Canton Zurich SME Program

AI Program for SME in the Canton of Zurich

The Department for Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich collaborates with the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC) to strengthen the Canton’s innovation ecosystem by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. To streamline AI adoption and foster collaborative innovation at this key stakeholder group, the SDSC has developed a three-step strategy designed to bridge theory and practice, actively engaging multiple SMEs across the Canton.

BENEFITS

Benefits for SMEs

The program allows you to test your innovative AI concepts under expert supervision, without taking financial and operational risk. All benefits are listed below:

Low-Risk Experimentation

Through guided prototyping, test AI solutions without upfront investment or risk.

Expert Feedback & Support

Obtain hands-on support and feedback from multidisciplinary expert teams to further refine your ideas.

Scalable Innovation

Promising prototypes are further developed into pilot projects integrated into your industry context.

Collaborative Network

Connect with peers and experts to jointly address the challenges and develop solutions.

Tailored AI Learning

Gain an understanding of AI technologies that translate into practical applications relevant to your business.

Strategic Positioning

Enhance your innovation profile and readiness for AI-driven solutions.

Participation

How to participate in the program

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SME Eligibility Criteria

To participate in the program, companies should meet the following criteria:

Location: Applicants must be headquartered or have significant operations in the Canton of Zurich.
Company Size: must fall within a typical size range for an SME.
AI Readiness: Demonstrated interest and capability in exploring or adopting AI technologies.
Resource Commitment: Willingness to dedicate internal staff to participate in workshops, hackathons, and follow-up activities.
Innovation Potential: Clear motivation to address a business challenge or opportunity through AI, with potential for scalable impact.
Collaboration Willingness: Openness to engage in knowledge exchange and co-development with other SMEs and researchers.

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Terms of Participation

Participation in this SME program is free of charge.
Framework workshops and presentations will be delivered in English and German.
Participating SMEs should expect to engage in 3–5 in person workshops between October 2025 and April 2026.
By registering, the SME agrees to potentially share its success story for communication purposes.
All information exchange will be conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Information

Learn more in the Info Session

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Obtain more insights into this unique AI learning, collaboration and innovation program and attend our online information session.

When: Thursday, July 17th, 2025 | 13:00-13:45 pm CET
Where: Zoom https://ethz.zoom.us/j/65213213582

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During this meeting, Markus Müller (Co-Head of Regional Development at the Canton of Zurich), Anna Fournier and Alessandro Nesti (both Principal Data Scientists at the SDSC), will talk you through the program and answer your questions.

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How to participate / Register

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To ensure the greatest possible value for you, we keep participating companies to a reasonable number. Interested and eligible SMEs can register by completing this online survey: [Survey to open shortly]

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Important Dates

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August 25th, 2025: Survey submission deadline
September 22nd, 2025: Announcement of SME Roundtable cohort.
October, 2025 - March, 2026: Roundtable collaboration towards AI prototype development.
April - June, 2026: Transitioning AI prototypes to pilot projects.

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For more information, please contact Dr. Anna Fournier, anna.fournier@sdsc.ethz.ch