Innovation (english)
The Canton of Vaud, aware of the strategic challenges linked to the digital, health, and environmental transitions, provides an ecosystem designed to foster innovation within its territory. Led by the Board of Higher Education (DGES), this initiative is structured around three key areas — digital & space, health, and sustainability — while relying on its universities, technology transfer platforms, and committed institutional partners.
Three key themes: Digital & Space, Health, Sustainability
Digital & Space
A hackathon, innovation labs, a program, and a start-up accelerator
Innovation CRUNCH Time
Innovation CRUNCH Time aims to create a unique collaborative learning experience based on interaction and exchange between final-year engineering and business students from HEIG-VD and the industrial sector. Organized in partnership with the University of Technology of Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM), CRUNCH focuses on innovation, collaboration, and the development of students’ soft skills.
The fourth edition of Innovation CRUNCH Time took place from March 17 to 25, 2025.
FabLearn at HEP Vaud
FabLearn is a digital laboratory that includes a workspace, a creative area, various machines, and a facilitator (a trainer from HEP) who supports the realization of projects. A didactic and pedagogical reflection is initiated during an initial meeting. Facilitators accompany each participant with two main objectives: to bring their project to completion and to make this space a place for training and sharing. FabLearn enables hands-on engagement with digital and technological culture.
EPFL + ECAL Lab
Founded in 2007, the EPFL+ECAL Lab’s mission is to conduct innovation, teaching, and research activities through the practice of design in connection with emerging technologies. It is hosted within ECAL in Renens.
[seal]
The [seal] program was created in 2023 from the shared ambition of three universities — the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the School of Engineering and Management Vaud (HEIG-VD), and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) — to combine their expertise to address the critical challenges of digital trust and cybersecurity. Recognizing the strategic importance of this field, the State of Vaud has committed to supporting it as part of its public policy. Program initiatives include funding collaborative innovation projects, developing continuing education programs, and organizing joint events. As a key strategic sector, digital trust and cybersecurity are essential to many industries undergoing transformation.
Blaze – EPFL’s Start-up Accelerator
Blaze supports start-ups with high potential for rapid scaling, based on distinctive technology and aiming for societal impact. This three-month acceleration program is designed to help student start-up projects progress toward market launch. Founders evolve into leaders, and their projects into fully-fledged start-ups.
Health
A hackathon and innovation labs
Défi Source
Défi Source is a collaborative hackathon-style event dedicated to care and health. It allows participants to work for several days in teams on an innovative idea or project and to win prizes. Anyone can take part — by bringing an idea, a project, or by joining a team.
The third edition of Défi Source took place in 2025. Following Pitch Day, 14 teams were selected to participate in the Bootcamp and D Day, culminating in the closing ceremony and awards presentation on May 23, 2025.
Senior Lab
Senior-Lab is an interdisciplinary platform for innovation and applied research dedicated to improving the quality of life for seniors. It operates according to the principles of a living lab — relying on an open community composed of individuals, public actors, associations, universities of applied sciences, and companies to co-create innovative solutions. Senior-Lab was founded in 2018 by three higher education institutions in Vaud: ECAL, La Source, and HEIG-VD. It now counts numerous partners.
SILAB
SILAB is an academic laboratory specializing in education and support for innovation in care and health. As an academic lab, it actively contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate education, research and development within its areas of expertise, and provides service offerings. As an innovative structure, it addresses the needs and expectations of caregivers, patients and their families, innovators, and its academic, clinical, and industrial partners — with the goal of fostering meaningful and sustainable innovation in care and health.
Since January 1, 2022, the State of Vaud and the Institut La Source have enabled SILAB to create a spin-off: H4 — a remarkable recognition of its expertise that extends well beyond the traditional missions of a teaching and research laboratory.
H4: Hands-on Human Health Hub
H4 is an innovation hub that connects entrepreneurs with the healthcare and care sectors. As part of its mission to promote quality of care and innovation in support of people who are ill, vulnerable, or living with disabilities — and their families — the Institut La Source created H4 in 2021. H4 receives funding from the State of Vaud through the Innovation Support Fund. Its general mission is to facilitate innovation in health and care by bringing together stakeholders and fostering the creation of value, jobs, and sustainable services for the population in the health sector. The DGES is represented on H4’s Strategic Council.
Sustainability
A forum
Social Innovation Forum
Today, there are 10 million social enterprises worldwide, generating 2 trillion dollars annually and employing 200 million people (WEF, 2024). Yet societal innovation remains little known in Switzerland. Since 2022, the University of Lausanne’s Social Innovation Forum has aimed to bridge this gap by raising public awareness and promoting understanding of societal innovation through an annual event open to everyone.
The fourth edition of the Social Innovation Forum took place in April 2025.
Higher Education Institutions and Innovation in the Canton of Vaud
University of Lausanne – UNIL
At UNIL, the HUB Entrepreneurship and Innovation has a mission: to support entrepreneurial spirit in service of ecological, economic, and social transitions. It offers two programs: UCreate, open to students, researchers, faculty, and alumni; and Impulse dedicated to UNIL staff. The HUB also promotes interdisciplinary courses (Bachelor’s and Master’s) and organizes the University of Lausanne’s Social Innovation Forum, an annual event open to everyone.
École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne – EPFL
EPFL is a central player in Switzerland’s innovation landscape. It actively fosters collaborations with industry, develops programs to stimulate entrepreneurship, promotes science and technology among young people and the general public, and initiates projects that connect science with economic and societal challenges.
International Institute for Management Development – IMD
IMD’s innovation programs provide frameworks, tools, and mindsets to drive meaningful change, guided by world-renowned faculty, surrounded by peers from diverse backgrounds, and focused on real-world impact.
Haute école pédagogique du Canton de Vaud – HEP Vaud
At HEP Vaud, computer science and digital technologies represent a creative field with high innovation potential. The Teaching and Research Unit (UER) Media, Digital Practices, and Computer Science Didactics (MI) contributes to the development of new technical and pedagogical opportunities by overseeing their implementation.
Haute école fédérale en formation professionnelle – HEFP
A trend at HEFP is innovative pedagogy. The growth and rapid evolution of digital technologies, along with the increasing demands on professional skills, require a new approach to learning and teaching in vocational education.
ECAL
ECAL offers a Master of Advanced Studies in Design Research for Digital Innovation. Designers play a vital role in innovation. They turn emerging technologies into something that makes sense to the user and becomes part of everyday life. They also provide answers to the challenges raised by such advanced technology. They devise new usage scenarios, explore innovative forms of expression and ensure that novel ideas fit in with the users’ social and cultural environment. This challenge requires that the designer be able to conduct research within interdisciplinary teams, in partnership with scientific laboratories, companies and users.
Haute école d’ingénierie et de gestion du Canton de Vaud – HEIG-VD
HEIG-VD stands out for combining cutting-edge academic knowledge with practical professional needs. This approach fosters innovation, strengthens business competitiveness, and helps revitalize the economy of the Canton and its regions. The institution plays a key role through teaching, continuing education, research, and entrepreneurship support.
LA FABRIꓘ, HEIG-VD’s innovation and entrepreneurship unit, aims to stimulate and facilitate business creation and develop a culture of innovation through innovative programs. Depending on your needs and the maturity of your idea, they offer tailored support to help turn your concepts into reality.
Haute école de santé Vaud – HESAV
HESAV is a forward-looking, innovative, and engaged institution. Innovation is one of its core values. Health is a field in constant change, both technologically and socially. In both areas, HESAV proactively seeks sustainable solutions.
HEMU – Haute école de musique Vaud Valais Fribourg
The aim of research at the HEMU is to establish productive bonds between teaching, performance and creation, with a purpose of mutual improvement. Research projects are led by instrument and theory teachers, as well as the members of the Ra&D team who often work in partnership with other institutions such as universities, foundations, audio-visual media services or orchestras.
Haute école de travail social et de la santé Lausanne – HETSL
Social innovation is an approach to problem-solving inspired by technology but focused on social impact. Several projects have emerged in the fields of social work and health.
Institut et Haute école de la Santé La Source
Founded in 1859 in Lausanne as the world’s first secular nursing school, La Source has been a pioneer in innovation ever since. For over 160 years, it has prioritized innovative methods and practices to enhance both education and patient care.
In 2018, conditions were in place to give this historic legacy a new dimension and accelerate innovation: La Source expanded, inaugurated new facilities at the Beaulieu site, and created the Source Innovation Lab (SILAB), managed by a new team under the leadership of a physician.
CHANGINS
Through its research activities, CHANGINS contributes to innovation and the scientific, technical, and economic influence of Swiss viticulture.
Hospitality Business School – EHL
EHL's Innovation Hub is advocating for impact entrepreneurship within the dynamic areas of Hospitality and service businesses, including foodtech, travel and tourism, edtech, energy and proptech, and more. Our commitment extends to our students and alumni and external startups and founders, creating a dynamic ecosystem where the seeds of innovation can thrive.
Haute école des arts de la scène – La Manufacture
The Research mission initiates and supports projects where practice and theory mutually inform each other. Teams develop unique knowledge that can open pathways to new insights and forms of artistic expression.
HES-SO Master
Master in Integrated Innovation for Product and Business Development – Innokick
This program offers a unique opportunity to explore the world of innovation through an interdisciplinary and immersive approach. Designed to shape the innovators of tomorrow, it empowers you to develop cutting-edge products and services while addressing contemporary social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Technology Transfer in the Canton of Vaud
PACTT – Powering Academia-Industry Collaborations and Technology Transfer
Founded in February 2000, PACTT is the joint technology transfer office of the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV). Its main activities include: protection and management of intellectual property; negotiation and management of collaboration contracts with industry and other institutions; promotion of interactions between companies, partner institutions, and researchers; commercialisation of research results (i.e. license contracts, research and service contracts); and support of local start-up creation.
Technology Transfer Office (TTO)
The TTO works with EPFL researchers to turn their technologies into business opportunities that can benefit society – in particular by capturing and licensing EPFL’s intellectual property assets, managing collaborations with industry, and by accelerating the commercialization of early stage technologies.
Key Innovation Partners for the Canton of Vaud
Innovaud – The Innovation Agency of the Canton of Vaud
Innovaud is the innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud, in Switzerland’s Lake Geneva region. It has a long history of supporting innovation by startups, scale-ups, SMEs and large tech companies. It also serves as the gateway for foreign companies wanting to establish a presence in the heart of Europe. Its services are offered free of charge and backed by Vaud’s Department of the Economy, Innovation, Employment and Patrimony (DEIEP).
In partnership with the Service for the Promotion of Economy and Innovation of the Canton of Vaud (SPEI), the DGES sits on Innovaud’s board. It is also a member of the selection committee for grants awarded to start-up projects originating from higher education institutions.
Foundation for Innovation and Technology – FIT
FIT provides grants and loans to support positive innovation. It supports the development of innovative projects at various stages of their evolution. FIT backs projects in information and communication technologies (ICT), cleantech, life sciences, industry, and digital sectors at different stages of development. Additionally, the FIT Impact program supports high-impact, low-tech projects.
Service for the Promotion of Economy and Innovation – SPEI
The SPEI has a dual mandate from the State Council: firstly, to support economic development through six strategic pillars — business support, regional and tourism development, development of business parks and land, support for sustainable economy, support for innovation, and support for organizations; secondly, to regulate economic activities that are subject to specific regulations.
Vaud Promotion
Vaud Promotion’s mission is to enhance the canton’s multiple assets and develop its reputation. Through a strong image, synergies and actions that generate spin-offs, it contribute to the canton’s economic development.
Greater Geneva Bern area – GGBa
Greater Geneva Bern area (GGBa) is the investment promotion agency for Western Switzerland, bringing together the cantons of Bern, Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel and Geneva. Its mission is to provide support to foreign companies allowing them to get established quickly and develop their activities in the region.