2.6 billion in value from Zurich Innovation Park

A study by BAK Economics predicts that the operation of the IPZ will create 14,000 new jobs between Dübendorf and the Limmat, with a turnover of nine figures

The Zurich Innovation Park Foundation commissioned the independent Swiss economic research institute BAK Economics, with offices in Basel, Manno and, of course, on the banks of the Limmat, to study the economic significance of the new infrastructure for the region in which it is located, the Canton of Zurich and Switzerland as a whole.
The analysts came up with impressive figures: they estimated the direct and indirect added value of the facility alone at full capacity at about 2.5 billion Swiss francs per year.
BAK Economics’ study is the first comprehensive analysis of the IPZ’s potential. The study, entitled “The Economic Significance of Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich”, also examines the role of Switzerland and the Canton of Zurich as a location in international innovation competition.

Four thousand additional jobs in the supply chain

The Zurich Innovation Park could create 10,000 new jobs directly, while another 4,000 positions would be generated in the immediate vicinity of the technology park.
Researchers show that although the city’s area on the banks of the Limmat has above-average added value compared to the rest of the Swiss Confederation, it still has a lot of catching up to do, especially in the high-tech sector.

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Innovation and technological progress are recognized as the most important drivers of growth and prosperity. From the perspective of researchers, it is therefore worthwhile for the Zurich region to strengthen these areas by creating more favorable framework conditions.

Research clusters embody future trends

According to BAK Economics, the IPZ’s benchmark clusters, defined in English in the study “Robotics and Mobility, Aerospace and Production Technologies,” also correspond to the most important global technology trends. Looking at patent development, for example, these incubators have shown above-average dynamism in just the last two decades.

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The Canton of Zurich stands out as an excellent and internationally leading university location, which also scores highly on most location factors.
With the realization of the Zurich Innovation Park, the existing ecosystem can be significantly enhanced and purposefully used to strengthen Switzerland’s most populous city as a knowledge and research capital. Experts therefore attach strategic importance to the on-site establishment of the IPZ.

Positive effects for regional industry as well

The potential direct and indirect economic effects of the IPZ are considerable. Depending on the activity and the number of companies that will locate there, about 10,000 new jobs will be created directly and another 4,000 through the induced mechanism, which will generate additional tax revenues of several tens of millions of francs for the cantonal and municipal administrations.

Rain of francs for the Canton and the municipalities

Economists estimate the cumulative economic effect for the Canton at about 2.5 billion francs per year, which corresponds to 1.7 percent of the Canton’s Gross Domestic Product. For Switzerland, the total effect is estimated at 2.6 billion francs.

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The figures show that 90 percent of the IPZ’s value added is generated in the canton of Zurich, which is partly due to the fact that a large part of the inputs of companies and services come from the regional and urban environment of the city on the banks of the Limmat.

As many as three different levels of land impact

Experts assume there are three different levels of impact.

The report ‘Economic Footprint Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich’ by BAK Economics (in German)

The primary effects, which are generated by the operation of the Zurich Innovation Park on an ongoing basis and the value added by the companies and universities that will be housed there;
The secondary effects, which are generated by the orders placed with suppliers and service providers in the construction and operation of the IPZ and by the consumption demand of employees;
finally, the macroeconomic multiplier effects, which are generated throughout the value chain as a whole: the development of the Dübendorf airport site itself, which is already underway, has beneficial economic effects of several hundred million francs.

Great strategic and economic importance

The study thus impressively shows that the development of the Zurich Innovation Park is of immense strategic and economic importance for the Canton of the same name and for the entire country.
It strengthens the competitiveness of the area through increased innovation dynamics and improved research and development efforts (industrial and otherwise), in which Zurich has considerable growth potential in national and global comparison.
The IPZ’s technology clusters are in line with long-term global trends and show above-normal dynamics.
The IPZ benefits from the exceptional international position of the universities located in Zurich as well as from the ability to bridge the gap between science and industry in a location with excellent transportation links as well as the best working and testing conditions.

How exactly does the “IPZ project” work

The Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich (IPZ) is part of the national Switzerland Innovation initiative. It focuses on research and development at the interface of science and business in three clusters: robotics and mobility, aerospace, and manufacturing technologies.
The emphasis of the exciting project is on the direct and uncomplicated integration of research, development, and practical applications in a single location shared by international universities and companies.
Pre-financed by private investors, the park is currently under construction on the site of Dübendorf Airport. Institutions already active in the IPZ include ETH (the renowned local polytechnic) and the University of Zurich, EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and numerous companies.
The Federal Government has made the land available to the Canton of Zurich through the building rights mechanism, provided that the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich is actually built.