Swiss Economic Award 2026: Lightium, Enshift and Swiss Cluster honored
The winners of the Swiss Economic Award 2026 were announced at the Swiss Economic Forum in Interlaken: Lightium, Enshift and Swiss Cluster impressed the main jury with innovative business models in the fields of photonics, renewable energy and coating technology.
Three young companies win the Swiss Economic Award 2026
The winners of the Swiss Economic Award 2026 were announced at the Swiss Economic Forum in Interlaken on June 5. Lightium, Enshift and Swiss Cluster prevailed over more than 150 applicants from all over Switzerland in a multi-stage selection process. With their business models, the three companies address key future topics for the Swiss economy: photonics, renewable energy and industrial coating technologies.
Nine finalists presented their business ideas to the main jury headed by Dr. Caspar Coppetti - in the presence of personalities from business, science and politics. In addition to national visibility and access to the SEF. Founder network, the winners each receive prize money of 25,000 francs.
Lightium: Photonics with open foundry infrastructure
In the Deeptech/Life Science category, Lightium impressed the jury with a key technology in photonics. The company develops photonic chips based on thin-film lithium niobate and operates an open access foundation for this purpose. The technology is designed to enable particularly fast and energy-efficient optical data transmission - for data centers, telecommunications and quantum computing, for example. The jury recognized the technological depth and the potential to build a central infrastructure for future optical systems.
Enshift: Holistic energy solutions for real estate
enshift won in the service category. The company develops solutions for the decentralized energy supply of properties and sites: it plans, finances, implements and operates systems for photovoltaics, charging infrastructure, battery storage and energy management, according to the press release. The aim is to enable property owners and companies to produce renewable energy on site and reduce energy costs in the long term. The jury particularly praised the holistic approach with which enshift is making the energy transition in the building sector economically viable.
Swiss Cluster: Modular thin-film coating for research and industry
Swiss Cluster came out on top in the Production/Commercial category. The company brings highly specialized thin-film coating into a flexible, industry-compatible format. The modular systems combine various coating technologies and can be configured according to the application, according to the press release. Research institutes, laboratories and industrial development departments thus gained access to sophisticated coating processes without having to use rigid large-scale systems. The jury was impressed by the technical precision, the modular approach and the concrete benefits for materials research, nanotechnology and industrial development.
About the Swiss Economic Award 2026
The Swiss Economic Award is presented by the Swiss Economic Forum together with the award partners Helbling, Swisscom and UBS. Since 1999, companies that have reached the final of the award have together created more than 15,000 jobs. In addition to the prize money, the winners benefit from in-depth feedback from experts and access to the SEF. Founder network.
Further information on the Swiss Economic Award is available online: https://www.swisseconomic.ch/awards/
