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.

The program is now open for its 2026 edition. Please review application details below.

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 7–10 in-person workshops between September 2026 and April 2027.
Participating SMEs commit to dedicating one week to prototype development activities.
By registering, the SME agrees to share its success story and key findings for communication purposes.
All information exchange and external communication will be conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Information

AI Innovation Program - 2026 Edition

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Watch Info Session

Obtain more insights into this unique AI learning, collaboration and innovation program in the recording of the Online Information Session that took place on June 30th, 2026:

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During this session, Raphael von Thiessen, Program Lead AI Hub at the Canton of Zurich, Anna Fournier, Principal Data Scientist at the SDSC, and Paulina Körner, Data Scientist at the SDSC, talk you through the program.

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Register Here

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 Form.

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Important Dates

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August 9, 2026: Application Form submission deadline
September 15, 2026: Announcement of selected 2026 SME Roundtable cohort.
September 2026 - March 2027: Roundtable collaboration towards AI prototype development.
April - May 2027: Transitioning AI prototypes to pilot projects.

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

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Related Information & Links

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2025 Program Output: Open-sourced Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) tool: https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/sme-kt-zh-collaboration-rag

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‍2025 Program Output: Open-sourced code for Timeseries Forecasting for Business Impact: https://github.com/SwissDataScienceCenter/sme-kt-zh-collaboration-forecasting

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Video Case Study:
AI-based Customer Support with Forecasting Models

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This program was run extremely professionally by data science and AI experts with an educational mission and industrial experience, meaning they understand business needs and emphasise practical solutions. The organisers were also very open to feedback and follow-up support. Highly recommend.

Dr. Adelene Lai

AI Integration Lead, Product Compliance & Sustainability, Econetta AG

The program delivers its promise: bringing AI knowledge to smaller companies. The digital toolset is there – bringing the necessary know-how inhouse is the main benefit of this program.

Roger Leimer

Head of IT, Microdul

Keeping up with AI technology, the market players, and the latest trends can quickly become overwhelming. The SDSC team helped us cut through the noise, understand what is actually relevant for our business, and validate our approach with experienced and independent experts.

Marco Induti

Deputy CTO, Swiss Safety Center

I strongly recommend this program. Months of trial-and-error are compressed into a structured, expert-guided sprint - with honest feedback, peer exchange with other SMEs, and a working prototype. The most efficient AI starting point for SMEs in Switzerland.

Patrik Vonlanthen

Managing Director, Vonlanthen Insight