On the occasion of the CEATEC Japan 2020 virtual exhibition, Switzerland put the spotlight on the exceptional performance of the Swiss innovation ecosystem with the swisstech.Pitchinar 2020 organized by the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan.
On October 3, Dr. Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation represented Switzerland at the 17th S&T Ministers’ Roundtable organized by the Government of Japan. The meeting took place on the occasion of the Science and Technology for Society Forum (STS forum) which was held online this year.
On October 5, Japan’s NEC Corp. announced that it will purchase Swiss financial solutions provider Avaloq Group AG for CHF 2.05 billion (USD 2.25 billion), making it the biggest acquisition ever for NEC.
Cutis, Wingtra and Piavita were selected Switzerland’s most innovative and promising startup in 2020. The three young companies received the Top 100 Swiss Startup Award 2020 at the 10th edition of the Swiss Startup Award in Zürich on September 9, 2020.
Drone developer Wingtra was awarded for its outstanding “WingtraOne”, a fully autonomous mapping drone which can be used in inaccessible areas–and without any piloting skills. Its vertical take-off and landing feature allows the unmanned aerial vehicle to leave and return to any kind of terrain, and also to avoid belly landings.