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Research & development

From life sciences to medtech to AI, the Basel Area is a hub for R&D at all levels. The combination of world-class research institutes, supportive R&D tax credits and a number of strategic partnerships between science, industry and government, make the Basel Area a hub for innovation.

Global leaders operate here

Global pharma leaders such as Novartis and Roche run their global operations as well as key R&D centers from the Basel Area. R&D activities in agribusiness, the chemical sector and nanotechnology are also strongly represented here by multinationals such as Syngenta, Lonza, BASF, Bayer, Huntsman, Idemitsu and Clariant.

Five of the ten Swiss companies with the most registered patents are headquartered in the Basel Area: Roche, Novartis, Clariant, Syngenta and Endress+Hauser.

Numerous small and medium-sized companies, as well as a large number of successful startups and spin-offs enrich the integrated R&D landscape. The Basel Area offers an inspiring environment for entrepreneurs with vision and drive.

A tight network of universities, research institutes, suppliers, specialized service providers and leading hospitals have turned the area into a source of ground-breaking inventions with commercial success. More patents come out of this region than any other area of Switzerland, with an average of 25 per capita.

Tax incentives for R&D

In alignment with Swiss tax reform allowing reductions for R&D, two Basel Area cantons offer specific tax incentives aimed at increasing R&D in the area, the three cantons offer a patent box.

No. 1 in Switzerland for talent

The Basel Area offers unrivaled life sciences talent pool with 32,000 well-qualified employees (compared to Geneva area with 8,100 and Zurich area with 10,700).

Read more about recruiting in Switzerland.

The Basel Area provides a strong innovative hub with access to highly qualified, creative, entrepreneurial people and a deep knowledge-base.

Leading biotech, medtech and pharma companies

The Basel Area is home to 700 life sciences companies, 36 medtech startups and 85 biotech firms.

Infrastructure for success

  • Accelerator programs such as: BaseLaunch for therapeutic innovation, DayOne for healthcare innovation and i4Challenge for industrial transformation support research and development.
  • Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area offers collaborative spaces three locations: Allschwil, Basel, Jura.
  • Technologiepark Basel offers innovative lab infrastructure.
  • Other Innovation Services support R&D through catalyst projects, events and workshops as well as collaborative workspaces with R&D and lab facilities.
  • Four world-class universities and 176 research institutes are located in the surrounding border regions.

World-class research institutes

Numerous world-renowned research institutes are located within a one-hour drive of the Basel Area. There are four world-class universities and many renowned research institutes in the surrounding border regions.

Discovering the life sciences hub: The research institutes handbook

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