Building the Future Together: How Switzerland Innovation Park Central Is Enabling Circular Construction (Ecosystem Case Study)
Switzerland Innovation Park Central, Switzerland, www.switzerland-innovation.com/central
By Mirko Kleiner interviewing Sem Mattli Managing Director
Guest Blog | August 2025
Congratulations to Switzerland Innovation Park Central from Switzerland for their nomination at the 2025 Haier ZeroDX Awards! Switzerland Innovation Park Central was recognized for their Open Innovation Ecosystem driving circularity in the built environment.
As part of our collaboration with the Haier Model Institute (HMI), we proudly supported the 2025 Haier ZeroDistance Excellence Awards by nominating outstanding organizations, individuals, and case studies from around the world. We want to extend our deepest recognition to all participants, who are true pioneers in embracing new management models and fostering ZeroDistance with their customers, suppliers, and communities. Your innovative spirit is shaping the future of business!
I’m incredibly proud of Sem and Switzerland Innovation Park Central, one of our partners and nominees by the LAP Alliance, has truly earned this recognition through their progressive work!
Discover more about Switzerland Innovation Park Central and their Ecosystem Success Story through an insightful interview with their CEO Sem.
If you’re new to Ecosystems and the New Economical Engine read the linked blog post first.
Introduction
Switzerland Innovation Park Central is not just a place—it’s a living and breathing ecosystem for innovation. Nestled in Rotkreuz - Zug and surrounded by top-tier universities, startups, corporates, and public institutions, it has become a hub for solving some of the most pressing challenges of our time. One of the most inspiring examples? Their work in driving circularity in the built environment.
From Landlord to an Open Innovation Ecosystem
When the Park took over its site in 2019, it was merely a space provider. Fast forward to today, and it has evolved into a platform that systematically enables collaborative innovation. Rather than focusing on physical infrastructure, the team focused on people, purpose, and process—shifting from “open innovation” to building self-propelling innovation ecosystems.
ImageSource: Switzerland Innovation Park Central - Players in the Open Innovation Ecosystem
The key idea? Bring together diverse actors—corporates, startups, researchers, policymakers—around shared challenges. Over time, small working groups grew into thematic “labs” and structured networks, supported by a scalable blueprint for ecosystem orchestration.
Case in Point: The Circular Building Lab
The most advanced example of this blueprint in action is the Circular Building Lab. Recognizing the massive environmental impact of the construction sector—responsible for over 30% of global CO₂ emissions and 84% of Switzerland’s waste—the Park acted.
Image Source: Switzerland Innovation Park Central - Circular Building Industry
They didn’t start with a flashy pilot project. Instead, they began with a critical question: How do we transform the construction sector toward a circular economy?
The Park brought together industry leaders, research institutions (e.g., Empa, ETH, HSLU), public authorities (including Canton Zurich), and startups to form a community around this goal. From this, a series of initiatives emerged:
● The Innovation Booster Circular Building Industry (CBI), funded by Innosuisse, which has supported 50+ projects and 200+ actors
● The Circular Building Charta, co-developed with major building owners like SBB, which now informs procurement strategy
● Flagship projects and spin-offs like Rematter, a startup reimagining construction through disassembly-ready components
What Makes It Work? Four Phases of the Ecosystem Engine
The Park’s method for building ecosystems follows a clear four-step logic:
Inspire – Raise awareness, share trends, showcase best practices
Enable – Offer bootcamps, workshops, and expert input to build capability
Innovate – Foster ideation and collaboration for new ventures and prototypes
Implement – Support scale-up, fundraising, and real-world application
This cycle feeds itself: new ideas become projects, projects become use cases, and those become inspiration for the next wave.
Self-Regulating and Decentralized
Unlike centralized innovation platforms, Switzerland Innovation Park Central encourages decentralized ownership. Partners are treated as equals, guided by a shared purpose rather than tight control. While no formal “code of conduct” was used in the early stages, cultural alignment and peer regulation ensured trust and continuity.
Image source: Switzerland Innovation Park Central - Nodes are Self-Regulating and Decentralized
As one participant noted, “We built something powerful not by managing every move, but by creating a space where people want to contribute.”
Key takeaways are:
1. Industry Leaders as Catalysts
Industry frontrunners (like large construction firms or public developers) are key to scaling innovation, acting as "Bestellende" (buyers) that drive market demand for new solutions.
Their involvement provides credibility, traction, and alignment with real-world needs, creating a "Lucky Punch"when ecosystems can anchor use cases with these players.
When 10–20 major players coordinate, the ecosystem becomes valuable and self-sustaining.
2. Public/Private Co-Funding is Essential
Innovation ecosystems often start from bottom-up initiatives with limited resources.
Programs like the Swiss Innovation Booster (Innosuisse) provide micro-grants and operational funding for labs, workshops, and coordination — making the ecosystem viable.
Crucially, public funding alone is not sufficient. Matching funds and participation from industry ensure commitment and co-ownership.
3. Ecosystem Growth Needs Systemic Enablement
Ecosystems require methodical orchestration — combining academia, startups, corporates, and public actors.
Government actors (e.g., states and municipalities) play a strategic role in enabling innovation through regulation and institutional support.
The most impactful outcomes emerge when ecosystems preempt regulation and help define future standards collaboratively.
4. From Vision to Impact
A well-structured ecosystem moves from inspiration → education → innovation → implementation.
Over 200 actors participated in the circular construction initiative, generating 50+ early-stage projects and several startups.
The ultimate success metric? Major clients now include circularity criteria in tenders — a self-regulating market shiftdriven by the ecosystem.
Beyond Collaboration: Toward Structural Change
Perhaps the most impactful outcome has been the institutional uptake of circularity. Through policy engagement and proof points, the ecosystem helped the Canton of Zurich anchor circular economy principles in law. Meanwhile, major developers now include circularity in strategic procurement decisions.
Image source: Switzerland Innovation Park Central - Ecosystem Working agreement
In other words, this isn’t just innovation—it’s systemic transformation.
Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Challenges
The journey is far from over. Circular construction is still nascent, and big shifts require either regulatory pressure or compelling business cases. The Park team believes both will play a role.
Their next aspiration? To ensure that all Charta partners (major real estate owners) commit to circular procurement as a strategic norm—creating a ripple effect across the Swiss construction market and beyond.
What Can Others Learn?
If you’re building your own innovation ecosystem, here are a few takeaways:
● Start with a real-world challenge—not tech for tech’s sake
● Build trust through purpose and peer equality
● Enable participation before monetization
● Use public-private funding creatively
● Anchor outcomes in both business and policy frameworks
● Scale knowledge through platforms—digital and human
As one leader summed it up: “It’s not just about the next cool project. It’s about shifting how an entire sector thinks and acts.”
Want to learn more or get involved?
👉 Visit: www.switzerland-innovation.com/central
📧 Contact: info@building-excellence.ch
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