examples, such as the fact that company owners have to pay full unemployment insurance contributions, but now, in the course of the lockdown measures during the Corona pandemic, suddenly receive no benefits. Again and again, she pointed to purely politically motivated intrigues in parliament and commissions. According to Jacqueline Badran, the culture of trust in the state is "going to the dogs". Yet trust is "the best anti-bureaucratic measure", and a culture of trust is a quality-assuring institution. Against this background, a paradigm shift in SME policy was necessary and she demanded that listed companies and SMEs should not simply be lumped together when it came to legislation.

Inspiring young companies at SME Day 2022

Young entrepreneur Stefanie Lopar showed how relationships can be elevated to a business model in the "Inspiration Session". Her dating platform "Meet&Match" aims to bring dating for singles with relationship intentions to a new level of quality. Her startup was one of three that pitched together for the audience's favor. Next to her, "Carvolution" presented itself with CEO Olivier Kofler, which is currently causing a sensation with its car subscription. And Anybotics, represented by Fredrik Isler, explained how robots, as "employees of the future", can ensure quality assurance and control in industrial plants. It was this ETH spinoff that came out on top in the live voting.

What will stick after the SME Day 2022? Certainly once again this: Such conferences continue to be an important part of cultivating relationships between companies. Best practice examples shown by seasoned entrepreneurs serve as inspiration, and young companies can certainly take away that courage and passion for an idea can pay off. And comedian Claudio Zuccholini proved that a pinch of humor does not hurt either with his sideswipes at new and old trends in private and business life.

The next Swiss SME Day will take place on October 27, 2023. Further information: www.kmu-tag.ch

According to IDC, 90 percent of companies will experience an IT skills shortage by 2025 due to digital transformation, at a cost of more than $6.5 trillion worldwide. The reasons include delayed product releases, dwindling customer satisfaction and lost business. Business leaders are currently focused on a select number of powerful platforms that enable rapid value creation.

Promoting digital careers

ServiceNow also offers such a cross-company cloud-based platform. What's more, the platform now wants to close an "opportunity gap" and create equal access to digital careers for all. "With digital transformation, our requirements for talent must also change. That's why ServiceNow wants to create new career paths," said Lara Caimi, ServiceNow Chief Customer and Partner Officer. "We believe it's time to focus on potential, rather than skills gaps, and to broaden the definition of a 'technical talent.' This will allow more people to benefit from the demand for digital transformation. We are providing new opportunities for both technical and non-technical talent, so that more people - regardless of their background - can rise to better-paying positions in our ecosystem. With 'RiseUp with ServiceNow,' people can build meaningful careers and customers and partners alike can find the exact talent they need to thrive in the digital economy."

Train skills in demand

"RiseUp with ServiceNow" expands the definition of tech talent by placing great emphasis on the competencies of the person as a whole and so-called "power skills" - for example, critical thinking, interpersonal communication and creativity, according to the company. The goal of the program is a more diverse, inclusive workforce. It meaningfully enables candidates to gain the skills necessary to fill coveted technical positions. "The need for tech change is great - but the opportunities to become skilled and find a job are not," said Karen Pavlin, chief equity and inclusion officer at ServiceNow. "'RiseUp with ServiceNow' opens new pathways for tech careers to grow a broader, more inclusive group of people in the digital economy. It's about valuing diverse experiences and connecting those unique skills to the great need for skilled workers so we can solve the biggest challenges of our time."

Three pillars

"RiseUp with ServiceNow" focuses on three pillars. First, the goal is to lower the barriers to continuing education. This is to be done with more than 600 free courses and 18 job-related certification paths. Already, 325,000 people have completed a total of 2.3 million such courses, according to ServiceNow. Second, it aims to expand opportunities for technical talent. Under the name ServiceNow NextGen in-house academies and training partnerships with nonprofits and government agencies are offered. The newly designed ServiceNow Community connects over 450,000 members with peer-to-peer networking opportunities, learning forums, virtual events and much more. And third, it's all about the placement of newly trained talent: The ServiceNow Partner Placement Program, newly created for this purpose, is designed to help customers and partners find, train and evaluate talent from diverse backgrounds. The number of partners is expected to increase to 25 by the end of 2023.

Companies such as Synoptek or Fujitsu have already successfully benefited from ServiceNow's NextGen program for employees' digital careers. Patricia Widmer, who heads the Women Back to Business certification program at the University of St. Gallen, is also convinced: "By combining strategic management knowledge with basic ServiceNow skills, our participants are in a very strong position to succeed in the rapidly evolving digital economy - not only today, but also in the future."

Source and further information

The number of companies that are unable to cover current interest liabilities with their operating results for three years in a row, and thus do not have a functioning business model, is increasing worldwide. Compared to last year's study, the number of these so-called zombie companies has increased by 10% to almost 2,000. This is the conclusion of the final analysis by global management consultants Kearney, for which the study's authors drew on approximately 4.5 million data records from around 70,000 listed companies from 154 industries and 152 countries.

Zombie companies have too easy access to capital

"We observe that rising energy and raw material costs, strained supply chains and staff shortages are weighing on companies. Financing problems are compounding the problem for many," reports Nils Kuhlwein von Rathenow, a partner at Kearney and one of the authors of the study "The Walking Debt - The Growing Flock of Zombie Companies." "Only a few companies that do not have a sustainable business model actually exit the markets due to insolvency. Every year, more companies become zombies than exit, are purchased, or recover. Zombies have all-too-easy access to capital, which helps them survive. A particular risk comes from current rising interest rates: our simulation shows that this could increase the number of zombies by nearly 40% again." Globally, most zombie companies are found in the midmarket, although this is likely to represent only the tip of the iceberg, as many midmarket companies are not listed on the stock exchange and are therefore not included in the study results.

Swiss zombies follow worldwide pattern

The study authors looked at both the various economies and industries in detail. Their analyses show that the global economic regions are all developing similarly. They all have a zombie share of between 4% and 6%, but with significant differences in growth rates: While North America saw zombie shares rise from 3.5% to 5.7% between 2010 and 2021, Europe saw a much larger increase, from 1.2% to 5.5%.

In Switzerland, the number of zombies remained constant between 2015 and 2019. The few inflows and outflows balanced each other out. After the yield on government bonds fell in 2018 to 2020, the number of zombies also rose with a one-year delay, initially to 10 in 2020 and finally to 12 in 2021. The typical zombies in Switzerland follow the global pattern: they tend to be small companies. In Switzerland, 10 out of 12 Zombies have less than $50 million in annual revenue. Of the 12 Swiss zombies, four are in the healthcare sector, three in the real estate sector, two in IT and one each from the materials, consumer goods and other industry sectors.

One in seven real estate companies faces zombification

The situation could become even more dramatic. If interest rates continue to rise, one in seven real estate companies could face a similar fate. "In that case, we see one in seven listed companies in the real estate sector worldwide at risk of being classified as a zombie company. This means that the real estate sector poses a significant risk to the global economy, as it did in the years leading up to the 2008/2009 financial crisis," explains Christian Feldmann, a partner at Kearney and also an author of the study. He makes clear: "Zombies represent a misallocation of capital that could otherwise lead to more growth and more return. We see an amount of about $500 billion misallocated and therefore at significant risk of default. Against this backdrop, both institutional and private investors, legislators and capital market regulators around the world are challenged by efficiently allocating capital in a timely manner, avoiding the risk of zombies, and equipping insolvency laws to ensure that sick companies exit the market in a timely manner. The figures for this are obvious and can be transparently traced at any time on the basis of the annual financial statements."

Source: Kearney

I think it's more important than ever in these times: We need more people who behave in an exemplary manner. Most of all, this applies to all leaders. They are constantly modeled by others anyway, and often unconsciously.

Be a true role model

As I always emphasize, the essence of leadership is exercising influence. Without influence, there is no leadership. One of the best and most effective ways to increase influence is to constantly act as a role model and act accordingly. Think of the most effective leaders in politics and business: they are always role models for their respective followers.

Unfortunately, sometimes we do not behave in an exemplary manner and do not even notice it. We then wonder why we have so little influence. The reason: We are not seen as a role model. You can change that. So here are three effective ways to do it:

Way 1: Full preshow presence

The most exemplary leaders manage to be extremely present - even when things get hectic. This means giving your counterpart your undivided attention for the time you spend together. Especially in today's world, where everyone hides behind their smartphones and computers, you can stand out as a true role model simply by being strongly present.

Tip: In your next meeting with one or more people, be present to 100% - no distractions, no wandering thoughts. Just be fully there. For most, this is not easy.

Way 2: Project positive energy

One of the most important tasks of good leaders is to show positive perspectives and radiate positive energy. If you join in the general lament of difficulties and problems, you are quite simply not a role model - and not a good leader. This has to do with responsibility: As a leader, it's your obligation to make sure you come to work with a positive attitude and project that into your people.

Tip: Make a concrete resolution to radiate only positive energy in the next meeting. You need to do this especially when it comes to very difficult topics.

Way 3: Move things forward

Do you know someone who you consider exemplary, but who hardly makes any progress? No? Exactly. To be an exemplary leader, you have to make your mark and move things forward. All people who are considered exemplary have made a big difference or are making a big difference - be it in politics, business, the arts, sports, etc. The important thing is that you need to know what you want to be perceived as a role model with. Which results count the most?

So here you have three important ways to become even more exemplary than you already are today. Apply it: it's more important than ever.

To the author:
Volkmar Völzke is a success maximizer. Book author. Consultant. Coach. Speaker. www.volkmarvoelzke.ch

The keynote presentation by Martin Kyburz was an example of what sustainable business looks like. His company manufactures electric vehicles that are used by an increasing number of postal delivery services, including the Swiss Post, among others. While electromobility is currently experiencing a real boom, an associated problem still seems to be unsolved: What happens to the spent batteries and accumulators? There are various recycling approaches, but they generally involve shredding and thermal disposal without material recovery. A process developed jointly with Empa is now being used at Kyburz, with which 90 percent of the materials processed in a rechargeable battery can be recovered. Kyburz has thus been nominated for the Green Business Award. Planted, another nominated company, was also on site and showed concretely what rethinking and transformation in the food sector looks like in practice.

Energy shortage: the solution is "smart energy

The Forum ö 2022 still went with many other topics to the start. One of them was the current energy shortage situation. Three experts from Elektrizitätswerke Zürich ewz explained which scenarios are to be expected. It is not easy at present to make concrete statements about whether there could be a worst case scenario with power cuts. The outlook is too uncertain as to how hard the winter will really be and whether or not the French nuclear power plants, which are so important for Switzerland's electricity needs, will really be able to come back online from January 2023. However, it also became clear in the discussion that the current crisis should be used as an opportunity to curb the consumption of electrical energy and not only to discuss alternative sources of electricity - such as the expansion of solar power plants in mountainous areas, which is now to be waved through by parliament while undermining many ecological principles. In addition, the path must lead to the decentralization of energy systems; "smart energy" is the watchword here.

Rethinking Business in terms of Innovation

Or the topic of innovation through collaboration was also in focus. Postfinance, for example, explained in another breakout session how they approach this topic, especially with regard to the implementation of sustainability goals. Anne-Käthi Leuenberger, Head of Corporate Responsibility, explained that in order to achieve these goals, innovation is essential. As examples, she mentioned the Swiss Climate Challenge, with which Postfinance, in cooperation with Swisscom, wants to make the influence of personal mobility behavior on climate change more transparent via an app. The "reward" is a so-called "Green Coin", a green, digital Swiss franc that can only be used for sustainable products and services. Or another example: with "Velto" a sustainable digital pension solution is launched. Here, too, Globalance is a cooperation partner. Crowda" was also presented in detail, a platform explicitly for SMEs, which can find collaboration partners there for the joint implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This project is still in its infancy, but could be of particular interest to those companies that are interested in sustainable management but cannot themselves muster the human and knowledge resources required for operationalization.

Of corporate culture and an "earth for all

Further keynotes were given by Nele Kreyssig and Robert Szilinski from esentri AG. They provided an insight into their corporate culture, which consistently places people at the center and relies on self-organization. The fact that this can also lead to rather "special" excesses, for example in the introduction process for a company-owned muesli vending machine, was explained, as were the lessons learned: Ideas are never the bottleneck, it's how to create the space people need for them. "The age of efficiency is over, the age of resilience is now beginning," said Kreyssig and Szilinski.

From the Club of Rome, which first drew attention to the finite nature of resources in 1972, came Till Kellerhoff, who presented the "Earth4All" study in his talk. First, he used statistical data to impressively summarize what would happen if humanity continued in the same style as it has up to now. Insect extinction, the sixth mass extinction in the history of the Earth, is only part of the scenario. Much of the explosive power also lies in the increasing social inequalities and imbalances. The path must therefore take five U-turns:

1. New economic structures for low-income countries to fight poverty.
2. Eliminate income inequality, for example through higher progressive taxation or greater taxation of wealth.
3. Empowering women to bridge the gender power gap.
4. Healthy food for all without expanding farmland and combating food waste.
5. Transform energy systems to halve greenhouse gas emissions every ten years.

Those present were probably in agreement: These are probably the right goals. The only question is whether there is enough time to achieve them. But it is not too late for "Rethinking Business. It is also to be hoped that the knowledge in companies about the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals is increasing and is not limited to those circles that attend meetings such as the Forum ö.

More information: www.oebu.ch

The Index of Global Trade Health analyzes anonymized transaction data flowing through Tradeshift's platform. Tradeshift defines transaction volume or supply chain activity as all trade activity and receivables from supplier payments. The index provides a timely overview of how external events impact business-to-business trade. Additional surveys and customer interviews supplement the report. The current index is available at the Tradeshift website.

Demand crisis pushes through

Global supply chain activity now fell by a further 5 points in the third quarter compared with the baseline. New orders in particular fell sharply as inflation-related costs and global uncertainty increase. Global order volume fell another 7 points below expected levels in the third quarter, following a 6-point decline in the previous quarter.

Manufacturing and T&L sector decline sharply

Manufacturing activity was 11 points below expected in the third quarter. Retail supplier activity was 9 points below the baseline, representing the slowest growth in 18 months. Slowing demand in these sectors is also leading to lower demand in the transportation and logistics sector. Activity in this sector fell 8 points short of expectations in the third quarter, marking the second consecutive quarter of declining growth.

"The good news is that supply chain bottlenecks are clearing and transportation costs are coming down," says Christian Lanng, CEO of Tradeshift. "The bad news is that this is largely a result of slowing demand. This trend now appears to be accelerating. This is especially hard on smaller suppliers who have simply traded pressure in one direction for an equally insidious kind of pressure in the other. If suppliers run into financial difficulties and give up, the problems that supply chains faced during the pandemic could be repeated."

Europe at the epicenter of the demand crisis

According to Tradeshift's index, Europe is at the epicenter of the recent downturn. Supply chain activity in the euro area fell another 6 points in the third quarter. The energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine has wiped out consumer spending and put significant cost pressures on supply chains. In the United Kingdom, which faces similar challenges, trade activity fell by a further 5 points in the third quarter.

With winter approaching, even the slightest increase in energy demand anywhere in the world could result in entire sectors of the manufacturing industry in Europe having to shut down completely. Skyrocketing energy prices are also causing a cost of living crisis across the continent. Consumers are significantly curtailing their spending. A further deterioration in trade seems likely, though not yet entirely inevitable.

USA and China not so badly affected

In the USA, however, the picture is different. Momentum is slowing, but much more gently than in other parts of the world. Total transaction volume in the third quarter was only 2 points below the expected level. In China, local supply chain activity also grew at a relatively healthy rate in the third quarter, only 1 point below the expected range. However, activity levels in Chinese supply chains have been very erratic since the beginning of the year, and this is unlikely to change as long as the foreclosure policy remains in place.

"Supply chains in the U.S. appear to have stabilized," Lanng said. "As long as consumers continue to spend, they may even benefit from lower operating costs. Europe has a much more difficult road ahead. The energy crisis stems from a failure to balance access, sustainability and security of supply. As companies look at the resilience of their supply chains, maintaining that balance should be at the forefront."

Six young companies vied for the favor of investors in the "Höhle der Löwen Schweiz" show on October 25, 2022. Here again is a brief summary of the latest episode of the start-up show, which once again brought a big investment around the topic of "mobility".

A lot of marketing speak at the beginning

Quirin Hasler, Jonas Holzer, Felix Greiner and Nicola Dutoit from Zurich kicked things off. They confidently presented their platform "refluenced" for brands and influencers. The idea behind it: On the online platform, a start-up describes its product. Interested influencers apply to the start-up, which then selects suitable people to do stories and contributions for them. The young company "Knecker" served as a "school example". also already present in the lion's den was allowed to. A total of 30 brands and 300 so-called "brand lovers" are already represented on the platform. In order to quickly increase the number, the four young entrepreneurs named a capital requirement of 200,000 Swiss francs and were prepared to cede 5 percent of the company shares in return. The concept met with interest among the online-savvy lions. Lukas Speiser immediately saw the benefits of this platform, but was not yet ready to invest. A thorn in Patrick Mollet's side was the high company valuation with just 5000 francs in sales in the first year of operation. "Make real sales first," was his clear message. Nevertheless, Roland Brack and Anja Graf each made an offer: he offered 200,000 francs against 10 percent, Anja Graf 200,000 francs against 7 percent of the company. It was she who landed the deal.

Striking a chord with many parents

"OiOi Baby" is a rental service for baby and children's clothes, with which Anna Mucha and Belén Bolliger from Schlieren wanted to convince the five lions to invest. 250,000 Swiss francs against 5 percent company shares was their capital requirement. And this is how the business model of "OiOi Baby" works: Parents sign up for an annual or monthly subscription and are sent a bundle of baby clothes. As soon as the baby grows out, they exchange the old bundle of clothes for a new one. The wear and tear is insured, the brands are sustainable. Care and logistics are taken care of by "OiOiOi Baby." For some viewers as well as for the lionesses and lions, it quickly becomes clear: There is a real customer need behind this. And the sales prospects for internationalization coupled with a broadening of the product range also seemed impressive: the two young entrepreneurs and mothers calculated 350 million Swiss francs. No less than three lionesses and lions then made an offer. But in a different way, namely better than the founders had imagined: Because in fact they were in a first round for seed financing. They wanted to raise 900,000 francs. The 250,000 francs would have been a first tranche. However: Roland Brack, Anja Graf and Jürg Schwarzenbach now offered to take over this seed financing right away: 900,000 francs, but wanted 30 percent company shares in return. In the end, the young entrepreneurs and investors agreed on 900,000 francs in exchange for 27 percent of the company.

Beautiful idea waiting for buyers

Caroline Laffer from Muttenz, the founder of "faible", creates accessory clips for shoes in various designs. A pretty idea that was tried out in detail by lioness Bettina Hein. Roland Brack also didn't miss the opportunity to attach a clip in the shape of a skull to his shoes. However, he struggled somewhat with the pitfalls of the object. So maybe it was a product the world wasn't waiting for after all? And when the lionesses and lions hear how many pieces the founder has sold so far, they are speechless: just 17 pieces in two years. So it quickly became clear that Caroline Laffer would probably remain without a deal. Nevertheless, she received praise for the idea and support in the e-commerce sector. Because what is urgently needed for the success of the product is sales - and much more revenue.

A lion knocks on wood

At "bulls coffee", coffee in wooden capsules, a familiar face appeared alongside founder Ole Bull: Marco Fritsche, presenter of "Bauer, ledig, sucht...". As a convinced coffee drinker, he didn't miss the opportunity to put all his marketing and influencer power on the line for the startup. 300,000 Swiss francs in exchange for a 10 percent stake in the company was the amount of capital the two needed. "bulls coffee" is 100 percent organic and 100 percent biodegradable because it is sold in wooden capsules. The investors are allowed to taste - but three of them never drink coffee. The founder probably didn't expect that, nor did Marco Fritsche. And for coffee drinker Jürg Schwarzenbach, the product tasted good, but not above average. In the end, it was probably not due to the business idea itself that no deal was struck. But "bulls coffee" can at least claim to have made it into the listing of Edeka, a German retail chain. This is certainly something to build on - even without the investment of the Swiss lionesses and lions.

Also about wood was "Swiss Wood Maps" by Simona Liechti and Lukas Liechti from Bern. The start-up produces three-dimensional Swiss landscape maps made of wood. The products, which are intended as gifts or collectors' items, are made by hand and come at a price: between 219 and 619 Swiss francs, depending on the size. But the increase in sales projected by the two founders was also impressive: in 2021, sales of 400,000 Swiss francs were achieved; in 2022, the figure is expected to reach 600,000. So the business seems to be going well. So do we still need an investor to donate 100,000 francs in exchange for a 12 percent stake? Four lionesses and lions drop out. Jürg Schwarzenbach, himself a Bernese, made an offer: 100,000 francs, but against a 15 percent stake. Simona and Lukas Liechti happily accepted. This laid the foundation for scaling the business.

Another investment for mobility

It is well known that motorcycling is a popular hobby. But it also has its pitfalls, especially when the motorcycles gather dust unused in the garage. "Ribe Moto GmbH," a platform for motorcycle renters and leasers, wants to change that. Kris Fiocchi, Kevin Bieler and Tsering Selang from Pfaffhausen (ZH) have therefore developed a kind of "Airbnb" for motorcycles: The start-up wants to bring motorcycle lovers together. So anyone who wants to rent out their motorcycle or rent one can do so online at "Ribe Moto". The service offer also includes comprehensive insurance. The three now need 300,000 Swiss francs for further growth and are prepared to cede 10 percent of the company for this purpose. The figures and the market knowledge of the three motorcycle enthusiasts made the lionesses and lions present sit up and take notice. The only thing that caused some confusion was the fact that "Ribe Moto" initially started with a subscription model and now wants to switch to renting or "do one thing and don't do another". For Lukas Speiser, this was not focused enough; he therefore dropped out of the bidding race. Roland Brack, himself a motorcycle rider, now offered 550,000 Swiss francs against 18 percent with the aim of immediately starting an internationalization of the business for mobility on two wheels. Jürg Schwarzenbach, with "Carvolution" also experienced in the mobility sector, made the offer of 300,000 francs against 12 percent. So the founders were now faced with the question: go full throttle or cruise at a more leisurely pace? They decided on the former. Roland Brack thus made one of his highest individual investments of the previous seasons. And he will probably be happy to count on his experience with "MyCamper". Conclusion: Topics relating to mobility in particular always seem to go down well with the lionesses and lions, as shown by the Million deal of the first show of this season showed.

More information on upcoming shows: https://www.oneplus.ch/detail/1000604

Numerous SMEs are facing their succession planning. SMEs in urban areas generally have a better chance of finding a successful succession solution than SMEs in mountainous areas. For this reason, Business Transaction AG is teaming up with Schweizer Berghilfe and supporting the construction of a farm cheese dairy in the Bernese Oberland to secure its economic future in the long term.

A traditional company in upheaval

The Fänglihof is located in Zweisimmen in the Bernese Oberland at 1,070m above sea level. On the approximately 30 hectares, partly steep, grassland are kept about 120 milk sheep and 60 young animals. Also 4 mother cows with offspring and 50 laying hens are at home there. The farm is managed with conviction according to the Bio-Suisse guidelines and strives to work in a resource-saving and ecological way. The farm is managed by the Eggen family in the 4th generation and the fifth generation is growing up. At the beginning of 2017, the brothers Christoph and Thomas and their families took over the farm. The senior boss is still on hand with advice and support and, together with his wife, regularly takes care of the promotion of young talent.

Sustainable into the future

With the takeover by the next generation, investments were necessary to secure the family business and economic independence. With the construction of their own cheese dairy, the Eg-gen family can now process their own sheep's milk into cheese and yogurt, making them less dependent on external milk buyers and at the same time increasing their own value chain. In this way, the Fänglihof is following the trend of regional production and marketing and has established a solid foothold to secure its economic existence.

Working together to preserve Swiss mountain regions as diverse living and economic areas

Business Transaction AG was keen to join forces with Swiss Mountain Aid, which has been helping companies and people in mountain regions since 1943, to also support businesses in economically peripheral regions in line with its slogan "Committed to succession." to support. Business Transaction AG did not miss the opportunity to present the project in video format.

Source: Business Transaction

Philipp Gmür, Chairman of the Group Executive Management and Group CEO of Helvetia Insurance, will step down in mid-2023, the company said in a brief communiqué. A lawyer by training, Gmür joined Helvetia in 1993, where he took over as Chairman of the Group Executive Management in 2016 after various career moves. "After 30 years with Helvetia Group, including 13 years as CEO of the country market Switzerland and seven years as Group CEO, the time has come to turn over a new leaf," Gmür commented on his retirement. It was a privilege and a pleasure to have been able to shape the development of Helvetia Group together with a strong team, Gmür added. "But I am also looking forward to passing on the baton and taking on other tasks outside Helvetia Group."

Chairman of the Board of Directors Thomas Schmuckli pays tribute to the work of his CEO and explains: "Philipp Gmür has left a lasting mark on Helvetia Group. Under his many years of leadership as CEO Switzerland, Helvetia developed into a leading all-line insurer in its home market. As Group CEO, he has driven forward the internationalization of the Group, the expansion of additional insurance lines and the introduction of new business models in a targeted manner. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Philipp Gmür for his many years of enormous commitment to Helvetia Group."

It is not yet known who will take over Philipp Gmür's post. However, the Board of Directors has initiated the process of finding a successor, according to a press release.

Source: Helvetia Insurances